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M  A  G  N  E  R  '  S 


ART  or 


Earning  *  and  *  Edueating  *  Harses. 


:]^::Z!fI5fIEIH:3iz±^ 


L/, 


THE 

ART  OF  TAMING  AND  EDUCATING 

The  Horse: 


>    <!TSTEM  THAT  MAKES  EASV  AND  PRACTICAL  THE  STTBJECTIOX  OF  WILB  AND  VICIOUS 

HORSES,  HERETOFORE  PRACTICED  AXD  TAUGHT  BY  THE  AUTHOR  AS  A  SECRET, 

AND    NEVER   BEFORE    PUBLISHED  ;    INDORSED    BY   LEADING    CITIZENS 

AND  COMMITTEES  OF  EXPERTS  IN  THE    PRINCIPAL  CITIES  AND 

TOWNS    OF   THE    UNITED    STATES    AS    UNQUALIFIEDLY 

THE  SIMPLEST,  MOST  HUMANE  AND  EFFECTIVE  IN  THE  WORLD ; 


Details  of  Management  in  the  Subjection  of  over 

FORTY  REPRESENTATIVE  VICIOUS  HORSES, 

AND 

The  Story  of  the  Author's  Personal  Experience  ; 

■rOGETHEK   WITH    CHAPTERS   OK 

FEEDING,    STABLING,    SHOEING,    AND  THE   PRACTICAL  TREATMENT   FOB  SICKNESS, 
LAMENESS,  etc.,  WITH  A  LARGE  NUMBER  OF  RECIPES  HERE- 
TOFORE SOLD  AS  GREAT  SECRETS. 


944    ILLUSTRATIONS. 


BY    D.    MAGNER, 

Assisted  in  the  Medical  Department  byJAMES  HAMILl.,  D.  V.  S.,  formerly  Lecturer  on  Stioeingand  Disease 

of  the  Foot,  1     Columbia  Veterinary  College,  N    Y.;   CHAS.  A.  MCYCR,  D.  V    S.,  New  York; 

JOHN  McL^UGlHLIN,  D.  V.S  ,  State  (New  Jersey)  Veterinary  Inspector  for  the 

Board  ff  Health;   B.C.  McBETH.Vet.  Surgeon,  Battle  Creek,  Mich. 


BATTLE  CREEK,   MICH.: 

Review  &  Herald  Publishing  House. 

1886. 


5 


Entered  accordiog  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  Year  ]8S!8, 

By  D.  MAGNER, 

In  tlie  Office  of  tlie  Librarian  of  Congress,  nt  Washington. 


Ai,i,  TliGHTS  Reserved. 


Sp'&ciCj&l  Notice^ — Friends  who  may  wkh  to  com- 
municate with  me  directly  in  relation  to  this  hook,  or  other  busi- 
ness j  please  address — 

JJ.  MAGNER, 

Battle   Creek,   Mich. 


(See  also  page  1081.) 


PREFACE. 


* 


There  are  eleven  million  horses  in  the  United  States,  and  not 
one  man  in  a  million  who  knows  how  to  educate  them  to  the  highest 
degree  of  usefulness.  We  say  educate;  for  the  horse  is  an  animal 
of  high  and  spirited  organization,  endowed  by  his  Creator  with 
capabilities  and  faculties  which  sufficiently  resemble  man's  to  come 
under  the  same  general  law  of  education  and  government.  Prima- 
rily, the  word  educate  means  to  lead  out  or  lead  up;  and  it  is  by 
this  process  of  leading  out  and  leading  up  a  child's  faculties  that 
the  child  becomes  a  useful  man,  and  it  is  by  a  like  process  that  a 
colt  becomes  a  useful  horse.  Now  teachers,  like  poets,  are  born, 
not  made.  Only  a  few  are  gifted  to  see  into  and  see  through  any 
form  of  highly  organized  life,  discern  its  capacities,  note  the  interior 
tendencies  which  produce  habits,  and  discover  the  method  of 
developing  the  innate  forces  until  they  reach  their  noblest  expres- 
sion, and  then  apply  the  true  and  sufficient  guidance  and  govern- 
ment. The  few  who  have  this  gift  are  teachers  indeed,  and,  next  to 
the  mothers  of  the  world,  deserve  the  world's  applause  as  foremost 
among  its  benefactors. 

Next  to  child  training  and  government  comes  horse  training  and 
government ;  and  which  is  the  least  understood,  it  were  hard  to  say. 
Boys  and  colts,  so  much  alike  in  friskiness  and  stubbornness,  both 
are  misunderstood  and  abused  in  equal  ratio.  The  boys  are  shaken 
and  whipped,  and  colts  are  yanked,  kicked,  and  pounded.  That 
high-spirited    or    slow-witted    boys    become    good    men,  and    high- 

*  This  preface  was  written  l)y  a  gentleman  well  known  in  the  world  of  letters, 

anrl  especially  famous,  not  only  as  a  lover  of  fine  horses,  but  as  a  high  authority  on 

all  matters  concerning  them.     Learning  that  I  had  in  preparation  a  new  work,  he 

volunteered  to  write  the  preface,  which  is  here  given  as  a  concise  introduction  to  the 

author's  own  labors,  with  a  high  appreciation  of  the  compliment  paid  him  by  the 

distinguished  writer,  in  the  personal  allusion,  the  jiublication  of  which  demands  no 

apology  when  its  high  source  is  considered. 

(vii) 


Vlll 


VREFACE. 


S]>iritO(l   or  iliill   ccM?.  mako  servicoiihlo  liorsos.  T  onno<^ivo  is  duo  tn 

the  grace  of  Ood  more  tliaii   to  man  s  iV!i;eiicy, — tliiit  fme  grMcc.  I 

mean,  spread  abroad  through  and  existing  in   .ill    His    creatm-es, 

which  operates  in  regenerating  continually,  mnking  the  good  better, 

preventing  those  whose  circumstances  forbid  their  becoming  good 

from  })ecoming  absolutely  bad. 

The  author  of  this  book  is  known  to  me  as  one  of  the  "fifted 

ones    of  the    earth,  because  he  is  gifted  to  discern  the  natujv  of 

animals,  and  educate  them  for  man's  service.     The  possession  of 

this  gift  suggested  his  mission,  and  well  has  he  followed  it,  and  by 

it  been  educated  himself  to  a  degree  rarely,  if  ever,  attained  by  man 

before.     T  doubt  if  there  be  on  the  globe  his  equal  in  knowledge  as 

to  the   best  method  of  training  horses.     Through  this  volume  he 

seeks  to  give  the  public  the  benefit  of  his  experience.    I  bespeak  for 

it  the  careful  perusal  of  the  curious,  and  of  those  especially  whose 

judgment  and  heart  alike  prompt  them  to  seek  for  and  promulgate 

knowledge,  which,  being  popularised,  would  make  the  people  more 

humane  and  horses  more  serviceable 

AV.   TI.   11.  M. 


k'-T^-^ 


4W  OF  COPYRIGHTS 


Tlic  exflu^ivo  benefits  of  copyrigM^  exfp.nd  to  iwenty-eiglit  years, 
ihfn  renetvahle  for  fourteen  years-:  if  llw  antlior  is  dead,  to  flie 
/icirn,  hy  rc-rcc.ordinfi.  din/  adverfishi(/  the  re-record  for  fmrr  ireehs 
ill  1 1  try  neivsipaper  in  iln-  United  States. 

The  forfeiture  of  all  tin-  hooks,  and  a  penalty  of  fifty  cents  on 
each  sheet  [sixteen  pages)  <f  the  work,  half  to  the  United  States, 
and  half  in  tJte  author,  is  tint  penalty  for  juddishing  or  importing 
<iny  ii'iirk  ivithout  the  loritten  consent  of  the  author  :  and  the  printer 
is  equally  liable  n^ith  the  publisher. 

Entries  must  be  sent  to  the  Librarian  of  Congress  at  Washing- 
ton, T>.  (\  The  laws  are  found  in  Vol.  //".  if  the  United  States 
Statutes,  pages  .'riC-'fSB. 

%^TJiis  Work  is  protected  hy  three  separate  Copyrights,  cover- 
ing, first,  its  Title ;  second,  its  Literary  Composition ;  and  third, 
its  Engraving s.'^^^ 

There  are  also  three  patents  covering  imp>ortant  methods  of 
subjection  and  treatment  given  in  this  book.  First,  a  simjjle  means 
of  subjection  by  which  ayiy  horse,  however  vicious,  balky,  or  unman- 
ageable, can  be  put  in  harness,  subdued,  and  driven  gently  without 
danger  of  accident.  Second,  a  method  by  ivhich  headstroyig,  lung- 
ing, runaway  horses  can  be  controlled  directly,  and  .so  subdued  by 
the  piressure  of  the  reins  upon  the  nerve  centers,  that  he  ivill  soon 
submit  to  the  ordinary  restraint  of  the  bit.  Third,  a  method  of 
preventing  and  curing  contraction  and  quarter-crack — an  absolute 
cure  for  quarter-crack,  ivith  freedom  to  drive  on  any  road  as  desired, 
without  causing  the  hoof  to  split  back  as  it  grotvs — guarayUeed  a 
means  of  perfect  cure.  Fourth,  [patent  jjending)  a  method  by  which 
most  pidling,  lugging,  horses  on  the  bit  ivill  drive  safely  and  easily 
to  a  pdeasant  and  easy  restraint  of  the  reins. 

^M' Purchasers  of  this  work  from  the  author  or  his  agents  will 
be  given  a  special  certificate  entitling  them  to  the  use  :f  cither  or  all 
these  patents  (for  jjersonal  use  only),  without  e.ttra  charge;  all 
others  using  them  ivill  be  subject  to  legal  p)roceedings.'^^ 

(ix) 


..  .=-.e^ 


GENERAL  SUM^RY  OF  TI^IS  WORK. 


Title  Pages,  Preface,  Law  of  Copyright,  and  Gen- 
eral Summary, 8  pages. 

Contents, 12       *' 

The  Work  Proper  and  Index, 1082 

Supplement 36 


(1089) 


Total, 1128  pages. 


"^■^^^^Q 


TR^ 


W^i 


^i^p^' 


-H^CONTENTS.** 


PAGE. 

INTRODUCTION 20 

CHAPTER    I. 

METHODS  OF  SUBJECTION.  . 30 

Principles  of  Taming  and  Teaching  Horses 20 

First  Method  of  Subjection 30 

Second  Method  of  Subjection •  38 

Third  Method  of  Subjection 48 

Control  by  Whipping  60 

The  War  Bridle— First  Form  61 

Double  Draw  Hitch  Form 63 

Second  Form 63 

W.  or  Breaking  Bit 70 

Four-Ring  or  Upper  Jaw  Bit 73 

Half -Moon  Bit 75 

Spoon  Bit 76 

Patent  Bridle. 76 

Foot  Strap 79 

Breaking  Rig 83 


CHAPTER  n. 

COLT  TRAINING 91 

Haltering  a  Wild  Colt 92 

Taming  or  Making  the  Colt  Gentle 94 

Teaching  to  Follow — How  to  Make  the  Colt  Follow  Instantly 96 

Training  to  Follow  with  the  Whip  Two  Ways 96 

Training   to   Follow  with  Halter  and  War  Bridle 96 

Driving  to  Harness 103 

Bitting 107 

Hitching  to  Wagon 110 

Sullen,  Lunging  Colts 113 

Colts  that  Throw  themselves  over  Backwards    •■  114 

Driving  Double H^ 

Hitching  the  Colt  by  the  Halter 116 

(xi) 


xii  CONTENTS. 

(JHAPTEE    ITT. 

EXCESSIVE  FEAR.— ITS  EFFECTS 118 

Fear  of  Rattle  of  Wagon 125 

Jumping  out  of  Shafts 126 

Fear  of  Top  Wagon   126 

Objects  Exciting  Fear  while  Riding  or  Driving 127 

Fear  of  a  Robe 129 

Fear  of  an  Umbrella  or  Pai-asol 130 

Fear  of  Sound  of  a  Gun 131 

Fear  of  Hogs  and  Dogs 132 

Fear  of  Railroad  Cars 132 

Insanity .  .  135 

Illustrative  Cases. — Case  1. — Press  Horse,  Gowanla,  N.  Y. 136 

Case  2.— Brookville.Horse,  Pa 136 

Case  3. — Gates  Horse,  Garrettsville,  0 140 

Case  4. — Dr.  Keegan's  Horse,  Cleveland,  0 141 

Case  5. — Greencastle  Horse,  Pa 142 

Case  6.— Collins  Horse,  Toledo,  ().   144 

Case  7. — Rochester  Horse,  N.  Y 145 

Case  8. — Wild  Pete,  Petroleum  Centre,  Pa. 147 

CHAPTER  IV. 

KICKING 153 

Runaway  Kickers 170 

Confirmed  Kickers 171 

Sulky  Kickers 173 

Switching  Kickers 179 

Kicking  Straps 179 

Foot  Straps 183 

Over-draw  Check 183 

Hip  Strap 186 

Four-ring  Bit 187 

Kicking  when  Struck  with  Ihe  Whip  in  Driving 188 

Kickers  in  Stall 190 

Kicking  wliile  Harnessing 193 

Kicking  and  Biting  while  Grooming .    196 

Bad  to  Bridle 196 

Illustrative  Cases. — Case  1. — Putney  Horse,  Yl 197 

Case  2. — Malone  Horse,  Cleveland,  O. 198 

Case  3. — Watson  Horse,  Memphis,  Tenu. 201 

Case  4. — Hettrick  Horse,  New  York  City 303 

Case  5. — Hankey  Mare,  Gettysburg,  Pa 206 

Case  6. — Goodman  Horse,  Mississippi .   207 

Case  7. — Me  Vay  Horse,  Mansfield,  O. 212 

Case  8. — General  Kiiox  Stnllinii,  Tiancaster,  N.  H 215 


COjS^TENTS.-  xiii 

Case  9.— Wild  Ravenna  Colt,  O 218 

Case  10.— Lima  Stallion 220 

CHAPTER    V. 

BAD  TO  SHOE 222 

Palliative  Treatment 222 

Confirmed  in  the  Habit 229 

Regular  Subjective  Treatment 237 

Leaning  Over 239 

CHAPTER    VI. 

BALKING 240 

Palliative  Treatment 243 

A  Maine  Man's  Method .' 246 

Regular  Treatment  248 

Restless  Balkers 250 

Balking  Double  252 

Best  Treatment 253 

Overloading 255 

Illustrative  Cases. — Case  I^o.  1 257 

Case  No.  2 257 

Case  No.  3 257 

Case  No.  4 258 

CHAPTER   VII. 

RUNNING  AWAY. . : 261 

Case  No.  1. — Dover  Plains  Horse 267 

Case  No.  2— West  Falls,  N.  Y. 267 

Half-moon  Bit 268 

Spoon  Bit 269 

Four-ring  Bit  271 

Patent  Bridle   27^ 

Liigginu',  (ir  PulliiiL;'  ii|Hiii  ( >ii('  itciii 273 

Will  not  Back 274 

Will  not  Wait  or  Stand  when  getting  into  or  out  of  Wagon. 276 

CHAPTER    VIII. 

HALTER  PULLING , 279 

Running  Back  in  Ihc  Sl;dl  avIhh  Unhilclicd 289 

Making  a  Horse  Sf.Miid  withoiii  Hitcliini;- 290 

How  to  JIilc]i  to  a,  Smoolli    'I'rcc  or  I^nsl  so  llml   llic   ,Stra[)  will  ihiI 

Slip 291 


xiv  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER    IX. 

STALLIONS 292 

Treatment  for  Headstrong  Stallions 296 

Treatment  for  very  Vicious  Stallions    299 

Godolphin  Arabian  308 

CHAPTER    X. 

MISCELLANEOUS  HABITS .^ 316 

To  Catch  a  Horse 316 

Cribbing 319 

Wind-sncking 323 

Putting  the  Tongue  out  of  the  Mouth 323 

Pawing  in  Stall 325 

Kicking  in  Stall 326 

Getting  Cast  in  Stall 326 

Jumping  over  Fences 327 

Tender  Bitted 328 

Kicking  Cows 328 

To  Lead  a  Cow  Easily 330 

To  Force  a  Horse  on  a  Trot   330 

CHAPTER    XI. 

TEACHING  TRICKS 334 

Teaching  to  Follow  with  Whip 334 

Teaching  to  Nod  his  Head,  or  Say  "Yes " 334 

Teaching  to  Shake  his  Head,  or  Say  "  No  " 334 

Teaching  to  Tell  his  Age : 334 

Teaching  to  Kick  Up 335 

Teaching  to  Kiss 337. 

Teaching  to  Lie  Down  and  Sit  Up 337 

Teaching  to  Sit  Up 339 

Teaching  to  Throw  Boys 340 

Teaching  to  Walk  upon  his  Hind  Feet    345 

Teaching  to  Walk  upon  the  Knees   

Teaching  to  Chase  a  Man  out  of  Ring  346 

Teaching  to  Drive  without  Reins    347 

CHAPTER    XII. 

HORSE-BACK  RIDING    350 

How  to  Sit  upon  a  Horse 351 

Secure  and  Insecure  Positions    352 

Mounting 355 

Holding  the  Reins 357 


CONTENTS.  XV 

Ladies  Learning  to  Ride 358 

The  Value  of  Horseback  Riding  for  Cure  of  Dyspepsia,  etc. 360 

CHAPTER    XIII. 

SUBJECTION 365 

Historical  Facts 865 

Dick  Christian 365 

Bull 365 

Jumper 366 

The  Irish  Whisperer   366 

Offutt 368 

O.  H.  P.   Fancher 368 

John  S-  Rarey. — How  he  Attained  liis  Success,  etc. 368 

The  Effects  of  Treatment   384 

Review  of  System 397 

Medicines  or  Drugs 403 

Control  by  the  Eye  or  Will   408 

Illustrative  Cases. — Case  1. — Mt.  Vernou  Horse 412 

Case  2. — Gallopsville  Horse 414 

Case  3.— Buffalo  Omnibus  Co.'s  Horse 415 

Case  4. — Oxford  Horse 418 

Case  5. — Hermon  Horse 420 

Case  6.— Wilkins  Horse. 421 

Case  7. — Hilliuau  Horse,  Jet 435 

Case  8. — Norwalk  Horse 434 

dase  9. — Allegan  Man-Eater 435 

Case  10.— Roberts  Horse 440 

Case  11. — Mustang  Pony 448 

CHAPTER    XIV. 

DENTON  OFFUTT,  Rarey's  Instructor, 449 

Extracts  from  Offutt's  Book. — Taming  with  Medicines 456 

Great  Secret  for  Taming 456 

CHAPTER    XV. 
FA3IILIAR  TALK  WITH  THE  READER 457 

CHAPTER     XVI. 

PERSONAL  EXPERIENCE ' 473 

Almost  a  Failure 479 

Meeting  Difficulties 481 

Experiments 483 

Driving  without  Reins 485 

First  Publication 487 


Visit  to  Maine 488 

Exciting  Curiosity 491 

Success  in  Maine 493 

Special  Experiments 495 

Difficulties 497 

Opposition 499 

Success  in  Cleveland 501 

Success  in  Michigan 503 

Publications  Revised 507 

In  New  York 509 

Test  Ex])eriments   523 

Keeping  Engagements 533 

CHAPTER    XVII. 

BREEDING 537 

Selection  of  Stallion 539 

Care  of  the  Mare 540 

CHAPTER    XVIII. 

STABLING 543 

Serious  Objections 545 

Ventilation 547 

Proper  Style  of  Rack,  etc 549 

CHAPTER  XIX. 

FEEDING  AND  WATERING 550 

Cooking  the  Food 554 

Watering 557 

CHAPTER    XX. 

now  T( )  TEr.L  THE  AGE 559 

Diseases  <if  Ox'  Tcctli 5(i7 

CHAPTKJI    XXI. 

SllUELNi;.      I'lirl    Firsi   5S() 

Outline  ol'  Ihc  Slructurc  of  llic  J'ool ."jS  I -.")!) -2 

<JriHi;il  Kcumiks V>'27 

9 

Triiniiiiiig <il(i 

ICxci'S'-ivc  I'ariiiL:.      Kcmarks  froiu  (tanigcc *i5:] 

Ad.jllslniclll  nt  llic  Shoe .  (\~>7 

N'iiiiiiiL,''  I  lif  Slioc (!(il 

(')iniliing  I^omh  tl\c   N.iil C;(;5 

Shoeing  llie   niml   Feel fifili 

Contraction 0G8 


COXTEXTS  xvii 

The  Spreaders ^*^^ 

Curliug  under  of  Heel    685 

Quarter  Crack ^^1 

Corns  •  •   ♦^^^ 

AVeak  Heels ™'_| 

Clicking,  or  Overreaching '^0' 

Stumbling l^^ 

Shoeing  Sore  or  Tender  Feet   W8 

Shoeing  laundered  Horses "^^l 

Extracts  from— Gamgee  on  Coleman,  Youatl.  Miles,  Flemming's 
Comments,  Osmer,  SoUesev.  Lafosse.  Freeman,. 31.  Char- 
lier ' '^2-725 

CHAPTER    XXU. 

CIRCULATION ^^'^ 

General  Plan  of  Circulation '^^^ 

Ventilation : ....   743 

CHAPTER    XXIII. 

DISEASES  AND  THEIR  TREATMENT T46 

74fi 
Inflammation •, 

Antiphlogistics •  ■  '^^^ 

Osteosarcoma '  '* 

Enchondrona '  _ 

Diseases  of  the  Bones 'Jy^ 

Anchylosis  of  Bone '^^ 

Caries  of  Bone • f"^ 

Necrosis  of  Bone '^J* 

Exostosis,  or  Bony  Enlargement 7o4 

Splint,  or  Splent ''5* 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

DISEASES  OF  THE  JOINTS "^56 

Spavin  ^^^ 

Ring-bone   '  *^ 

Side  Bone,  or  False  Ring-bone 772 

Curb ■  ■   '^l^ 

Bog  Spavin,  or  Thorough-pins ''"''4 

Capped  Hock '^^^ 

Wind-Galls •    "" 

CHAPTER    XXV. 

NAVICULAR-JOINT  LAMENESS 778-798 

XT         .  799 

Neurotomy 

Condition  of  the  Feet  in  Chronic  Lameness  803 

1* 


xviii  CONTENTS. 

Hypertrophy 803 

Atrophy 803 

Corns 805,  813 

Laminitis,  or  Founder 828 

Chronic  Founder 838 

Peditis,  or  Inflammation  of  the  Os  Pedis 

CHAPTER  XXVI.  ^ 

CATARRH 841 

Laryngitis,  or  Sore  Throat 843 

Strangles,  or  Horse  Distemper  845 

Glanders  and  Farcy 848,  854 

CHAPTER   XXVI  I. 

CHRONIC  COUGH ; 854 

Heaves,  or  Broken  A¥iud 856 

Roaring  859 

Brouchocele 861 

Nasal  Gleet 862 

Influenza — Epizootic  Catarrhal  Fever 864 

Pink  Eye 866 

CHAPTER  xxvnr. 

DISEASES  OF  THE  CHEST 868 

Congestion  of  the  Lungs ^ 873 

Pneumonia — Inflammation  of  the  Lungs 875 

Pleurisy 878,  882 

Hydrothorax,  or  Water  on  the  Chest 883 

Typhoid  Pneumonia 884 

Bronchitis 885 

CHAPTER    XXIX. 

COLIC 886 

Tympanites,  or  Flatulent  Colic 894 

Inflammation  of  the  Bowels 898 

Superpurgation,  Diarrhea,  etc   903 

Constipation 905 

Worms 906 

Bots ■ 913 

Inflammation  of  the  Kidneys 915 

Profuse  Staling,  (Diuresis) 916 

Retention  of  Urine 918 

Bloody  Urine ... , 918 


CONTENTS.  xix 

CHAPTER    XXX. 

DISEASES  OF  THE  NERVOUS  SYSTEM 918 

Inflammation  of  the  Brain— Phrenitis 919 

921 
Megrims,  or  Vertigo 

Sun  Stroke ^^;J 

T*ir*\lvsis  

Azoturia— Partial  Paralysis— Spinal  Meningitis 923 

Rabies,  or  Madness  ■  • 

Tetanus,  or  Lockjaw *  ^_ 

Stringhalt "''^ 

Thumps,  or  Spasmodic  Action  of  the  Diaphragm J^o 

Lymphangitis— Weed— Monday  Morning  Leg 937 

The  Peritoneum " 

„.,.,.  938 

Peritonitis 

The  Stomach ^^' 

,    ,.       ,. 939 

Indigestion 

Acidity  of  the  Stomach •  •  ■ 

940 
Acute  Indigestion • 

CHAPTER  XXXI. 

THE  FOOT— INJURIES  OF,  AND  CAUSE  OF  LAMENESS 941 

Pricking  in  Shoeing,  Stepping  on  Glass,  etc 941 

Foot  Lameness 

Seedy  Toe  

Gravelling • 

Bruise  of  the  Sole 

Treads  or  Calks 

Overreach 

Quittor 

Thrush 

Canker 


945 
946 
947 
947 
948 
951 
951 
954 
955 


CHAPTER    XXXII. 

956 

[[][[,.[... 957 

'  "    962 

_[ 963 

.'■  ""'^  964 

964 

'  "  '  ' 664 

][][[[. 966 

„.  -,                      ■ 968 

Hip  Lameness 


SPRAINS,  BRUISES,  ETC 

Sprain  of  the  Back  Tendons  .  .  . 

Breaking  Down 

Sprain  of  the  Fetlock 

Sprain  of  the  Perforans  Tendon 

Joint  Lameness 

Shoulder  Lameness 

Sweeney 


Knuckling  Over 

Broken  Knees,  or  Open  Joint 

Fractures 


971 
974 


XX  •  CONTEXTS. 

Dislocation  of  the  Patella,  or  Stifled 976 

Stifle-joint  Lameness 977 

CHAPTER    XXXIII. 

(  ITS  AND  WOUNDS 977 

Injuries  of  the  Tongue 983 

Sore  Mouth 984 

Fistula  of  the  Withers  and  Poll  Evil 935,  987 

CHAPTER    XXXIV. 

DISEASES  OF  THE  EYE   990-998 

Simple  Ophthalmia,  or  Inflammation  of  the  Eye 991 

Specific  or  Periodic  Ophthalmia 994 

Amaurosis,  or  Glass  Eye 997 

Cataract 998 

Dropsy  of  the  Belly— Ascites  999 

Anasarca,  or  Swelled  Legs 1000 

Inflammation  of  the  Veins — Phlebitis 1001 

Thrombus 1002 

Lampas    1003 

CHAPTER    XXXV. 

DISEASES  AND  INJURIES  OF  THE  SKIN 1003 

Surfeit  1003 

Urticaria,  Nettle  Rash,  Hives,  etc 1004 

Mange : 1005 

Hen  Lice  1007 

Ring-Worm 1007 

Scratches,  Mud  Fever,  and  Cracked  Heels 1008 

Grease 1012 

Tumor  on  the  Shoulder 1014 

Tumor  on  Point  of  the  Elbow 1016 

Sallenders 1017 

Mallenders 1017 

Saddle  or  Collar  Galls 1017 

CHAPTER    XXXVI. 

TENOTOMY .' 1018 

Division  of  the  Tendons 1019 

Castration •  1022 

Injuries  and  Diseases  of  the  Penis 1024 

Foulness  of  the  Sheath  and  Yard 1025 

Parturition,  or  Foahng 1025 

Abnormal  Presentations •  1026 

Blisters 1037 


CONTENTS.  xxi 

Counter  Irritants 1038 

Hot  Fomentations 1032 

Poultices 1034 

The  Pulse 1035 

Giving  Balls 1038 

Physicking 1040 

Bleeding,  or  Phlebotomy ^-    1043 

Setons 1044 

The  Rowel 1044 

Tracheotomy 1045 

Embrocations 1047 

Caustics 1049 

CHAPTER  XXXVII. 

MISCELLANEOUS  RECIPES  1050-1061 

Recipes  from  the  Author's  old  book 1062-1072 

Human  Remedies 1073-1 081 

General  Index 1082-1088 


SUPPLEMENT. 

Following  page  448  is  a  chapter  on  Checking  and  Blinders,  comprising 
26  pages,  with  40  illustrations. 


m^ms<t.m.i 


The  liorse  is  the  most  indispensable  and  valuable  of  all 
the  animals  used  by  man.  Nearly  all  the  advocations  and 
many  of  the  recreations  of  every-day  life,  are  largely 
dependent  on  the  use  of  horses.  When  treated  intelligently 
and  properly,  the  horse  is  the  most  tractable  and  serviceable 
of  all  the  domestic  animals ;  but  if  treated  ignorantly  or 
badly,  he  is  liable  to  become  so  vicious  and  unmanageable 
as  to  be  comparatively  if  not  wholly  -worthless. 

While  there  is  no  lack  of  information  and  accepted 
authority  on  breeding,  stabling,  shoeing,  driving,  color,  etc., 
etc.,  as  pertaining  to  horses,  there  is  a  singular  lack  of 
authority,  or  even  intelligent  understanding,  on  the  art  of 
arts,  namely,  that  of  teaching,  subduing,  and  changing  the 
character  of  wild  or  vicious  horses,  as  desired.  In  fact, 
there  is  no  book  or  other  authority  on  the  subject,  it  being 
practically  a  new  science,  the  principles  of  which  have  but 
recently  become  understood,  as  developed  by  the  author  of 
this  work. 

There  is  no  subject  more  of  a  mystery,  even  to  the 
most  intelligent,  or  about  the  successful  performance  of 
which  there  is  more  incredulity  or  misconception.  It  is 
supposed  that  if  a  horse  is  courageous  and  strong,  and 
becomes  vicious  or  resists  control,  the  fault  must  be  wholly 
in  an  incorrigibly  bad  temper,  that  makes  his  successful 
management  impossible ;  whereas  a  proper  understanding 
of  the  subject  shows  that  the  animals  condition  is  the 
result  of  ignorant,  bad  treatment,  and  which  kind,  intelligent 
treatment  would  entirely  prevent  or  overcome ;  and  that 
in  consequence,  a  large  proportion  of  the  best  horses  by 

(7) 


K  JNTRODUCTIOX. 

nature  Lmao  fastened  upon  them  liabits  that  make  ilieni 
practically  nnsafe  and  worthless  for  use.  Then  hy  the 
present  system,  proved  to  be  so  defectiye  and  iiijurious,  it 
is  the  work  not  nnfrequently  of  months  and  years  to  break 
eolts  to  drive;  and  even  after  this  great  expenditnio  of 
time  and  effort,  many  of  the  best  horses  are  mined ;  so 
that  the  loss  to  the  people  of  the  country  both  from  the 
depreciation  of  value,  accidents,  and  loss  of  time,  is  in  the 
aggregate  enormous. 

One  horse  kicks ;  a  second  balks ;  a  third  pulls  against 
the  bit  and  runs  away  despite  the  efforts  of  several  men  to 
hold  him ;  a  fourth  will  not  stand  while  persons  are  getting 
into  or  out  of  a  carriage ;  another  is  liable  to  kick  the 
blacksmith  over  when  he  tries  to  take  up  or  hold  his  foot 
for  shoeing,  compelling,  in  many  cases,  the  necessity  of 
roping  the  horse  down  on  his  side  to  be  shod ;  another  is 
liable  to  kick  any  person  coming  within  reach  of  his  heels ; 
the  next  is  perhaps  all  right  until  he  catches  the  rein 
under  his  tail — which  ho  is  sure  to  do — when  he  is  liable 
to  kick  or  run  away ;  Avhile,  perhaps,  the  next  will  try  to 
pull  loose  or  break  his  neck  when  hitched  by  a  halter  or 
bridle;  another  fears  a  baby-wagon,  stone,  stump,  dog, 
Avhite  cow,  umbrella,  robe,  train  of  cars,  or  something  else. 
One  horse  will  not  stand ;  another  will  not  back;  another 
will  pull  away  when  led  by  the  halter ;  another  lugs  on 
the  bit,  or  pulls  on  one  rein.  One  horse  will  not  work 
double,  another  will  not  work  single ;  and  so  on  to  the  end 
of  the  catalogue  of  vices  to  wliich  horses  are  subject. 
These,  with  many  other  vices  or  liabits  that  could  be 
mentioned,  are  the  cause  not  only  of  great  pecuniary  loss, 
but  of  personal  injury,  if  not  destruction  of  life,  throughout 
the  country,  which,  when  fully  realized,  is  fearful  to  con- 
template. What  city,  village,  or  neighborhood  is  there 
that  has  not  almost  daily  disastrous   accidents   resulting 


INTRODUCTION. 

from  the  use  of  horses  ?  And  how  man}'  horses  of  spirit 
do  we  find  that  do  not  have  some  one  or  more  of  these 
habits  that  have  been  mentioned  ? 

Now  if  we  can  prevent  or  overcome  all  this  without 
abuse  or  accident,  saving  at  least  nineteen  twentieths  of 
the  time  employed  in  breaking  them,  and  give  assurance  of 
their  entire  subjection  and  safety,  it  is  certainly  deserving 
of  being  ranked  among  the  most  important  features  of 
benevolence  and  economy  to  the  people  of  the  country. 

There  have  not  been  Avanting  at  different  times  many 
who  have  pretended  to  be  able  to  tame  and  control  horses 
of  the  most  vicious  character,  but  upon  investigation  it  has 
proved  that  their  success  was  based  upon  a  very  slender 
knowledge  of  the  art.  Whatever  has  been  my  own  success, 
it  is  a  slow  growth,  the  result  of  long-continued  observation 
and  experimenting,  following  up  every  apparent  or  real 
clue  that  promised  success,  imtil  I  learned  how  to  act 
directly  upon  the  horse's  brain,  and  to  influence  it  as 
desired.  My  progress  at  first  was  very  slow  and  uncertain, 
and  I  was  exposed  almost  constantly  to  failures.  This, 
though  annoying  and  frequently  discouraging,  Avas  the  only 
means  of  instruction  hy  Avhich  I  was  finally  able  to  grasp 
the  subject  Avith  sufficient  clearness  to  reduce  the  knoAvledge 
to  a  practical  basis. 

During  the  early  part  of  my  experience  I  was  greatly 
misled,  and  consequently  lost  much  valuable  time  in 
experimenting  on  Avrong  principles  and  methods  of  treat- 
ment, and  Avas  compelled  to  abandon  such  methods  by 
reason  of  failures.  In  this  Avay  I  was  led  to  study  out  new 
principles  and  methods  of  treatment^  adapted  to  the  A^arious 
peculiarities  of  disposition  and  character  in  horses,  until  I 
was  able  to  discern  with  great  certainty  the  exact  treatment 
for  each  case. 

The  prevailing  lack  of  confidence  in  my  principles  and 


"     •  INTRODUCTION. 

methods  of  management  was  also  a  serious  cause  of 
embarrassment  to  me,  since  it  continually  forced  me,  at 
great  expense  and  loss  of  time,  to  make  experiments  upon 
the  most  vicious  horses  that  could  be  found,  in  order  to 
prove  the  value  of  my  treatment.  The  experiments  in 
New  York  City,  and  other  places,  referred  to  in  Personal 
Experience,  will  in  part  illustrate  this. 

In  the  winter  of  '78  my  health  had  become  so  seriously 
impaired  that  I  was  compelled  to  give  up  traveling.  I 
now  concluded  to  carry  out  at  my  leisure  the  purpose 
which  had  for  some  time  been  developing  in  my  mind,  that 
of  writing  out  the  full  details  of  my  system,  including  such 
knowledge  as  I  believed  most  valuable  to  horse-owners  for 
reference.  I  at  first  intended  to  make  a  work  of  only 
about  three  hundred  pages,  which  would  embody  merely 
the  simple  outlines  I  gave  to  classes,  with  some  additions 
to  the  treatment  for  sickness  and  lameness  which  I  had 
already  given  in  my  old  book.  But  after  writing  it  up  and 
preparing  the  illustrations  I  supposed  necessar}^,  I  could 
see  so  much  that  should  be  added,  that  I  was  induced  to 
rewrite  the  whole  matter,  bringing  it  up  to  about  six 
hundred  pages  with  about  three  hundred  and  fifty  illustra- 
tions. When  this  was  completed,  I  again  found  it  necessary 
to  make  still  more  additions,  until  it  grew  upon  my  hands 
to  its  present  size  and  number  of  illustrations. 

The  great  point  in  teaching  classes  was  measured  by 
the  success  I  had  in  the  control  of  such  especially  vicious 
horses  as  might  be  presented  for  experiment,  often  requir- 
ing nearly  the  whole  time  at  my  disposal.  As  a  general 
thing,  even  the  best  class  of  people  cared  but  little  for 
principles,  which  were  really  the  most  important  and 
necessary  to  a  true  understanding  of  the  subject.  They 
simply  wanted  the  proofs  of  what  the  treatment  would  do. 
Consequently,  if  I  could  only  be  successful  in  hitching  up, 


INTRODUCTION.  ll 

driving,  or  controlling,  as  advertised,  such  horses  as  they 
might  produce  (and  the  more  quickly  and  sensationally 
this  could  be  done,  the  stronger  the  proof  of  my  skill) ,  no 
matter  how  loosely  or  imperfectly  the  explanation  of 
principles  was  given,  they  were  sure  to  be  satisfied.  But 
it  in  all  cases  limited  me  to  such  a  mere  outline  in  the 
explanation  of  principles  as  well  as  details  of  treatment, 
that  though  I  was  in  nearly  all  cases  successful  in  giving 
the  most  perfect  satisfaction  to  all  who  attended  my 
lectures,  it  was  no  less  true  that  but  very  few  received 
more  than  the  most  limited  idea  of  my  methods  of  treat- 
ment. It  was  rarely  that  even  the  most  attentive  members 
of  the  class  could  explain  more  than  the  simplest  form  of 
war  bridle,  or  put  on  the  rig  for  the  first  method  of  subjec- 
tion, even  after  being  fitted.  Possibly  they  might  put  on 
the  cord  in  a  rough  way  for  the  third  method,  but  they 
received  nothing  like  the  clear,  comprehensive  knowledge 
of  the  subject  which  can  be  obtained  from  this  work. 

The  value  of  this  book  depending  mainly  upon  its 
authenticity,  I  deemed  it  necessary  to  include  a  chapter 
explaining  how  I  came  to  engage  in  the  business,  with  an 
outline  of  my  progress,  under  the  head  of  Personal 
Experience.  I  have  included  many  indorsements,  some 
of  which  are  so  strongly  personal,  that  delicacy  would 
forbid  their  presentation,  but  I  felt  compelled  to  do  so  to 
give  greater  authenticity  to  my  statements. 

With  the  enlargement  of  the  work,  grew  also  the 
necessity  for  making  the  department  for  the  treatment  of 
sickness  and  lameness  equally  complete.  With  this  object 
in  view,  I  made  considerable  effort  to  secure  the  aid  of  the 
best  veterinary  skill  I  could  find.  I  first  called  upon  Dr. 
Bates,  the  Dean  of  the  Columbia  Veterinary  College, 
N.  Y. ;  also  upon  Dr.  Walton,  the  House  Surgeon  of  the 
same  institution,  to  whom  I  gave  my  plans.     They  treated 


IS  INTRODUCTION. 

me  cordially,  and  promised  me  all  the  aid  in  their  power, 
Dr.  Walton  afterward  giving  me  much  aid  on  several 
important  points.  By  his  adAdce,  I  called  upon  Dr.  Hamill 
(416  East  14th  Street),  formerly  Professor  of  Pathological 
Shoeing  in  the  college,  for  the  purpose  of  getting  his  assist- 
ance in  the  writing  of  the  chapter  on  Shoeing.  This  gen- 
tleman, upon  introducing  myself,  recognized  me  as  an  old 
acquaintance,  having  attended  my  lectures  while  in  the  city 
in  1872.  He  expressed  himself  especially  interested  in  my 
efforts,  and  volunteered  all  the  aid  in  his  power  to  give. 
I  took  notes  from  him  on  all  the  necessary  points  on 
Shoeing,  and  he  promised  to  read  over  anything  I  should 
write  on  the  subject,  and  make  such  additions  or  alterations 
as  he  might  find  advisable.  I  found  it  more  difficult  to 
secure  the  necessary  assistance  in  the  other  departments. 
I  stated  the  difficulty  to  Dr.  Hamill,  and  expressed  the  fear 
that  I  would  be  likely  to  fail,  when  he  came  nobly  to  my 
aid,  with  his  iDersonal  services  and  fine  library,  which  were 
constantly  at  my  disposal.  He  also  secured  for  me  the 
help  of  two  of  his  colleagues.  Dr.  Meyer  (409  East  84th 
Street),  New  York  City,  and  Dr.  John  McLaughlin  of 
Jersey  City,  now  of  Providence,  R.  I.,  both  of  whom  a  few 
years  previous  had  graduated  with  high  honors  at  the 
Columbia  Veterinary  College. 

To  facilitate  my  work,  I  had  these  gentlemen  dictate 
to  me  the  outlines  of  treatment  in  the  simplest  language 
possible,  with  permission  to  make  any  changes  I  desired. 
The  dictations  in  all  cases  were  made  without  premedita- 
tion or  study,  the  point  in  view  being  to  give  me  facts  in 
the  fewest  words.  This  was  the  more  difficult  for  them 
from  the  fact  that  in  all  cases  they  were  limited  to  my 
ability  to  take  notes,  as  on  account  of  the  peculiarly 
sensitive  condition  of  my  health  I  could  endure  but  very 
brief  conversation,  and  but  thirty  or  forty  minutes'  writing 


INTKODUCTION.  13 

at  one  time.  But,  notwithstanding  the  generous  aid  given 
me  by  the  gentlemen  named,  especially  Drs.  Hamill  and 
Meyer,  there  was  still  much  important  matter  needed,  which 
I  was  finally  so  fortunate  as  to  secure,  prepared  by  no  less 
an  authority  than  that  of  a  gentleman,  who  is  at  the  head  of 
one  of  the  most  popular  and  successful  veterinary  colleges 
in  America,  but  whose  name  I  am  not  at  liberty  to  publish. 
To  this  authority  I  am  indebted  for  the  matter  comprised 
in  articles  on  Inflammation  (page  746),  Catarrh,  Bronchitis, 
Chronic  Cough,  Inflammation  of  the  Bladder,  Indigestion, 
Diseases  of  the  Eye,  etc.,  etc.,  together  with  other  matter 
referred  to.  I  made  such  changes  in,  or  additions  to,  this  mat- 
ter, as  well  as  added  new  treatment,  as  would  make  it  most 
desirable  for  popular  reference.  I  may  mention  also  that 
I  have  been  specially  fortunate  in  securing  many  favorite 
prescriptions  of  great  value  from  leading  practitioners,  for 
which  I  would  gladly  give  credit  if  not  debarred  by  special 
request. 

I  especially  desired  to  have  the  explanations  of  treatment 
free  from  technical  terms,  and  so  clear  and  plain  that  any 
one  could  understand  without  difficulty.  I  have  made  a 
special  effort  for  this  in  the  management  of  such  diseases 
as  are  most  dangerous  and  common.  This  will  explain 
the  reason  for  giving  so  much  space,  and  the  large  number 
of  illustrations  to  shoeing,  spavins,  navicular  joint  lameness, 
etc. 

As  explained  in  the  note  to  the  chapter  on  shoeing,  it 
will  be  found  that  Prof.  E.  A.  McLellan  of  Bridgeport, 
Conn.,  at  present  Lecturer  on  Shoeing  and  Diseases  of  the 
Foot  in  the  Columbia  Veterinary  College,  gave  me  valuable 
aid  in  that  department,  for  which  I  would  make  him  due 
acknowledgment.  The  extreme  pressure  of  his  professional 
demands  only,  prevented  his  giving  me  more  especial 
assistance  at  the  time,  but  which  he  kindly  promised  to 


14  INTRODUCTION. 

give  me,  if  necessary,  at  some  future  time.  Dr.  McBeth 
of  Battle  Creek,  Mich.,  has  also  rendered  me  much  valua- 
ble assistance. 

The  difficulties  I  encountered  in  making  this  work  will 
be  better  understood  by  giving  the  simple  facts,  which  it 
is  hoped  will  be  accepted  as  sufficient  to  excuse  for  whatever 
is  faulty  in  its  writing  or  arrangment :  First,  I  am  not  a 
practical  writer,  and  owing  to  serious  cerebral  inflammation 
I  have  not  been  able  to  write  a  single  page  of  this  book 
with  my  own  hand,  nor  read  any  part  of  it  for  revision  or 
correction.  It  has  been  dictated  by  me  to  a  copyist,  then 
read  for  revision,  making  the  work  extremely  laborious  and 
difficult.  It  will,  however,  be  found  to  give  in  the  most 
faithful  manner,  without  any  reserve  avhatever,  all  the 
j)oints  of  my  Avork  more  carefully  and  thoroughly  than  I 
could  possibly  do  before  a  class.  I  desire  emphatically  to 
state  that  I  do  not  keep  back  any  secret  whatever,  and 
would  further  state  that  if  I  did  not  wish  to  make  my 
system  of  treatment  entirely  accessible  to  the  public, 
there  are  many  single  points  herein  published  which  I 
would  not  give  for  one  hundred  dollars  ;  but  which,  as  any 
one  must  see  by  the  remarkable  results  of  my  experiments, 
are  invaluable  to  practical  horsemen  upon  all  classes  of 
vicious  horses  ;  so  that  by  its  instruction  their  subjection 
and  management  should  be  accomplished  without  difficulty. 
.  This  work  is  not  only  the  first  of  the  kind  published 
explaining  the  art  of  taming  and  educating  horses,  but  it 
is  the  practical  outgrowth  of  my  own  experience.  In  its 
writing  I  have  not  only  aimed  to  give  the  fullest  explana- 
tion OF  MY  PRINCIPLES  AND  METHODS  of  management,  with  all 
the  details  carefully  classified,  but  as  an  additional  aid  1 
have  included  the  details  of  treatment  of  nearly  fifty  of  the 
most  INTERESTING  AND  DIFFICULT  cascs  treated  by  me,  giving 
age,  color,  cause  of  viciousness,  etc. 


INTRODUCTION.  1^ 

It  has  been  AveU  known  wherever  I  have  traveled  that 
I  taught  my  system  as  a  secret  which  I  never  gave  in 
print ;  and  on  account  of  the  great  expense  in  traveling, 
requiring  not  only  the  aid  of  skilled  men,  but  from  five  to 
ten  horses,  to  give  me  a  reasonable  compensation,  I  was 
compelled  to  charge  five,  and  in  some  sections  of  country 
ten  dollars  for  such  instructions,  thus  putting  them  within 
the  reach  of  but  comparatively  few.  The  importance, 
then,  of  making  this  knowledge  available  to  all  at  a  moderate 
cost,  can  be  seen. 


After  Avriting  this  introduction,  I  incidentally  find  in  a  work 
called  "  The  First  Century,  or  One  Hundred  Memorable  Events 
in  the  History  of  Our  Country,"  by  R.  N.  Devens,  Esq.,  a  chapter 
on  John  S.  Rarey's  achievements,  which  is  so  remarkable  in  the 
extravagance  of  its  statements  that  I  consider  it  necessary  to  refer 
here  to  the  facts  in  the  case.  After  the  lapse  of  twenty  years, 
when  the  method  of  treatment  used  by  Rarey  is  not  only  known 
by  every  school-boy,  but  has  practically  gone  into  disuse,  such 
statements  from  a  man  of  Mr.  Devens'  reputation  for  liistorical 
accuracy  as  a  writer,  a  brothei-  of  a  former  Postmaster  General,  a 
member  of  the  Historical  Society  of  Pennsylvania,  and  author  of 
Appleton's  Commercial  and  Business  Encyclopedia,  Lives  of 
AVashington,  Napoleon,  Wellington,  etc.,  in  a  work  of  so  impor- 
tant a  character,  by  such  an  author  as  the  one  mentioned,  it 
carries  with  it  such  unusual  weight  that  it  Avould  natui-ally,  if  un- 
challenged, be  accepted  as  indisputable  authority. 

For  the  benefit  of  my  readers,  I  Avill  copy  a  few  paragraphs 
in  relation  to  Cruiser,  to  show  the  extreme  perversion  of  facts 
when  compared  Avith  the  statements  given  under  that  head  in 
another  chapter  of  this  book: — 

"  Cruiser's  habit,  it  appears,  was  to  scream  and  yell  when  any 
one  approached  him,  to  smash  up  his  stall  into  lucifer  matches,  and 
to  attempt  to  bite  and  destroy  every  living  thing  in  his  neighbor- 
hood. Noblemen  used  to  go  and  throw  articles  into  his  brick 
box,  in  order  to  see  him  fight.  When  he  was  to  be  fed  or  watered, 
the  first  proceeding  with  his  groom  was  to  ascertain,  by  thrusting 
a  long  pole  in  at  the  stable  door,  where  the  enemy  stood,  and  then 


16  INTRODUCTION. 

to  deposit  the  food,  shut  the  door,  and  vanish  as  soon  as  possible. 
Mr.  Rarey  changed  all  this  in  a  moment  as  it  tuere.  He  ordered 
the  stable  door  to  be  thrown  open,  introduced  himself  according  to 
his  system,  without  delay,  and  in  half  an  hour  the  indomitable 
Cruiser  might  be  ridden  by  a  child,  could  listen  tranquilly  to  the 
beating  of  a  drum,  and  stand  serene  even  if  an  umbrella  were 
flourished  in  his  face.  Gentle  as  a  lamb,  he  followed  his  teacher 
about  the  arena  like  a  dog,  stopping  when  he  pointed  his  finger, 
lying  down  when  he  was  told,  rising  again  when  he  obtained 
permission,  and  doing  all  this  in  a  mild,  good-humored  sort  of 
way,  as  if  the  wish  to  oblige  was  the  sole  ruling  motive,  and  that 
the  now  docile  Cruiser  was  totally  unaware  of  that  terrible  array 
of  whips  and  spurs,  bits  and  muzzles,  with  which  his  first  teachers 
had  sought  to  check  his  ferocity  and  bring  him  to  reason.  The 
speedy,  easy,  and  complete  success  of  Mr.  Rarey,  in  this  remarka- 
ble case,  gave  him,  at  once,  the  most  flattering  and  exalted  repu- 
tation from  one  end  of  Europe  to  the  other. 

"On  Mr.  Rarey 's  appearance  at  Niblo's  in  New  York,  he 
exhibited  this  renowned  specimen  of  the  equine  race — an  animal 
over  sixteen  hands  high,  and  of  immense  bone  and  muscle — and 
said :  '  When  I  went  to  England  and  exhibited  there,  the  papers 
all  said,  "This  is  very  well,  but  try  Cruiser!"  I  immediately 
wrote  to  Lord  Dorchester  about  the  horse,  and  he  replied  that  the 
horse  could  not.  be  brought  to  me,  but  that  I  must  come  to  him. 
I  did  go  to  him.  The  horse  had  not  been  out  of  his  box  for  three 
years  ;  a  brick  stable  had  to  be  built  for  him,  and  he  would  have 
been  shot,  but  he  was  the  last  of  a  race  of  splendid  blood-horses, 
and  his  owner  was  anxious  to  preserve  him  if  possible.  I  found 
that  by  his  biting  and  kicking  he  had  so  injured  himself  that  he 
could  not  be  taken  out  of  his  box,  and  so  I  had  to  wait  for  his 
recovery.  I  went  down  to  see  him,  quietly  and  unknown,  but 
somehow  the  papers  got  hold  of  it,  and  everybody  said  I  dared 
not  go  near  Cruiser.'  Under  these  circumstances.  Mi-.  Rarey  was 
detained  some  three  weeks,  when  he  went  to  London  accompanied 
by  the  now  subdued  steed. 

"The  collar  and  muzzle  which  Cruiser  used  to  wear  were 
exhibited  by  Mr.  Rarey.  His  owner  could  place  them  upon  him 
only  by  letting  a  rope  down  through  the  roof  of  his  stall,  fastening 
it  under  his  neck,  and  raising  him  off  his  fore  feet.  The  exhibition 
at  Niblo's  was  the  first  time  Cruiser  had  been  on  the  stage  iu 
America.  'We  have,'  said  Mr.  Rarey,  'had  no  rehearsal  ;  but 
instead  of  kicking,  as  he  u.sed,  he  will  now  (as  you  see)  give  me 
his  foot  like  a  gentleman.'  Two  straps  were  now  shown,  being 
all  that  had  been  used  in  taming  this  hor.se.  Mr.  Rarey,  on  being 
asked  to  explain  more  particularly  how  he  approached  Cruiser, 
said :   '  I  think  horses  have  a  reason  for  everything  they  do,     I 


INTRODUCTION.  17 

knew  if  I  approached  Cruiser  with  a  stick,  he  would  fio-ht  me,  as 
he  had  fought  others  who  came  to  whip  him.  In.  the  box  was  a 
double  door,  so  that  I  could  open  the  upper  half.  I  went  quietly, 
opened  the  door  noiselessly.  Cruiser  turned  round,  saw  me' 
started  back  frightfully,  but  did  not  attempt  to  come  at  me.  He 
came  slowly  up  to  smell  of  me  after  a  while,  and  in  spite  of  Lord 
Dorchester's  entreaties,  I  stood  still.  Presently,  when  I  saw 
that  he  stood  naturally,  I  began  to  fondle  him.  Lord  Dorchester 
begged  me  to  tie  his  head,  and  I  did  so,  but  you  never  saw  such 
fighting.  Finding  that  he  would  either  kill  himself  or  tear  down 
the  box,  I  released  him  and  began  all  over  again.  After  he 
allowed  me  to  fondle  him,  I  took  him  into  the  sti-aw-yard,  and 
proceeded  as  with  any  other  horse,  until  at  last  he  would  let  me 
take  any  liberty  with  him,  and  Lord  Dorchester  mounted  him 
with  impunity.'  Mr.  Rarey  declared  that  Cruiser  was  about  as 
celebrated  for  his  viciousness  as  he  himself  was  for  taming  him. 

"  Appealmg  to  the  intellect  and  affections  of  the  horse,  as  the 
basis  of  his  system  of  treatment,  Mr.  Rarey  was  enabled  to  say  to 
his  vast  audience  at  Niblo's  Garden,  New  York :  '  I  never  had  an 
accident  since  I  became  perfect  in  my  system,  and  I  don't  fear 
any.  I  have  been  among  horses  since  I  was  twelve  years  old, 
and  at  first  had  a  great  many  accidents.  Every  limb  has  been 
broken  but  my  right  arm  ;  but  being  young  when  these  accidents 
happened,  the  bones  naturally  healed  strongly.  Now  I  know 
horses'  every  thought,  and  can  break  any  animal  of  whatever  age 
and  habits  in  the  world.  I  can  make  any  animal  sensible  of  my 
power — make  him  gentle  and  even  affectionate.' " 

According  to  these  statements,  Rarey  was  able  to  exhibit  a  de- 
gree of  power  over  vicious  horses  that  had  never  before  or  since 
been  attained  or  even  approached,  making  himself  a  landmark  of 
genius  and  skill  that  could  not  be  equalled,  and  that  all  this  was 
accomplished  by  the  use  of  two  ordinary  straps. 

The  boldness  of  his  claims,  as  thus  set  forth,  deepens  into 
audacity  when  they  are  examined  in  the  light  of  the  facts  which 
I  have  been  enabled  to  demonstrate,  the  full  particulars  of  which 
will  be  found  on  pages  368-384  of  this  work.  Much  as  I  dislike 
to  mar  the  posthumous  reputation  of  any  man,  and  especially  one 
whose  fame  has  been  won  in  a  field  similr.r  to  that  occupied  by 
myself,  I  deem  it  an  act  of  simple  justice  not  only  to  myself  and 
my  many  thousands  of  pupils  in  fifteen  different  States,  but  to  my 
system  of  ti-eatment,  to  expose  the  fallacy  of  Rarey 's  pretensions, 
especially  in  reference  to  Cruiser,  on  whose  subjection  more  than 
any  or  all  other  of  his  feats  his  reputation  was  made.    In  the  first 


1 8  INTRODUCTION. 

place,  it  is  jaot  true  that  Ci-uiscr  was  not  taken  from  his  stable  for 
three  yciars,  and.  that  he  Avould  have  been  shot,  etc.,  which  is 
proved  by  the  fact  that  he  was  let  for  breeding  purposes  at  a 
rental  of  $500  per  season,  and  was  taken  out  almost  daily,  and 
controlled  with  but  little  real  difficulty.  He  never  was  jjulled  up 
from  the  ground  to  have  a  collar  put  on  him,  nor  did  he  ever  wear 
an  iron  muzzle.  Also,  instead  of  going  into  his  stable  as  stated, 
and  controlling  him  so  easily  and  successfully,  the  experiment 
was  a  failure.  His  control  M'as  owing  entirely  to  Mr.  Goodenough's 
management,  and  by  a  method  of  treatment  which,  had  it  been 
known  at  the  time,  would  have  utterly  destroyed  Rarey's  reputa- 
tion or  claims  to  success;  hence  the  claim  set  up  for  his  unusual 
inherent  power,  and  for  the  system  as  being  a  perfect  and  com- 
plete method  of  subjection,  falls  to  the  ground. 

The  additional  fact  that  Cruiser  and  the  other  cases,  when  out 
of  Rarey's  hands,  returned  to  their  former  vicious  practices,  and 
again  became  unmanageable,  also  demonstrates  the  fallacy  of 
these  claims,  and  proves  conclusively  that  the  horses  were  not 
subdued,  except  to  a  condition  of  temporary  obedience,  the  ruling 
principle  of  which  was  fear.  It  is  also  apparent  that  the  assump- 
tion of  knowing  a  horse's  every  thought,  and  being  able  to  subdue 
any  horse  or  animal  in  the  world,  amounts  to  nothing,  because, 
like  the  other  pretensions,  it  was  all  assumed  for  effect.  What  he 
practiced,  he  learned  of  Denton  OfFutt,  from  whose  book  an  inter- 
esting chapter  will  be  found  on  pages  449  to  456.  The  writer  vis- 
ited professionally  every  town  in  the  vicinity  of  Groveport,  Rar- 
ey's old  home,  and  although  he  made  the  most  diligent  inquiry  of 
old  settlers,  he  found  no  one  who  claimed  for  Mr.  Rarey  any  no- 
ticeable success  in  the  control  of  horses,  before  going  to  Europe. 

The  true  key,  which  has  been  overlooked  by  Mr.  Devens,  and 
in  fact  all  other  writers  on  the  subject,  was  the  consummate  good 
management  exhibited  by  Mr.  Goodenough,  by  which,  as  the  first 
movement  on  reaching  England,  permission  was  secured  to  exhibit 
before  the  queen  and  the  royal  family,  even  before  they  had  dem- 
onstrated a  right  to  such  distinction.  Their  continued  success  in 
maintaining  their  hold  upon  the  public  opinion,  was  also  due  to 
the  adroitness  of  Mr.  G.  in  surmounting  the  difficulties  which 
arose,  and  which  so  firmly  established  their  claims  in  the  public 
mind  as  to  require,  e\'en  at  the  present  day,  the  most  positive 
proofs  to  show  their  unreliability. 


INTRODUCTION.  19 

Nearly  all  my  scholars  of  late  years  understood  and  practiced 
this  method  of  treatment,  and  I  was  compelled,  as  a  condition  of 
satisfying-  them,  to  prove  the  superiority  of  my  treatment.  Then 
nearly  every  vicious  lioi-se  brought  forward  to  be  experimented 
upon  had  been  subjected  in  the  most  thorough  manner  to  the 
method  of  treatment  used  by  Karey.  The  Wilkins  horse  of  New 
York,  case  G,  Subjection;  the  Malonc  horse,  case  2,  Kicking;  the 
stallion  Jet,  case  7,  Subjection;  with  many  others,  though  com- 
prising but  few  of  the  largo  number  treated,  were  good  illustra- 
tions. The  Wilkins  horse  was  treated  for  a  week  on  this  principle 
without  doing  any  good  whatever.  He  had  been  treated  so  much 
that  the  moment  his  foot  was  taken  up  he  would  lie  down  appar- 
ently gentle,  but  when  again  upon  his  feet,  would  become  thor- 
oughly wicked  again.  The  Malone  horse  had  been  subjected  to 
it  in  the  most  thorough  manner  without  avail.  In  the  case  of 
Jet,  which  was  a  particularly  bad  one,  the  treatment  was  equally 
inert,  and  had  no  effect  at  all  upon  him.  The  same  might  be 
said  of  hundreds  of  others  treated  by  me  before  my  classes,  or 
as  special  tests  in  the  presence  of  experts.  The  quickness  and 
complete  success  of  the  experiments,  in  these  and  other  noted 
cases,  are  results  which  are  conceded  to  have  been  shown  by  no 
one  else  in  so  short  a  time  in  the  control  of  vicious  horses,  cither 
in  ancient  or  modern  times. 

A  feat  that  I  performed  almost  daily,  and  which  would  have 
been  utterly  impossible  to  accomplish  by  the  Rarcy  treatment,  was 
the  subjection  of  headstrong,  unmanageable  stallions,  so  that  they 
would  not  only  follow  any  one  Avithout  restraint  but,  at  a  distance 
of  ten  feet,  could  be  called  away  from  a  horse  or  mare.  This  appar- 
ently impossible  feat  I  guaranteed  to  perform  within  ten  minutes, 
with  a  forfeiture  of  one  hundred  dollars  to  the  owner  in  case  of 
failure.  It  is  proper  to  add  here  that  during  the  last  few  years,  most 
of  the  experiments  made  before  my  classes  were  in  part  or  wholly 
performed  by  my  assistant.  Not  only  this,  but  my  scholars  could 
readily  do  the  same,  and  very  many  of  the  cases  were  fully  as 
difficult  to  manage  as  those  referred  to. 


CHAPTER   /. 


METHODS  OF  SUBJECTION. 

In  the  subjection  and  education  of  horses  we  have 
three  natural  difficulties  to  overcome.  First :  The  horse 
is  much  stronger  than  man,  and  just  so  far  as  he  learns 
in  any  way  that  he  can  resist  his  control,  to  that  degree 


Fig.  1.  —An  intelligent,  courageous,  yet  extremely  sensitive  nature. 
A  sketch  from  life  of  a  noted  Arabian  Horse. 

will  he  be  encouraged  to  become  unmanageable  and  vi- 
cious. Second  :  His  methods  of  reasoning  being  limited  to 
seeing,  hearing,  and  feeling,  to  prevent  his  becoming  ex- 
cited or  frightened  at  objects  and  sounds  with  which  he  is 

(20) 


GENERAL    PRINCIPLES. 


21 


brought  in  contact,  he  must  be  convinced  of  their  innocent 
character  by  his  own  way  of  reasoning.  Third :  He 
cannot  understand  the 
meaning  of  language  or 
words  of  command,  ex- 
cepting so  far  as  he  is 
taught  by  associating 
them  with  actions ;  con- 
sequently he  cannot  know 
what  he  is  required  to  do 
unless  shown  and  taught 
in  a  way  he  can  compre- 
hend. 

Takino;  these    condi- 


tions  in 


order,  we 


see, 


Fig.  2. — Ideal  of  au  intelligent,  docile 
character. 


for   example,    that   if   a 

horse  learns  to  pull  away,  break  his  halter,  resist  the 
blacksmith  in  shoeing,  or  run  away,  etc.,  he  will  be  en- 
couraged to  do 
so  afterward, 
until  the  habit 
becomes  fixed. 
On  the  con- 
trary, we  see 
that  when  a 
colt  is  first  hal- 
tered, no  mat- 
ter how  hard 
he  may  resist, 

Fig.  3.— Ideal  of  a  sensitive,  nervous  character.  when     Once 

forced  to  sub- 
mit he    will   not   only  follow   readily   without   restraint. 


22 


METHODS  OF  SUBJECTION. 


but  will  contimie  to  do  so  afterward ;  also  when  the  feet 
are  taken  up  and  handled  until  the  operation  is  submitted 

to,  or  such  restraint 
brought  upon  the 
mouth  as  to  overcome 
the  power  of  resist- 
ance, there  will  not 
only  be  submission 
for  the  time,  but,  if 
done  properly,  all  in- 
clination to  resist  af- 
terward will  be  over- 
come. 

The   principle   is 
Fig.  4.— Sullen  treachery.  the  same  in  relation 

to  other  habits,  or  in  overcoming  viciousness.  No  matter 
how  wild  or  vicious  the  horse  may  be,  if  so  controlled  that 
resistance  becomes 
impossible,  and  his 
fear  is  overcome  by 
kind  treatment, 
there  will  not  only 
be  entire  submis- 
sion without  the 
use  of  power  or  re- 
straint, but  he  will 
remain  so  afterward 
if  not  abused  or  ex- 
cited. 

Second.  We  see 
that  when  an  ob- 
ject or  cause  of  unusual  sound  is  brought  suddenly  or  un- 


FiG.  5.— Sketch  from  life  of  the  most  vicious 
Mustang  Pony  the  writer  ever  saw. 


GENEEAL   PEINCIPLES. 


23 


expectedly  to  his  notice  or  in  contact  with  his  body,  it  is 

liable  to  excite  the  most  intense  fear  or  resistance,  and 

of  which  he  will  ever 

afterward    be    afraid ; 

whereas    if  brought 

slowly    and    gently  to 

his  notice,  letting  him 

smell  and  feel  of  it,  it 

can  soon    be    brought 

over  or  around    him 

without  causing  the 

least  fear,  or  attracting 

his  attention.     It  does 

not  matter  whether  it 

is  in  driving  to  carriage, 

letting  the  crosspiece  come  across  the  quarters,  raising  an 

umbrella  behind,  or  the  noise  of  a  steam-engine,  etc.,  the 

effect  is  the  same. 


Fig.  6. — Sketch  from  life.     Good  illustration 
of  a  vicious,  treacherous  nature. 


Fig.  7. — The  Hilman  Horse,  "Jet."     A  noted  vicious  Stallion. 

Third.  In  relation  to  teaching  the  meaning  of  sounds 
or  words  of  command.  It  is  evident  that  if  a  man  were  to 
sit  on  a  block  and  simply  repeat  the  word  "  whoa "  to  a 
horse,  he  might  do  it  indefinitely  without  teaching  him  its 


24 


METHODS  OF  SUBJECTION. 


meaning.  But  if  the  horse  were  moved  moderately,  and 
immediately  after  the  command  he  were  pulled  upon  suffi- 
ciently hard  to 
make  him  stop, 
he  will,  after  a 
few  repetitions, 
learn  to  stop  at 
command,  to 
avoid  being 
pulled  upon.  Or 
in  teaching  to 
back,  if,  after 
the  command  is 
given,  the  reins 
are  pulled  upon 

Fig.  8. — Naturally  doeile  and  intelligent.  sufficicntlv     to 

force  him  back,  he  will,  after  a  few  repetitions,  soon  learn 
to  back  freely  when  the  word  is  given,  to  avoid  the  hurt 
of  being  pulled  upon.  To  explain  this  principle  more  fully 
I  will  give  the 
details  of  teach- 
ing a  few  tricks: 
'  If  it  is  desired 
to  teach  a  horse 
to  make  a  bow, 
first  prick  him 
lightly  on  the 
back  with  a  pin, 
and  repeat  until 
in  his  effort  to 
avoid  the  annoy- 
ance he  drops  his 


Fig.  9.—"  Wild  Pete."     A  very  peculiar  and 
interesting  case. 


GENEEAL   PRINCIPLES. 


25 


head;  then  instantly  stop  the  pricking  and  caress  him. 
Repeat  the  pricking  until  the  head  is  again  dropped ;  then 
caress  him,  and 
give  him  some- 
thing of  which 
he  is  fond. 
Continue  to  al- 
ternate in  this 
way  with  the 
pricking  a  n  d 
caressing  until 
at  the   instant 

a     motion     is  ^^'^'  ^^' — ^^^  Allegan  Man-eater. 

made  toward  the  back  he  will  drop  his  head. 

To  teach  to  kick  up,  simply  prick  him  on  the  rump 
until  there  is  an  inclination  to  kick  up,  when,  as  before,  stop 

and  caress  him. 
So  repeat  until 
the  least  motion 
toward  the  rump 
will  induce  him 
to  kick  uj). 

In  teaching 
any  kind  or 
number  of  tricks 
the  principle  is 
precisely  the 
same,  the  differ- 
ence being  that  instead  of  a  pin,  other  means  suitable  to 
the  requirements  of  the  case  must  be  used. 

Now,  to  teach  these  tricks  by  word,  it  will  be  neces- 
sary to  repeat  the  command  and  associate  the  act  with  it ; 


Fig.  11.— Sketch  of  a  noted  vicious  Stallion. 


26 


METHODS   OF  SUBJECTION. 


that  is,  "  make  a  l)ow,"  "  kick,"   etc.,  in  connection  with 
the  signal  of  whatever  trick  is  being  tanght,  until  there  is 

obedience.  An  im- 
portant point  in  teach- 
ing 1  ricks  is  to  guard 
against  confusing    or 

'''^^^.^</  -^^^^^^^  exciting    the    horse ; 

'"  "'"^  ^         "  therefore  but  one  trick 

must  be  taught  at  a 
time,  and  that  slowly 
and  carefully  repeated 
until  thoroughly  un- 
derstood.    Then    an- 

FiG.  12. — strong  willed,  intelligent  character.         other     trick    is    to     be 

taken  up,  and  so  on.  At  each  progressive  step  review  the 
previous  tricks  until  any  trick  demanded  will  be  promptly 
performed.  The  duller  the  horse  the  less  can  be  attempted, 
and  the  more  time  must  be 
given,  while  the  more  intel- 
ligent the  horse,  the  more 
can  be  done  and  taught.    To  ^  ^^^ 

have    prompt  obedience  at  ^^  .^v^J^^^^^BSj^- 

the  command,  the  exact  sig- 
nal and  word  given  in  teach- 
ing the  trick  must  be  re- 
peated, even  the  tone  or 
pitch  of  the  voice,  otherwise 
the  horse  will  not  know  what 
is  wanted  of  him,  and  he  ^^^-  ^^-  Bamyard  Lunkhead, 
will  become  confused,  and  consequently  unable  to  obey. 

The  principle  is  the  same  in  teaching  a  horse  to  do 
anything  in  or  out  of  harness,  the  difference  being  that 


GENERAL   PRINCIPLES. 


27 


such  means  as  will  give  more  power  of  control  must  be 
used.     Now  the  point  of  real  interest,  and  the  one  to  which 

I  wish  to  call  special  attention  in 
this  connection,  is  that  the  prin- 
ciple is  precisely  the  same  in  ei- 
ther overcoming  or  preventing  vi- 
ciousness  or  bad  habits  of  any 
character.  The  only  difference  is 
that  instead  of  teaching  a  trick 
we  now  combat  the  habit  or  vi- 
ciousness  already  formed,  simply 
repeating  until  there  is  entire  do- 
cilit}^ 

Fig.  14.— Docile,  intelligent.  Jf  ,^    niau    Were   strOUg  CnOUgh 

to  take  a  fighting  "bully"  by  the  shoulder  and  shake  him 
so  thoroughly  as  to  show  him  he  had  power  to  control  him 
as  he  pleased,  and  then  treat  him  kindly,  it  would  have  a 
better  effect  in  convincing  him  of  his  mastery  and  make 

him  less  inclined  to  

resist,  than  if  he 
had  controlled  him 
after  a  desperate 
struggle  of  half  an 
hour  or  more,  that 
would  necessarily 
greatly  strain  or  in- 
jure him  physic- 
ally. Or  if  the  con- 
test were  carried  on 
in  the  presence  of  others,  where  his  pride  would  be  greatly 
stimulated,  or  under  circumstances  that  would  arouse  his 
bad  nature,  he  would  allow  himself  to  be  punished  most 
severely  before  he  would  submit, 


Fig.  15. — A  noted  vicious  Horse. 


26 


i\IETH(3r>S  OF  SUBJECTION. 


FiCr.  16. — Sketch  of  a  noted  vicious  Horse. 


On  the  same  principle,  if  a  man  could  catch  and  hold  a 
horse,  or  control  him  as  he  wished,  so  as  to  completely 

prevent  his  struggling  and 
becoming  excited  and 
heated,  until  the  muscles 
are  entirely  relaxed  and 
he  becomes  submissive, 
and  then  win  his  confi- 
dence by  kind  treatment, 
scratching  the  mane,  giv- 
ing apples,  etc.,  it  would 
be  the  most  efficient  kind 
of  subjection.  But  as 
there  is  not  power  to  do 
this,  we  must  resort  to 
such  means  or  methods  of  management  as  will  come  as  near 
it  in  princii3le  as  we  can.  In  doing  this,  if  the  horse  were 
given  such  freedom  as 
to  encourage  his  confi- 
dence to  resist,  or  his 
Ijad  nature  were  called 
out  by  ignorant,  abusive 
treatment,  in  like  man- 
ner he  Avould,  in  the  fury 
of  his  madness,  resist 
with  the  greatest  per- 
severance, regardless  of 
even  the  most  severe 
punishment.  Then 
again,  the  resistance,  whatever  it  may  be,  is  only  a  symp- 
tom of  the  real  cause  to  be  overcome,  which  proceeds  from 
a  condition  of  the  brain,  or  the  impression  made  upon  it. 


Fig.  17. — Expression  of  vicious,  bad  nature. 


GENERAJ.    PEINCIPLES. 


29 


On  this  account,  controlling  physical  resistance  becomes  but 
a  temporary  bridge  across  a  gulf  to  enable  building  the  real 
structure.  So  subjection  is  but  a  means  for  reaching  the 
brain  to  remove  the  exciting  cause  of  the  resistance.  If 
stimulated  by  fear,  then  to  show  there  is  no  cause  for  fear ; 
if  through  real  viciousness,  then  to  remove  the  resentment 
by  kind  treatment ;  when  the  horse's  reason  can  be  molded 
and  instructed  in  any  channel  desired. 

The  next  difficulty  is  the 
different  degrees  of  resist- 


V'   O 


Fig.  18.— Vicious. 


Fui.  19. — Treacherous. 

ance  to  be  met  with  in  different 
horses.  A  dozen  horses  may  break 
the  halter  or  kick.  One  may  be  broken  of  the  habit 
quite  easily,  another  may  resist  ten  times  as  long,  while 
the  third  may  even  require  hours  of  treatment,  the  differ- 
ence being  in  the  pecularity  of  character  and  temperament. 
The  better  to  aid  in  explaining  these  conditions,  I  present 
a  large  number  of  representative  heads,  with  some  refer- 
ences to  aid  in  determining  the  treatment  to  be  employed, 
and  which  should  be  studied  carefully.  An  important  con- 
dition also  is  to  guard  against  possible  accidents,  because 
this  would  defeat  the  very  end  for  Avhich  the  treatment  is 
intended.  For  more  particular  reference,  see  part  follow- 
ing ""Medicine"  in  chapter  on  "Subjection." 


30  :methods  of  subjection. 

I  give  three  direct  methods  of  subjection,  followed  by 
several  indirect  methods.  The  first  is  based  upon  the 
principle  of  disabling  and  throwing.  So  far  as  we  disable 
any  part  of  the  horse's  body,  wc  produce  to  that  degree  a 
sense  of  helplessness  in  him.  So  when  we  disable  the 
whole  body,  or  overmatch  the  i)ower  of  the  horse  wholly, 
we  create  in  him  a  powerful  impression  of  our  mastery 
and  a  corresponding  sense  of  his  own  helplessness. 

The  method  given  of  throwing  a  horse,  called  the 

First  Method  of  Subjection, 


Is  the  simplest  and  most  eifective  form  based  upon  this 


Fia.  30. — Leatlier  Throwing  Rig, 


principle,  and  is  the  outgrowth  of  a  great  deal  of  practical 
experimenting. 

There  are  two  rigs  here  given ;  one  of  leather,  and  one 
of  rope.  The  Leather  Rig  works  well,  is  not  difficult  to  fit, 
but  is  troublesome  to  make,  and  expensive,  costing  from 
eight  to  fifteen  dollars.  The  Rope  Rig  works  equally  well, 
and  can  be  made  of  any  old  rope  in  a  few  minutes,  at  a 
merely  nominal  cost.     For  the  first,  or  Leather  Rig,  the  sur- 


FIEST  METHOD  OF  SUBJECTION. 


31 


cingle  should  be  made  of  two  thicknesses  of  good  harness 
leather,  about  three  inches  wide,  and  about  eight  or  ten 
inches  longer  than  the  circumference  of  the  body.  The 
buckle  should  have  two  tongues,  and  be  made  of  good 
wrought  iron.  When  this  rig  is  on  and  drawn  tightly  from 
the  part  over  the  back  bone,  a  double  strap,  the  length  of 
the  back,  with  a  strong  crupper,  should  be  attached.  Four 
or  five  inches  on  the  off  side,  should  bo  fastened  at  the 
front  edge  of  this  surcingle  a  strong  two-inch  ring.  On 
the  opposite  edge  should  be  attached  another  strap  extend- 
ing to  a  ring  upon  the  back  strap  at  the  hip.  A  little  pad 
should  be  fixed  to  the  part  coming  across  the  back,  to  pre- 
vent bruising  or  chafing  it. 


Fig.  21.     Simple  Rope  Rig. 

To  make  the  Rope  Rig,  procure  a  three-fourths-inch  rope, 
eighteen  or  twenty  feet  in  length.  One  that  has  been 
used  enough  to  render  it  pliable  is  best.  Make  a  simple 
loop  about  three  inches  long  at  one  end,  and  double  the 
rope  about  four  feet  from  the  loop.  Pass  over  this  doubled 
part  a  three-inch  ring  made  of  three-eighths  rod.  Measure 
the  distance  from  the  tail  to  where  the  saddle  of  the  har- 
ness comes,  to  which  bring  the  ring  and  make  a  sim- 
ple  knot   of  both   ropes    around  it,  regulating  it  to  the 


32 


METHODS   OF   SUBJECTION. 


length  of  the  back  as  it  is  tightened.  Next,  put  the 
double  part  under  the  tail,  twist  two  or  three  times,  and 
bring  the  part  with  the  ring  to  its  place  about  eight  inches 

to  the  right  of  the  back,  with  the  loop 


Fig.  23.— Foot  lied  up.  PlQ-  23.— Foot  Strap. 

toward  the  near  side.     While  holding  it  in  position,  reach 
under  the  body,  catch  the  opposite  end   of  the  rope,  bring 


Fig.  24.— The  Rig  as  arranged  for  throwing. 

it  through  the  loop,  and  draw  down  to  the  size  of  the 
body.  Make  a  simple  knot  in  the  rope,  which  forms  a 
button  and  keeps  it  from  slipping  out.  It  is  also  necessary 
to  protect  the  back  and  tail  by  winding  the  part  of  the 


FIEST   METHOD. 


33 


rope  coming  under  the    tail,    and    putting   two    or   three 
thicknesses  of  cloth  or  blanket  between  it  and  the  back. 

Next,  put  on  a  strong  strap  halter  with  the  nose  part 
coming  well  down,  and  draw  it  up  rather  close  back  of  the 
jaw ;  then  take  a  piece  of  strong  cord,  from  five-sixteenths 
to  three-eighths  of  an  inch  in  diameter  and  about  twenty  feet 
in  length,  tie  a  hard  knot  in  each  end,  mid  fisten  one  end 


Fig.  2.5.— Turning  a  stubborn  Horse  around  before  throwing. 

around  the  rope  or  surcingle  just  above  the  ring.  Pass 
the  other  end,  from  above,  down  over  the  strap  of  the  hal- 
ter back  of  the  jaw,  thence  back  and  down  through  the 
ring  referred  to,  until  the  slack  is  taken  u}t.  Now  tie  up 
the  near  forefoot.  The  best  way  to  do  this  is  to  pass  an 
ordinary  hame  strap  around  the  foot,  thence  to  the  belly- 
band,  and  buckle  short. 

Though  this  method,  when  properly  used,  enables  throw- 


34 


METHODS   OF   SUBJECTION. 


ing  a  horse  on  even  A^eiy  hard  ground  without  bruising  the 
knees  or  other  parts,  still  it  is  very  important,  and  adds 
greatly  to  the  ease  of  throwing  to  have  good  soft  ground. 
The  best  is  that  which  is  free  from  stone,  Avith  thick,  soft 
sod,  as  an  orchard  or  meadow,  a  ploughed  field,  or  a  place 
liberally  covered  with  straw  or  manure.  Presuming  that 
such  a  place  has  been  selected,  stand  almost  in  front  of  the 


" ^-?^^^- 

Fig.  26. — Usual  position  of  a  Horse  that  resists  strongly  before  being  tlirown. 

horse  at  the  right,  have  a  firm  hold  of  the  cord  about  seven 
or  eight  feet  from  the  shoulder,  and  pull  gently,  but  firmly. 
This  will  draw  the  head  back  to  the  side,  and  the  body  being 
thereby  thrown  out  of  balance,  the  horse  is  forced  to  fall 
over  with  a  rolling  motion  on  his  side.  If  during  the  first 
trial  he  resists,  let  him  have  his  own  way  a  little  while,  and 
when  in  a  good  position,  pull  quickly,  and  he  can  be  easily 
forced  off  his  balance  and  made  to  fall  over.     If  a  strong- 


FIRST  METHOD. 


35 


willed,  headstrong  fellow,  disposed  to  resist  hard,  perhaps 
lunging  forward,  etc.,  as  some  horses  are  liable  to  do,  take 
a  firm  hold  of  the  cord  and  run  around  in  a  circle  until  he 
is  made  to  follow,  hopping  steadily  (as  shown  by  cut  25), 
then  stop,  pull  quickly,  and  he  will  be  easily  thrown  over 
upon  his  side.  (See  cuts  27  and  29.)  As  soon  as  the  cord 
is  slacked  he  will  jump  up,  but  by  repeating  as  before  he 
will  again  be  thrown.     Simply  repeat  the  throwing  as  long 


Fig.  27. — As  the  Horse  will  usually  fall. 

as  the  horse  will  get  up.  If  he  does  not  attempt  to  rise 
after  being  once  thrown,  stand  behind  him,  keeping  firm 
hold  of  the  cord,  and  strike  the  belly  with  the  hand  or 
touch  him  with  the  whip,  to  incite  him  to  jump  up ;  and 
on  the  instant  of  his  doing  so,  pull  quickly  upon  the  cord, 
which  will  again  roll  him  back  helplessly  upon  his  side. 

If  the  horse  is  sensitive  upon  the  belly,  quarters,  or 
the  feet,  while  down  and  forced  to  yield,  first  touch  the 
parts  with  a  pole  until  he  will  submit  to  it,  then  with  the 


36 


METHODS   OF   SUBJECTION. 


hand  until  there  is  no  incentive  to  resistance  shown  by  the 
muscles  becoming  relaxed  ;    after  which  he  should  be  al- 


FiG.  28. — Type  of  sullen  character  upon  which  this  method  will  fail. 

lowed  to  get  up,  and  the  handling  or  touching  repeated 
until  submitted  to  on  his  feet.  Sometimes  it  is  necessary 
to  reverse  the  treatment,  and  throw  the  horse  on  the  op- 


FiG.  39. — Position  of  the  Horse  when  clown. 


posite  side,  before  he  will  be  entirely  sulnnissive ;  but  af- 
ter being  thrown  to  the  extent  of  making  him  lie  down 
submissively,  it  will  do  no  good  to  repeat  the  treatment, 


FIEST  METHOD.  37 

If  the  impression  produced  is  not  sufficient  to  break  up 
the  horse's  confidence  and  prevent  a  repetition  of  the  habit, 
whatever  it  is,  the  treatment  is  a  failure  in  his  case.  For 
example,  if  the  horse  is  a  kicker,  and  persists  in  kicking 
after  the  full  extent  of  the  treatment,  it  should  be  aban- 
doned ;  but  if  the  habit  is  given  up  after  several  times 
throwing,  and  he  submits  unconditionally,  it  is  the  right 
treatment  for  him,  and  all,  in  a  general  way,  that  is  needed. 


Fig.  30. — Rolling  the  Horse  back  wHen  struggling  to  rise. 

On  the  other  hand,  if  the  horse  drops  or  lies  down  submis- 
sively, refusing  to  get  up  when  touched  or  handled,  it  will 
fail.  It  should  not  be  used  upon  nervous,  irritable,  un- 
broken colts,  especially  those  showing  a  wild,  sulky,  or 
mustang  nature,  as  they  are  liable,  as  "soon  as  the  leg  is 
tied  up,  to  lunge,  or  when  pulled  upon  to  throw  themselves 
recklessly  or  sullenly  down.  For  the  subjection  of  such 
cases,  and  all  colts,  balkers,  and  horses  bad  to  shoe,  har- 
ness, clean,  or  ride,  it  is  not  so  good  as  the  Second  Method. 
It  is  most  valuable  when  used  in  connection  with  the  other 
methods.     In  some  cases  of  nervous  character,  if  the  horse 


38 


METHODS  OF  SUBJECTION. 


can  be  safely  thrown  once,  rolling  him  back,  as  shown  above, 
until  there  is  submission,  will  have  a  good  effect. 


Fig.  31. — The  Horse  subdued. 

Second  Method  of  Subjection. 

If  one  were  to  turn  around  rapidly  a  few  times,  he 
would  become  dizzy.  Were  he  to  suddenly  reverse  the 
motion,  the  effect  would  be  so  intensified  as  to  cause  fall- 
ing. The  effect  is  the  same  upon  the  horse,  and  gives  al- 
most unlimited  poAver  in  the  control  of  wild,  nervous,  vi- 
cious, kicking,  runaway  horses. 

I  once  had  such  a  horse  brought  to  me  to  experiment 
upon  before  a  class.  He  was  a  nervous,  kicking,  runaway 
horse  of  the  worst  character.  When  hitched  to  a  buggy, 
he  became  frightened,  kicked,  and  ran  away,  tearing  the 
buggy  to  pieces.  He  was  so  desperately  afraid  of  a  wagon 
that  he  could  not  be  put  in  shafts  or  even  brought  near 


SECOND   METHOD. 


39 


them.  After  working  upon  him  for  two  hours,  aided  by 
members  of  the  class,  and  resorting  to  every  device  in  my 
power  for  his  control,  I  completely  failed.  I  was  nettled, 
yet  bound  to  succeed,  but  "How?"  was  the  question.  At 
this  juncture  I  happened  to  think  that  turning  around 
quickly  several  times  in  succession  caused  extreme  dizzi- 
ness and  helplessness. 

The  question  followed,  "  If  I  could  make  the  horse  turn 


Fig.  32. — Method  of  tying  halter  to  the  tail. 

around  rapidly,  why  could  I  not  neutralize  and  overcome 
his  resistance  in  this  way?"  I  remembered  having  once 
seen  a  dog  in  play  catch  his  tail  in  his  mouth  and  run 
around,  and  it  occurred  to  me  that  by  tying  the  horse's 
head  to  his  tail  he  would  possibly  turn  himself  around.  I 
did  so,  as  shown  in  cut  32,  and  to  my  surprise  and  satis- 
faction he  went  around  rapidly,  and  in  a  short  time  fell 
over,  dazed  and  helpless.  Soon  recovering,  he  jumped  up, 
turned  rapidly  as  before,  and  again  fell  over.     In  course 


40 


METHODS  OF  SUBJECTION. 


of  a  few  moments  he  fell  over  three  times.   (See  cut  34) 
As  before  explained,  he  was  extremely  nervous  and  afraid 


Fig.  33. — Powerful  effect  of  the  treatment  shown  by  tlie  Horse  staggering 
to  the  point  of  falling  Mhen»quickly  untied. 

of  being  touched ;    so  as  he  went  around,  I  brought  the 
pole   against  his  quarters  until  he  was  submissive  to  it. 


Fig.  34. — Position  in  which  the  Horse  fulls  confused  and  helpless 
when  turned  too  quickly. 


SECOND   METHOD 


41 


The  experiment  proved  u.  most  wonderful  success,  us  it  en- 
abled me  to  do  in  about  ten  minutes  what  was  utterly  im- 
possible for  me  to  do  before  in  two  hours,  and  with  the 
aid*  of  several  men.  I  had,  in  fact,  by  the' mere  circum- 
stance of  failure  made  one  of  the  most  important  discover- 
ies that  had  yet  been  made  in  the  art  of  taming  horses. 

This  method  is  wonderfully  effective  in  the  subjection 
of  colts  and  vicious  horses,  especially  those  of  a  certain 


Fig.  35.— Method  of  holding  the  strap  while  going 
around  with  a  doubtful  case. 

class  of  temperament,  and  in  breaking  single  balkers. 
When  combined  with  the  other  treatment,  it  makes  easy 
and  simple  the  control  of  horses  it  w^ould  be  both  difficult 
and  dangerous  to  subdue  without.  For  example,  a  wild, 
dangerous  colt,  mustang,  or  vicious  mule,  which  it  would 
be  perilous  to  try  to  confine  with  straps  or  other  rigging, 
wdth  the  aid  of  a  simple  halter,  can  be  brought  under  con- 
trol in  a  few  minutes.  Or  if  in  any  case  this  is  not  suffi- 
cient to  compel  entire  submission,  it  will  always  give  suffi- 


42  METHODS   OF   SUBJECTION. 

cient  advantage  to  subject  safely  to  the  other  methods  of 
treatment. 

I  will  name  this  the  Second  Method  of  Sub.jection.  The 
conditions  to  be  observed  in  its  application  are  as  follows  : 
First :  Select  a  soddy  place  in  a  field  or  yard  free  from 
stones,  stumps,  or  sharp  fence  corners.  The  place  should 
not  be  too  soft,  such  as  a  deeply  ploughed  field,  barn-yard 
manure,  or  deep  straw.  Heavy  sod  with  considerable  grass 
is  the  best.     Second  :  If  there  are  sharp  shoes  on  the  feet, 


Fig.  36. — The  sullen  colt  as  he  will  usually  stand  refusing  to  turn  when  tied. 

they  should  be  removed  before  subjecting  to  this  treatment; 
to  neglect  this  ^vould  endanger  calking  or  cutting  the  feet 
badly.  Third :  A  strap  halter  should  always  be  used. 
After  catching  the  tail,  take  the  strap  of  the  halter  between 
the  teeth  to  enable  the  use  of  both  hands,  and  tie  the  hair 
of  the  tail  into  a  knot.  Divide  the  hair  above  the  knot, 
pass  the  strap  through,  and  tie  into  a  half-hitch  knot.  The 
strap  should  be  drawn  just  short  enough  to  compel  the 
horse  to  turn  fast  enough  to  divert  his  attention  (something 
as  in  cut  32)  and  make  him  helpless,  but  not  so  short  as  to 


SECOND   METHOD. 


43 


cause  him  to  fall.  The  more  nervous  and  excitable  the 
subject,  the  longer  the  strap  must  be  left  at  first ;  and  the 
colder-blooded,  the  shorter  must  it  be  drawn.  If  at  all 
doubtful  as  to  the  length,  when  the  strap  is  run  through 
the  tail  hold  it  in  the  hand  and  go  around  with  him  a  few 
times  (as  in  cut  35)  so  that  the  necessary  length  can  be 
exactly  ascertained,  then  quickly  tie  into  a  half-hitch  knot 
and  let  go.     If  tied  the  right  length,  the  horse  will  keep 


Fig.  37. — A  vicious  colt  as  he  •will  usually  strike  when  the  pole 
is  brought  near  liis  nose  while  turning. 

moving  in  a  circle  as  described ;  but  if  tied  too  short,  or 
forced  up  to  the  point  of  falling,  the  moment  he  staggers 
pull  quickly  upon  the  end  of  the  strap  which  will  pull  it 
loose,  and  tie  again  the  required  length. 

Sulky  or  cold-blooded  colts,  if  tied  very  short  at  first, 
are  liable  to  throw  the  head  against  the  nose-piece  of  the 
halter,  and  if  pushed  are  likely  to  rear  up  and  fall  over 
backward.     This  can  be  easily  prevented  by  holding  the 


44 


METHODS   OF   SUBJECTION. 


strap  as  before  up  near  the  tail  with  one  hand  and  the  part 
near  the  head  with  the  other,  and  going  around  with  him 
a  few  times  until  he  is  dizzy ;  then  tie  quickly  and  let  go. 
Motion  toward  the  head  while  passing,  and  so  continue  un- 
til he  moves  steadily. 

Now  take  a  pole  or  rake  handle  about  eight  or  ten  feet 
long,  and  bring  it  gently  against  the  legs  or  parts  of  the 
horse  most  sensitive,  until  there  is  complete  submission  to 


Fig.  38. — A  vicious  Horse  as  he  will  usually  kick  when  touched 
with  pole  while  turning. 

it.  This  he  will  usually  resent  by  kicking  violently.  Sim- 
])\y  continue  until  all  inclination  to  resist  is  overcome,  so 
that  after  being  untied  the  muscles  are  so  relaxed  that  the 
feet  can  be  taken  up  and  handled  without  his  showing  the 
least  resistance.  Sometimes  a  young  horse  or  colt  will 
start  all  right,  but  when  tested  will  not  go  sufficiently  fast  to 
enable  his  control.  Under  such  circumstances,  while  mov- 
ing touch  sharply  with  a  whip  across  the  nose,  and  repeat 
until  he  is  forced  up  to  the  point  desired  to  compel  submis- 


SECOND   METHOD. 


45 


sion.  The  point  is  to  bring  the  brain  to  a  certain  point  of 
inactivity  and  hold  it  there  until  he  is  helpless  and  sub- 
missive. 

I  soon  learned  by  experience  that  by  turning  one  way 
only,  the  impression  upon  the  brain  after  a  certain  point 
diminished  with  the  continuance  of  the  turning ;  and  that 
to  maintain  the  effect  it  was  necessary  to  turn  the  horse 
much  faster,  and  even  then,  after  a  time,  it  would  become 


Fig.  39. — The  first  indication  of  submission — sulimitting  to  be  poled. 

inert.  To  remedy  this,  I  reversed  the  action  by  tying  in 
the  opposite  direction,  which  not  only  greatly  increased 
the  effect  but  enabled  me  to  repeat  the  treatment  with  suc- 
cess to  any  extent.  In  many  bad  cases  the  horse  should 
be  turned  one  way  up  to  the  verge  of  falling,  then  quickly 
reversed,  at  the  same  time  poling  as  before  explained.  It 
is  necessary  under  such  circumstances  to  watch  carefully 
so  as  to  be  able  at  the  instant  there  is  any  indication  of 
falling,  to  prevent  it  by  pulling  the  strap  loose.     The  more 


46 


METHODS   OF   SUBJECTION. 


frequent  and  quickly  the  reversing  and  turning,  the  better 
the  effect.  In  some  cases  it  must  be  repeated  rapidly 
three,  four,  five,  and  even  six  times  before  it  will  be  suc- 
cessful. To  do  this  successfully  requires  care  and  quick- 
ness, and  the  horse  should  not  be  given  freedom  to  run 
against  anything.  After  the  horse  has  submitted,  he  should 
be  thoroughly  poled  all  over,  the  feet  handled,  etc.,  until 
there  is  entire  indifference  to  it,  then  untied,  and  the  same 


Fig.  40,— Taking  up  the  colt's  foot  while  tied — one  of  the  tests  in 
determining  his  submission. 

handling  repeated.  If  the  treatment  has  been  properly 
carried  out,  there  should  be  no  difficulty  at  this  point  in 
the  handling,  poling,  mounting,  etc. 

This  method  of  subjection  is  the  simplest,  the  most  hu- 
mane and  effective,  all  things  considered,  that  has  yet  been 
discovered.  It  not  only  diverts  the  horse's  brain  from  act- 
ing, but  matches  his  strength  so  perfectly  against  itself, 
that  lie  can  be  made  entirely  helpless  without  producing 
any  pain  or  injury.     It  will  effect  the  entire   subjection 


SECOND   METHOD.  ^^ 

and  docility  of  the  average  of  the  worst  of  wild,  unbroken 
colts  m  from  five  to  fifteen  minutes,  so  that  they  can  be 
ridden,  have  the  feet  handled,  or  allow  anything  to  come 
against  the  quarters.  (See  cut  41).  It  gives,  in  connection 
with  the  War  Bridle,  the  true  key  for  breaking  single  balk- 
ers.  It  IS  smgularly  well  adapted  for  supplementing  the 
other  methods,  and  effecting  the  control  of  extremely  vLous 
horses  that  have  partially  or  wholly  resisted  the  other  meth- 
ods.    It  is  also  the  safest  and  best  method  of  treatment  for 


Fig.  41. -^Method  of  testing  after  beiug  imtied. 

the  subjugation  of  extreme  cases  bad  to  ride,  bridle,  have  the 
head  handled  ;  also  those  which  have  the  habit  of  striking. 

It  will  not  work  well  upon  kicking,  switching  mares 
and  colts  of  a  slow,  cold-blooded,  sulky  nature.  There  may 
also  occasionally  be  found  horses  of  quick,  nervous,  but  de-' 
cidedly  determined  character,  that  will  at  first  seem  to  re- 
sist it,  or  faU  down  too  quickly.  The  Third  Method  should 
be  used  for  a  short  time  upon  such,  to  tone  down  their  im= 
petuousness,  after  which  they  will  usually  submit  to  this 
method  without  difficulty. 

Though  compelled  almost  daily  to  subject  all  kinds  of 


48  METHODS   OF   SUBJECTION 

horses  to  this  treatment  in  small  barns  and  other  unsuita- 
ble places,  and  surrounded  by  a  crowd  of  men,  by  being 
careful  I  never  had  a  serious  accident  occur.  Of  course, 
in  a  field  or  open  yard  the  danger  would  be  immeasurably 
diminished.     Still  I  think  it  my  duty  to  advise  the  greatest 


Fig.  43. — One  of  the  tests  frequently  given  by  the  writer  in  proving  tuc  eftect 

of  the  treatment  upon  a  notably  vicious  case,  when  makjiag 

experiments  before  his  class. 

care  to  prevent  accident.     By  going  slowly  at  first,  and  fol- 
lowing up  cautiously,  there  can  seldom  be  an  accident. 

Third  Method  of  Subjection. 

It  is  well  known  that  by  hitting  a  horse  at  a  certain 
point  back  of  the  ear,  it  is  easy  to  knock  him  down; 
also  if  a  horse  were  to  throw  himself  over  backward  and 
hit  this  part  on  a  hub  or  stone,  he  would  be  liable  to  be 
killed.  At  the  front  part  of  the  atlas  bone,  or  the  first  of 
the  cervical  vertebra,  where  it  articulates  into  the  occipital 
bone,  or  back  part  of  the  head,  about  an  inch  of  the  spinal 


THIRD   METHOD. 


49 


cord  is  not  covered  with  bone.  If  a  knife  or  other  sharp 
instrument  were  driven  down  at  this  point  sufficiently  to 
penetrate  it,  it  would 
cause  instant  death.  Bv 
bringing  gentle  but  firm 
pressure  upon  this  part, 
we  have  one  of  the  most 
safe  and  reliable  methods 
of  subjection  knov^jn.  It 
is,  however,  like  the  other 
methods,  especially  fitted 
to  a  certain  class  of  dis- 
position and  habit,  not  in- 
frequently making  it  easy 
to  subdue  horses  upon 
which  the  other  methods 
have  failed ;  such  as  nerv- 
ous-tempered, courageous,  strong-willed  horses  that  will  not 
bear  excitement  or  any  freedom  that  would  heat  the  blood. 
It  is  a  method  of  treatment  that  must  be  used  with  great 
care  and  judgment.  It  is  easy,  of  course,  to  put  on  press- 
ure, but  the  point  is  to  use  it  on  cases  for  which  it  is 
suited,  and  adapt  it  to  conditions.  Not  enough  pressure, 
or  applying  it  carelessly,  would  cause  failure,  while  too 
much  pressure,  or  if  continued  too  long,  would  not  only  be 
abuse,  but  dangerous  to  life. 

I  found  by  experience  that  by  puUing  sharply  upon  a 
horse  with  the  "Second  Form  of  War  Bridle,"  which 
brings  the  force  of  the  pull  upon  this  point,  would  often  so 
unnerve  and  break  up  his  confidence  that,  though  pre- 
viously he  could  not  be  touched  around  the  feet  or  body, 
he  would  now  submit  to  it  unconditionally.     Also  putting 


Fig.  43 — Method  of  applying  the  cord  to 
put  on  pressure. 


50 


METHODS   OF   SUBJECTION. 


the  center  of  a  cord  under  the  bridle  so  as  to  rest  upon  this 
point,  and  bringing  both  ends  through  the  rings  of  the  bit 

and  carrying  back 
for  reins,  would  usu- 
ally make  the  horse 
drive  in  a  short  time 
to  a  slack  rein. 

I  was  not,  how- 
ever, led  to  make 
any  special  effort  to 
study  out  the  key 
of  this  principle  of 
subjection  until  in  a 
chance  way  I  heard 

Fig.  44.— Holding  cord  when  through  the  mouth.       ^^    ^     man     who      in 

breaking  colts  brought  a  cord  moderately  tight  two  or  three 
times  around  the  head.  This,  with  the  remembrance  of  the 
effects  before  referred  to,  led  me  to  experiment  carefully 
with  a  cord  in  this  way,  but  found  it  gave  but  little  more 
power  of  control  than  a  common  war  bridle,  and  I  aban- 
doned its  use.  At  the  time,  I  carried  canvas,  visiting  only, 
large  centers,  which  gave  me  all  the  opportunity  I  wished 
for  using  the  First  and  Second  Methods,  and  I  rarely  found 
a  horse  that  would  not  submit  to  these  methods.  One  day, 
however,  a  vicious,  kicking  mare  was  brought  in  that  re- 
sisted my  regular  treatment ;  for,  once  warming  up  in  har- 
ness, she  would  kick  in  spite  of  all  that  could  be  done.  I 
was  led  instinctively  to  try  the  effect  of  extreme  pressure, 
and,  without  stopping  to  reason  upon  the  matter,  kept  on 
winding  the  cord  until  I  used  nearly  one  hundred  feet  of 
hard,  Avell-stretched  cord.  I  let  her  stand  about  fifteen  min- 
utes, when  upon  trial  1  found  her  perfectly  submissive.     I 


THIED   METHOD. 


51 


told  the  man  I  did  not  know  what  the  after  effect  would  be, 
and  if  it  injured  her  in  any  way  to  report  to  me.  Two 
weeks  later  he  informed  me  that  she  was  broken  of  the 
habit,  and  all  right.  Although  this  mare  had 
resisted  the  other  methods,  she  was  of  the  ex- 
act temperament  to  submit  easily  to  this 
treatment. 

This  success  induced  me  to  try  the  effect 
of  severe  pressure  upon  other  cases,  for  the 
purpose  of  learning  how  much  i)ressure  should 
be  used,  and  the  limit  to  which  it  could  be 
safely  carried.  I  found  this  to  be  governed 
in  a  great  measure  by  the  character  of  the 
horse.  Ordinary  cases  could  bear  a  pressure 
of  three  cords,  or  a  little  over  sixty  feet,  and 
would  submit  in  from  five  to  fifteen  minutes, 
while  some  extreme  cases  of  courage  and  pluck 
could  bear  the  pressure  of  a  hundred  feet  or  *'ig-  45.  —  cord 

-,-,  n  -,    .  when  on. 

more  equally  well,  and  in  some  very  excep- 
tional cases  even  a  much  longer  time.  In  one  case  of  a 
wonderfully  tough,  plucky  mare,  as  an  experiment  the 
pressure  was  left  on  nearly  an  hour,  when  she  fell  down 
helplessly,  but  upon  removing  the  cord  she  quickly  recov- 
ered, and  so  far  as  I  could  judge,  without  sustaining  injury. 
I  learned  to  use  on  an  average  from  seventy  to  eighty-five 
feet,  drawn  more  or  less  tightly,  and  leaving  it  on  a  longer 
or  shorter  time,  according  to  the  resistance  shown. 

I  did  not  give  this  method  to  classes,  but  held  it  as  a 
reserve  until  after  my  experiments  in  New- York  in  1872. 
The  simplest  and  best  way  of  applying  it  is  as  follows  : 
Take  a  small,  firmly  wound,  smooth  hemp  cord  about  five- 
sixteenths   of  an  inch  in   diameter  and  from  twenty  to 


52 


METHODS  OF  SUBJECTION. 


twenty-four  feet  long.  (Finding  it  difficult  to  get  cord  of 
the  proper  size,  strength,  and  smoothness,  I  have  been  com- 
pelled to  have  it  manufac- 
tured for  me  especially  for 
the  purpose,  and  can  supply 
orders  by  mail  at  a  reason- 
able price.)  Tie  a  hard  knot 
at  one  end,  and  a  loose  tie  or 
knot  about  eighteen  or  twenty 
inches  from  this  end.  Bring 
around  the  neck  and  slip  the 


end  knot  through   the  loose 

Fig.  46.-Touchmg  the  Horse's  quarters    tie  aS  for    first    form    of    War 
with  pole  while  the  cord  is  on. 

Bridle.  Stand  a  little  in  front 
and  left  of  the  head,  bring  the  cord  through  the  mouth  and 
pass  it  over  the  head  where  the  halter  rests,  pulling  down 
gently ;  thence  through  the  mouth  again  and  hold  firmly 
with  the  left  hand,  while  with  the  right  it  is  again  passed 
over  the  head»  and 
pulled  down  as  before. 
(See  cuts  43, 44.)  So 
repeat  to  the  end  of 
the  cord,  winding  not 
very  tightly.  Always 
use  care  to  bring  it 
over  the  tongue  so  jis 
not  to  tangle  or  bruise 
it.  Now  take  another 
cord  and  tie  to  the  first 
one,  so  that  when 
pulled  down  the  knot  will  come  on  either  side  of  the  head, 
not  at  the  top,  or  in  the  mouth.     Draw  this  cord  as  tightly 


Fig.  47. 


-Manner  in  which  some  horses  kick 
when  touched  with  pole. 


THIED   METHOD. 


53 


as  thought  necessary  for  the  cjise,  and  continue  to  wind 
until  three  or  four  cords  are  used,  according  to  the  degree 
of  resistance  to  be  con- 
trolled. Unless  in  a  small 
place  where  there  is  not 
sufficient  room  to  run 
around,  attach  a  strap  or 
cord  to  two  or  three  of 
those  around  the  head  and 
hold  by  it,  or  tie  to  a  hitch- 
ing-post. 

The    principle    involved 

is     that     the     greater    the    Fig.  48.— Manner  m  which  a  vicious  Horse 
,  ,,        „       .„  T  will  kick  when  touched  with  pole. 

strength  oi  will  and  power 

of  resistance  on  the  part  of  the  horse,  the  more  cord  must 
be  used,  the  tighter  it  must  be  drawn,  and  the  longer  it 
must  be  left  on.     In  no  case,  if  put  on  very  tightly,  should 

it  be  left  on  longer  than 

thirty  minutes,  while  the 

average  time  for  ordinary 

cases  should  not  be  more 

than  from  six  to  fifteen 

minutes.     It  should  not 

be  put  on    carelessly  or 

indifferently,  nor  should 

attention  be  drawn  from 

it  one  moment  until  it  is 

again  removed. 

Success  will  now  greatly  depend  upon  the  advantage 

taken  while  using  this  treatment,  as  it  will  practically  do 

no  good  to  put  on  pressure  and  do  nothing  more.     For  ex- 


FiG.  49. —  Submitting  to  the  pole  after 
being  subdued. 


54 


METHODS  OF  SUliJECTlON. 


ample  :  If  a  kiokcr  in  Iminess,  while  the  pressure  is  on  take 
a  small  pole  or  rakestale  and  biing  against  the  legs  and 
quarters,  as  shown  in  cuts  4G,  47,  48,  49.  This  will  usu- 
ally be  violently  resisted  by  kicking.  If  after  reasonable 
effort  there  is  not  submission  to  it,  it  may  be  advisable  to 
increase  the  pressure  by  winding  a  little  tighter  or  adding 
more  cord. 

The  central  point  of  observation  now   should   be  the 


Fig.  50. — Manner  in  which  some  extremely  vicious  horses  will 
resist  b_y  jumping  when  subjected  to  pressure. 

horse's  eye.  So  long  as  there  is  fire  in  the  eye  and  the 
ears  are  thrown  back,  no  matter  whether  the  horse  kicks 
or  not,  it  is  an  evidence  that  he  is  fighting  hard  and  the 
pressure  must  be  kept  on.  On  the  contrary,  when  there  is 
a  general  ceasing  of  resistance,  the  eye  softened  in  its  ex- 
pression as  if  going  to  sleep,  the  breathing  accelerated, 
panting-like,  and  especially  if  there  is  rapid  sweating,  it  is 
sure  evidence  of  unconditional  submission.  To  keep  on 
pressure  any  longer  would  not  only  be  entirely  unneces- 
sary, but  abusive.     These   indications  are  unfailing,  and 


THIRD   METHOD. 


65 


the  cord  luiist.  at  once  be  removed.  Commence  unwind! no- 
repeating  the  poling  from  time  to  time,  until  the  cord  is 
wholly  removed  from  the  head.  Then  turn  the  hist  cord 
into  first  form  of  "War  Bridle,"  with  the  control  of  which 
any  resistance  can  be  restrained.  Repeat  the  poHng  as  be- 
fore on  both  sides,  and  against  the  quarters,  to  test  his  do- 
cility, as  shown  by  cut  49. 

It  is  invariably  a  good  sign  of  submission,  when  the 
pressure  is  removed,  to  have  the  horse  take  a  long  breath 


Fig.  51. — As  some  desperately  vicious  hoises  will  throw  themselves 
wlien  subjected  to  prtSbure. 

and  also  to  sweat  freely.  The  treatment  must  now  be  car- 
ried out  for  driving  as  directed  in  chapter  on  "  Kicking." 
If  bad  to  shoe,  while  the  pressure  is  on,  attach  a  rope 
or  strap  to  the  foot  and  pull  back  and  forward,  as  in  cut 
55,  until  submissive  to  it,  and'  the  toe  rests  upon  the 
ground.  The  cords  should  then  be  immediately  taken  off 
the  head,  and  the  last  one  turned  into  the  first  form  of  War 
Bridle,  to  be  used  if  necessary.  All  good  subjects  for  this 
treatment  will  resist  hard  at  first,  and  make  a  determined 
fight,  but  when  they  do  give  up,  will  be  found  entirely  sub- 


56  METHODS   OF   SUBJECTION. 

dued ;  while  those  that  do  not  resist  when  touched  while 
the  pressure  is  on,  are,  as  a  rule,  not  good  subjects  for  it. 

This  method  of  subjection  rcA^eals  the  horse's  character 
exactly,  whatever  it  is.  If  one  of  great  courage  and  spirit, 
he  will  usually  resist  at  first  with  great  fury  while  under 
the  treatment,  but  finally  submit  unconditionally.  But  if 
of  a  sullen,  treacherous  nature,  while  the  pressure  is  on  he 
will  often  stand  sullenly,  doing  nothing.     In  such  cases  the 


Fig.  52. — The  Horse  as  he  stands  when  subdued. 

Second  Method  must  be  depended  upon,  in  connection  with 
the  other  treatment. 

The  success  with  which  some  kickers  can  be  subdued 
and  broken  of  the  habit  by  this  method,  is  remarkable.  It 
is  especially  adapted  to  the  subjection  of  courageous,  de- 
termined, sensitive  horses,  that  will  not  bear  excitement  or 
heating  of  the  blood.  It  also  works  well  upon  biting, 
striking,  vicious  stallions,  especially  when  used  in  connec- 
tion with  the  other  methods.  It  works  extremely  well 
upon  mules,  seldom  requiring  more  than  ten  minutes  to 
subdue  even  those  of  a  very  vicious  character. 


THIRD   METHOD. 


57 


Fig.  53. 


Cases  upon  which  it  will  not  work  well,  <and  for  which 
it  should  not  be  used,  are  young,  unbroken  colts,  sulk}^, 
cold-blooded  horses,  and,  once  in  a  great  while,  a  class  of 

high-strung,  sensitive  horses  of 
great  courage  and  endurance,  that 
become  excited,  strike,  and  resist 
hard.  Such  cases  are,  however, 
somewhat  rare.  If  it  must  be 
used  upon  such,  let  it  be  after 
subjecting  to  the  First  or  Second 
Methods,  or  both. 

The  reason  this  method  should 
not   be  used  upon    colts,   is    that 

-Mouth  as  usually  kept    ^^  ^^.-jj     ^^^^^^^.       ^^^^-^^  ^^_ 

open  when  cord  is  on.  "^  ./  •/ 

temj)t  to  put  on  the  cord,  or  bite 
and  chew  upon  it  to  a  degree  that  will  bruise  or  cut  the 
cheeks,  which  is  very  troublesome  to  treat.  (See  cut  54.) 
Besides,  colts  can  be  controlled  so  much  easier  and  better 
by  the  Second  Method  that 
there  is  no  necessity  for  using  it 
upon  them.  There  may  occa- 
sionally be  found  an  old  horse 
that  will  bite  upon  the  cord  like 
colts.  In  all  such  cases  the  treat- 
ment must  at  once  be  abandoned, 
and  dependence  placed  upon  the 
other  methods.  Those  that  cut 
or  bruise  the  cheeks  are  usually 
of  a  surly,  obstinate  nature,  the 
sullen  disposition  being  denoted  by  the  small,  clear  eye, 
set  well  back  on  the  side  of  the  head,  eyebrows  rather 
heavy,  fullness  below  the  eye,  and  small  nostrils.     When 


Fig  54. — Appearance  of  mouth 
when  biting  upon  the  cord. 


58 


METHODS   OP^   SUBJECTION. 


excited,  they  are  very  sullen,  aiul  iiidiJl'erent  to  ]»;i,in  or  con- 
trol. I  would  udd  that  the  average  of  horses  will  keep  the 
mouth  open  when  subjected  to  this  treatment,  without  at- 
tempting to  bite  (as  in  cut  53).  In  an  extensive  practice 
of  many  years,  I  have  found  no  means  of  protection  worth 
the  trouble  of  using. 

This  method  of  subjection  is  so  arbitrary  that  for  along 
time  I  have  felt  unwilling  to  publish  or  give  it  to  my  classes, 


•^^'wkWV 


Fig.  55. — PuUiug  the  foot  back — bad  to  shoe. 


fearing  they  would  abuse  it.  With  anything  like  ordinary 
care,  it  is  not  at  aJl  difficult  to  determine  the  cases  for  which 
it  is  suitable,  and  to  avoid  needless  abuse  by  it.  When 
properly  used,  it  is  not  only  entirely  safe,  but  not  at  all 
objectionably  severe.  It  is  always  advisable,  before  apply- 
ing this  treatment,  to  look  the  horse  over  in  a  general  way. 
If  a  nervous,  excitable,  coltish-acting  fellow,  that  has,  per- 
haps, been  seriously  frightened  by  carelessness  or  accident, 
the  Second  Method  may  first  be  used.  Should  this  fail,  or 
not  produce  satisfactory  results,  tlien  this  method  may  be 
tried.     First  bring  the  cord  through  the  mouth  once,  and 


THIRD  METHOD. 


69 


pull  down  rather 
tight.  Should  this 
be  submitted  to,  it 
is  safe  to  proceed ; 
but  if  he  strikes  vi- 
olently, or  resists, 
showing  a  disposi- 
tion to  bite  upon 
the  cord,  especially 
after  two  or  three 
cords  have  been 
used,  it  had  bet- 
ter  be    abandoned 

and     other     treat-     *^'C'-  ^'''-  ~  Pullin?  head  of  a  vicious  horse  around  to 

avoid  Ills  fuie  ivet  should  lie  strike,  and  observing 
ment    used.        Or   if  *'''''*  ^^^^  cord  comes  right  in  the  mouth. 

it  is  desired  to  subject  the  horse  to  the  First  Method  first, 
and  the  rig  cannot  be  pu^i.  on  with  safety,  subject  to  the 

Second  Method  for 
afew  moments,  then 
resort  to  the  First, 
after  which  the  im- 
p  r  c  s  s  i  o  n  can  be 
fixed  b}^  this. 

The  First  Method 
cannot  be  rejieated 
with  much  assur- 
ance of  success.    If 

*FiG.  5r. — Looking  at  the  opposite  side  to  see  that 

the  cord  comes  right,  and  determining  the  the    llOrSC     will    UOt 

amount  of  pressure  uecesstiry.  i  rL         i     • 

^  get  up  alter   being 

thrown,  you  have  accomplished  all  that  it  will  do.     Also 


*The  above  cuts  were  unavoidably  omitted  from  their  proper  places  iu  connection 
with  cuts  43  and  44,  where  they  belong. 


60  METHODS  OF  SUBJECTION. 

the  Third  Method  will,  as  a  rule,  prove  a  success  or  failure 
after  the  first  trial.  But  if  the  horse  will  bear  it,  this  trial 
can  be  carried  to  a  considerable  extreme  of  pressure,  and 
continued  for  some  time,  though  it  should  not  exceed  thirty 
minutes  except  in  very  extreme  cases.     This  I  have  learned 

ft 

by  a  long  series  of  careful  experiments  upon  all  kinds  of 
horses.  The  point  is  to  make  all  the  impression  possible 
with  it  when  used,  and  then,  if  necessary,  resort  to  other 
methods. 

It  is  rarely  necessary  to  use  much  severity  in  the  sub- 
jection of  colts.  The  less  excitement  and  punishment  used 
in  their  treatment,  the  better.  Also  in  the  management  of 
vicious  horses,  the  best  proof  of  skill  lies  in  surprising  or 
forcing  them  into  submission  before  they  become  excited. 
Much  extra  work  and  abuse  will  thereby  be  prevented. 
Under  no  circumstances  must  there  be  half-way  work. 
Nothing  short  of  the  most  thorough  and  complete  submis- 
sion will  answer.  Short  of  this  there  will  be  danger,  in 
the  future  handling  or  training,  of  their  breaking  over  and 
becoming  more  unmanageable  than  before. 

Control  by  Whipping. 

In  chapter  on  "  Colt  Training,"  I  have  referred  to  the 
control  of  horses  by  whipping,  and  I  think  it  advisable  to 
refer  to  it  here  more  definitely  as  a  method  of  subjection. 
If  a  sensitive,  nervous-tempered  horse  were  shut  up  in  a 
small  yard  or  building,  and  then  suddenly  or  unexpectedly 
whipped  from  behind,  and  the  whipping  cease  as  soon  as 
the  horse  is  disconcerted  and  frightened,  it  would  certainly 
do  a  great  deal  in  the  way  of  controlling  him.  But  this 
should  not  be  hazarded  in  the  control  of  courageous,  strong- 
willed  horses,  especially  stallions,  as  it  would  be  likely  to 


WAE  BEIDLE— FIEST  FORM.  61 

cause  such  to  suddenly  pitch  at  the  trainer.  I  have  fre- 
quently found  horses  so  extremely  sensitive  that  punish- 
ment of  any  kind  would  immediately  excite  in  them  the 
greatest  resentment.  The  most  noticeable  case  in  my  ex- 
perience was  an  English  thoroughbred,  in  Fredericton,  N. 
B.  This  horse  could  with  care  be  handled  with  a  good 
bridle ;  but  the  trainer  warned  me  to  look  out  for  myself 
if  I  attempted  to  punish  him  in  any  way.  To  test  him  I 
put  on  the  War  Bridle,  and  gave  him  a  sharp  jerk  back- 
ward with  it,  when  he  jumped  directly  for  me,  and  I  had 
all  I  could  do  to  save  myself. 

The  next  most  marked  case  was  that  of  a  horse  I  had 
trained  to  drive  without  reins,  and  had  traveled  with 
through  Ohio  and  other  parts  of  the  West.  Whipping 
would  excite  his  hostility  to  such  a  degree  that  in  training 
him  it  was  necessary  to  keep  his  head  tied  from  me.  I  re- 
fer to  these  cases  to  show  that  such  treatment  is  decidedly 
objectionable,  and  should  not  be  employed. 

The  whip  should  not  be  used  as  a  means  of  subjection 
but  of  punishment.  As  explained  under  another  head,  the 
skin  on  the  legs  and  body  of  a  horse  is  so  thick  that  when 
he  is  warmed  up,  and  his  sensibilities  blunted,  the  most 
severe  whipping  is  not  much  felt  by  him ;  so  if  the  horse 
is  one  of  much  courage,  and  has  acquired  confidence  to 
fight,  he  will  be  likely  to  resist  this  treatment. 

THE  WAE  BEIDLE— FIEST  FOEM. 

The  War  Bridle  is  naturally  the  next  in  order.  The 
first  idea  of  it  was  obtained  from  the  Comanche  Indians. 
Its  first  form  was  very  limited  and  crude,  being  simply  a 
loop  around  the  lower  jaw,  the  cord  put  around  the  neck 
and  drawn  down  through  the  loop.     With  this  cord  well 


62 


METHODS  OF  SUBJECTION 


back  upon  the  neck,  the  pulling  upon  it  gave  some  power 
upon  the  head  right  and  left.  This  is  the  form  in  which  1 
found  it.  The  various  modifications  of  its  use,  as  here  rep' 
resented,  are  the   result  of  over  twenty  years'  constant 

practice.  With  a  knowl- 
edge of  its  proper  applica- 
tion, and  a  little  practice, 
it  will  bo  found  a  very  val- 
uable means  of  control. 

For  the  simplest  form  of 
War  Bridle,  take  a  piece  of 
the  very  best  quality  of 
hemp  cord,  tie  each  end  into 
a  hard  knot,  and  make  an' 
other  knot  or  loop  about 
twenty  inches  from  one  end. 
Bring  this  end  uround  the 
horse's  neck,  and  pass  it 
through  the  loose  knot  or 
loop,  regulating  to  the  size 
of  the  neck.  Next  catch 
the  end  hanging  down,  and  pass  between  the  cord  and  neck 
forming  a  loop,  with  the  free  end  on  the  near  side.  Pass 
this  loop  through  the  mouth,  as  shown  in  Fig.  59.  This 
we  will  call  the  First  Form  of  War  Bridle. 


Fig.  58.  -  First  Form  of  War  Bridle. 


Double  Draw  Hitch  Form. 

Put  on  the  cord  as  before  explained.  Then  pass  it  over 
the  head  and  back  through  the  mouth,  thence  through  the 
loop  this  forms  on  the  near  side.  (See  Fig.  63.)  This 
more  than  doubles  the  power  of  the  previous  form,  and  is 
very  important  when  great  power  is  necessary.     If  desired, 


WAR   BRIDLE— SECOND   FORM. 


63 


Fig.  59.— First  Form  of  War  Bridle. 


this  can  be 
modified  so 
as  to  give 
still  greater 
power  by 
bringing  the 
cord  across 
under  the 
upper  lip  in- 
stead  of 
through  the 
mouth,  or  by 
making  an- 
other   loop 

over  the  head  in  the  same  manner,  and  bringing  it  under 
the  upper  lip. 

Second  Form. 

Make  a  single  loose  knot  or  loop  about  a  foot  from  a 
knot  at  the  end.  Put  the  end  knot  through  the  loose  knot 
or  loop,  and  draw  sufficiently  tight  to  prevent  its  slipping 
out.  The  loop  thus  formed  should  be  only  large  enough  Ut 
go  over  the  lower  jaw.     The  larger  the  loop  the  less  power 

_  will  be  obtained. 

Next  pass  the 
cord  from  the  off 
side  over  the 
head  where  the 
halter  rests,  and 
down  through 
this  loop  back  of 
the  jaw  till  the  slack  is  taken  up.     (See  cuts  63  and  64.) 


Fig.  go. — Smallest  size  of  cord  used — five-six- 
teenths of  an  inch  diameter. 


Fig.  61. — Largest  size  of  cord  used — three-eighths 
of  an  inch  in  diameter. 


G4, 


METHODS   OF   SUBJECTION. 


Fig.  62.— Double  Draw  Hitch. 


The  points  of. using  the  War  Bridle  are  as  follows  :  For 
the  First  Form,  which  giyes  power  sideways  and  back, 
stand  opposite  the  shoulder  and  give  a  sharp,  quick  pull  or 
jerk,  and  instantly  slack,  using  more  or  less  force  accord- 
ing to  the  amount  of 
resistance  to  be  over- 
come. Repeat  at  in- 
tervals of  five  or 
eight  seconds  until 
the  horse  will  come 
around,  then  repeat 
on  the  opposite  side. 
In  a  few  minutes  the 
horse  will  usually 
come  around  and  fol- 
low rather  than  be  hurt  by  being  pulled  upon. 

For  controling  a  horse  bad  to  harness,  shoe,  etc.,  after 
pulling  right  and  left  a  few  times,  and  while  the  cord  is 
kept  rather  taut,  the  object  can  be  brought  gently  to  the 
head  or  back  until  submitted  to.  In  all  obstinate  cases  it 
is  important  that  the  head  is  at  first  held  under  restraint 
until  successful,  giving  freedom  as  there  is  submission  to 
it.  A  few  minutes'  trial  will  almost  always  determine 
whether  it  will  give  success  or  not.  If  after  a  fair  trial 
there  is  still  resistance,  it  must  be  abandoned  for  the  gen- 
eral treatment. 

For  the  Second  Form,  which  gives  power  sideways  and 
forward,  stand  in  front,  a  little  to  one  side,  and,  as  before 
explained,  give  a  short,  sharp  jerk,  or  pull,  slowly  repeat- 
ing. Sometimes,  if  the  horse  is  sensitive  and  nervous,  two 
or  three  pulls  will  be  sufficient  to  make  him  follow  promptly, 
even  running  after  the  trainer  to  avoid  being  pulled  upon. 


WAR   BlUDLE— SECOND   FORM. 


65 


Fig.  63. — Second  Form  of 
War  Bridle. 


But  if  a  cold-blooded  fellow  that  shows  considerable  resist- 
ance, and  stands  sullenly  in  defiance  of  the  pulling,  after 
pulling  a  few  times  go  to  the 
opposite  side  and  repeat  in  the 
same  manner.  This  will  help 
to  disconcert  him,  and  weaken 
his  resistance.  Sometimes  the 
resistance  may  last  ten  minutes, 
or  even  longer,  the  horse  per- 
haps, bracing  himself  stub- 
bornly; but  even  this  should 
be  no  cause  for  discouragement. 
Simply  repeat  the  treatment 
slowly,  or  not  fast  enough  to 
get  out  of  breath,  for  when  the 
horse  does  come  it  will  be  all  at 
once  with  a  jump,  when  in  most  cases  he  will  be  found  bro- 
ken, following  and  leading  anyw^here  without  being  pulled 

upon,  in  an  av- 
erage case  the 
first  pull  will  usu- 
ally pull  the 
horse  off  his  feet, 
and  after  being- 
pulled  upon  sev- 
eral times,  he 
will  usually  fol- 
low promptly. 

This  is  an  im- 
portant point  in 

Fig.  04.— Second  Form  of  War  Bricle  as  it  should         breaking     double 

""'  "'j"^*^^-  l)alkers,— to  first 

5 


G6 


METHODS  OF  SITBJECT10^\ 


make  the  horse  come  ahead  until  ho  will  follow  without  re- 
sistance, then,  as  described  under  that  head,  the  power  of 
the  gentle  horse  is  brought  upon  him  until  he  Avill  go  ahead 
as  desired. 

Putting  this  part  over  th(!  head,  about  half  way  back 
on  the  neck,  drawing  down  tightly  and  tying  into  a  half- 
hitch,  is  a  good  way  to  keep  the  head  down  to  bridle,  etc., 
but  it  should  not  be  kept  tied  more  than  a  minute  or  two. 


Fig.  65. —  Cord  too  far  back  ou  the  neck,  with  loop  on  the 
lower  jaw  too  large.     Will  not  work. 

(See  cut  66.)  Sometimes  a  horse  bad  to  shoe  can  be  made 
to  stand  quietly  by  putting  the  small  loop  over  the  upper 
jaw  under  the  lip,  instead  of  the  lower  jaw.  Simply  pull- 
ing right  and  left  a  little,  and  holding  rather  tight  while 
shoeing,  is  all  that  will  be  necessary. 

Another  modification  is  to  put  on  the  War  Bridle  (Sec- 
ond Form)  passing  the  cord  across  the  upper  lip  and  o^^er 
the  head,  thence  through  the  loop  this  forms.  (See  cut 
68.)  This  will  sometimes  work  A-ery  well  in  controlling  a 
horse  bad  to  shoe,  harness,  etc. 


WAE  BEIDLE— SECOND   FORM. 


67 


A  word  of  caution  may  here  be  given  in  the  use  of  the 
War  Bridle.  It  is  important  in  the  management  of  obsti- 
nate cases,  to  pro- 
tect the  hands 
from  injury,  as. 
they  are  liable  to 
have  the  skin 
torn  off  or  blis- 
tered, which  in 
the  excitement 
may  not  at  the 
time  be  felt. 

Many  interest- 
ing anecdotes 
could  be  given  in 
relation  to  the 
use  of  this  cord. 
A  popular  writer, 
in  explaining  the  control  of  horses,  says  :    '^  If  a  rope  be 

fastened  in  the  mouth  of  a 
horse,  and  another  around  the 
neck,  he  becomes  helpless, 
and  feels  his  helplessness,  and 
follows  his  master  round  and 
round  like  a  child.  I  saw 
this  done."  This  is  about  as 
near  as  most  writers  can  de- 
scribe what  they  have  no 
practical  knowledge  of.     No 


Fig.  66.— Metbod  of  tying  down  to  make  horse  submit 
to  be  harnessed,  have  his  head  handled,  etc. 


Fig.  67.— Manner  of  tying. 


ftving  man  could  get  any  idea  of  the  use  of  the  War  Bridle 
from  this  description. 

Several  years  ago  a  young  man  introduced  himself  to 


68 


METHODS  OF  SUBJECTION. 


the  writer,  and  stated  that  he  eoiihl  break  any  horse  of 
kicking  in  ten  minutes,  no  matter  how  bad  he  might  be. 
r  tokl  him  I  Avoidd  give  him  one  hundred  dollars  for  knowl- 
edge that  would  enable  me  to  control  a  kicking  horse  with 
certainty  m  that  time  better  than  I  was  then  able  to  do. 
Assured  of  this,  he  came  up  as  if  to  give  me  a  profound 
secret,  and  said,  "  You  take  a  piece  of  rope  and  put  it  in 
the  horse's  mouth  and  over  his  neck,  then  yank  him  with 


Fig.  68.-  Modification  of  Second  Form. 

it,  and  in  ten  minutes  you  can't  make  him  kick."  I  had 
been  through  that  country  years  before  teaching  classes, 
and  the  young  man  had  got  a  crude  idea  of  the  War  Bridle 
through  some  of  my  scholars.  His  success  in  controlling 
some  ordinary  cases  with  it,  gave  him  confidence  to  believe 
that  he  could  break  any  horse. 

A  gentleman  who  once  attended  my  class,  upon  meeting 
me  years  afterward,  said  he  did  not  practice  anything  but 
that  cord  arrangement.  He  said  that  once  while  visiting 
some  friends,  and  telling  them  what  he  had  learned  to  do, 


WAE  BEIDLE— SECOND  FOEM.  69 

after  some  bantering  and  making  a  wager  with  one  or  two 
of  them,  he  trained  a  young  horse  in  a  few  minutes  with 
the  cord  so  that  he  would  follow  him  anywhere,  even  into 
the  house.  He  said  he  told  them  he  would  take  the  horse 
to  the  top  of  the  house,  if  they  wished.  His  friends  were 
much  surprised,  and  satisfied  at  the  result  of  the  experi- 
ment. Said  he,  "  They  actually  thought  I  could  make  the 
horse  follow  me  up  the  ladder  if  I  wished." 

The  simplicity  of  this  form  of  control  makes  it  difficult 
to  realize  its  value ;  neither  is  it  too  much  to  say  that  it 
requires  a  great  deal  of  practice  to  use  it  with  decided  ad- 
vantage. If  limited  to  the  various  forms  of  the  War  and 
Patent  Bridles,  one  could  drive  and  control  more  than  half 
of  the  average  of  vicious  horses  in  the  country.  When 
properly  used,  the  ease  and  quickness  with  which  a  colt  or 
horse  can  be  made  to  follow  is  surprising,  particularly  by 
the  First  Form.  This  form  is  especially  adapted  to  con- 
trolling by  the  head  and  teaching  to  follow,  such  as  head- 
strong stallions,  and  lunging,  headstrong  horses  that  have 
learned  to  pull  away.  Also  for  controlling  horses  bad  to 
shoe  or  bridle,  and  such  as  will  not  stand  to  be  harnessed 
or  cruppered,  or  refuse  to  have  the  collar  put  on.  It  may 
be  used  for  ordinary  cases  afraid  of  the  buffalo-robe,  etc. 
It  will  also  break  a  cow  that  kicks  while  milking.  The  Sec- 
ond Form  is  just  the  thing  for  the  management  of  balkers, 
as  explained  under  that  head. 

I  used  this  bridle  ten  years  before  knowing  how  to 
bring  out  anything  like  its  full  resources.  Indeed,  it  was 
only  after  thirteen  years  that  I  learned  the  Double  Draw 
Hitch  Form — a  modification  alone  that  more  than  doubles 
its  power.  In  fact,  we  were  constantly  developing  more 
and  more,  to  the  very  last  of  my  practice,  the  great  value  of 
this  simple  means  of  control. 


70  METHODS   OF   SUBJECTION. 

"W,"  OR  Breaking  Bit. 

The  Breaking  Bit  is  one  of  the  most  simple  and  effectr 
ive  means  of  making  a  hard,  unmanageable  mouth  flexible 
to  the  restraint  of  the  bit  that  I  know  of.  It  has  been  the 
growth  of  many  years'  practice,  and  as  will  be  noticed  in 
other  parts  of  this  w^ork,  some  of  my  greatest  feats  in  the 
control  of  headstrong,  runaway  horses  were  accomplished 
by  means  of  it.  It  is  not  a  bit  for  driving,  though  it  may 
in  some  cases  be  used  as  such.  The  secret  of  its  success 
is  not  so  much  in  the  bit  as  in  the  manner  of  using  it,  which 


Fig.  69. — W,  or  Breaking  Bit.     Half  size. 

in  principle  is  practically  the  same  as  that  given  for  the 
War  Bridle.  As  explained  in  the  use  of  the  cord,  there 
may  be  at  first  the  most  determined  resistance  to  it;  but 
by  repetition  of  the  treatment  the  horse  will  in  a  short 
time  not  only  cease  resisting,  but  will  follow  anywhere. 
The  impression  made  in  this  way  is  never  forgotten,  and 
the  horse  will  afterward  lead  by  the  merest  restraint  of  the 
halter. 

In  the  same  manner  when  there  is  at  first  an  effort  with 
this  bit  to  control  or  force  the  submission  of  a  headstrong 
horse,  there  may  be  at  first  the  most  desperate  resistance 
to  it ;  but  by  repetition  of  the  treatment  there  will  in  a 
short  time  be  such  complete  submission  to  it  that  the  horse 
can  be  held  or  controlled  afterward,  even  under  the  great- 


"W,"   OE  BEEAKING   BIT.  71 

est  excitement,  by  the  lightest  restraint  of  an  ordinary  bit. 
This  principle  of  training  is  also  illustrated    in    "  Halter- 
Pulling,"  and  in  foct  in  every  step  of  subjective  treatment. 
The  length  of  the  bit  should  be  regulated  to  the  size  of 
the  mouth,  so  that  when  pulled  upon,  the  bars  will  come  at 
right  angles  with  the  jaw  on  each  side.     The  average  length 
is  eight  and  three-fourths  inches  from  center  to  center  of 
ring-holes  when  put  together.     This  makes  the  length  of 
small  bars  three  and  three-eighths  inches,  and  long   bars 
five  and  five-eighths  inches  from  center  to  center  of  holes. 
It  may  be  made  much  shorter,  but  it  would  i)roportionately 
lessen  the  lever  power  of  the  bars  upon  the  jaw,  which  is 
the  key  of  its  success.     It  should  be  made  of  round  cast- 
steel  rod  about  five-sixteenths    of  an   inch    in    diameter. 
(A  good  illustration  is  given  on  a  scale  of  one-half  size.) 
Between  the  bars  at  the  ends,  there  should  be  a  small,  thin 
washer.     It  must  be  finished  smooth,  with  no  rough  cor- 
ners or  surfaces  anywhere.     Sometimes  a  round,  stiff,  piece 
of  leather  may  be  put  inside  the  rings,  but  this  is  not  nec- 
essary. 

A  great  variety  of  bits  are  made  on  this  principle,  but 
their  construction  is  so  faulty  they  do  not  work  well. 
They  are  mainly  defective  in  being  too  short  and  rough. 
This  bit  will  not  bruise  or  cut  the  mouth.  Some  of  the 
points  which  it  took  me  a  good  many  years  to  learn,  were, 
that  there  was  no  practical  advantage  in  making  the  bars 
twisted  and  rough  for  the  purpose  of  hurting  more ;  that 
the  lever  power  was  the  point  of  its  success,  and  that  it 
would  work  just  as  well  when  the  bars  were  smooth  as 
when  twisted  and  roughened. 

The  point  of  its  use  is,  when  put  in  the  mouth  the  reins 
are  to  be  brought  back  through  the  shaft  lugs  so  as  to  bring 


72  METHODS   OF  SUEJECTION. 

a  straight,  even  pull  upon  the  mouth  backward,  and  prevent 
the  horse  from  turning  around.  While  he  is  standing  or 
moving,  according  to  circumstances,  after  giving  the  com- 
mand to  back  or  whoa,  give  a  sharp,  raking  jerk  upon  the 
reins,  and  repeat  at  short  intervals.  In  all  ordinary  cases 
the  submission  will  be  quick  and  easy ;  but  in  plucky,  bad 
cases,  the  resistance  may  be  very  determined.  In  fact,  in 
many  cases  the  resistance  may  be  so  great  that  it  may  seem 
impossible  to  make  the  horse  yield ;  but  this  should  not 
discourage.     Perseverance  will  in  all  cases  bring  success. 

If  the  horse  warms  up  much,  and  becomes  sullenly  in- 
different to  the  pressure  of  the  bit  upon  the  mouth,  by  re- 
peating the  lesson  it  is  rarely  he  will  not  be  found  to  sub- 
mit in  a  few  minutes.  At  unv  rate  the  lesson  must  be  so 
thorough  that  there  will  be  unconditional  submission.  In 
all  my  experience  I  never  found  more  than  half  a  dozen 
cases  that  did  not  submit  to  one  or  two  lessons.  The  point 
is  to  persevere,  repeating,  if  necessary,  until  there  is  suc- 
cess. 

More  extended  details  in  the  application  of  this  bit  will 
be  found  in  chapters  on  "  Colt  Training,"  and  "  Running 
Away."  As  training  the  mouth  by  this  bit  is  not  always 
desirable  on  account  of  the  work  of  doing  it,  and  the  lack 
of  skill  and  practice  in  using  it,  I  include  other  forms  of 
bits  which  will  enable  the  control  of  horses  more  directly 
and  with  great  success:  1.  The  Four-ring  Bit;  2.  The 
Half  Moon  Bit;  3.  The  Spoon  Bit;  and  4.  The  Patent 
Bridle. 

Four-ring,  or  Upper  Jaw  Bit. 

In  controlling  a  horse  by  the  head,  we  find  that  one  of 
the  most  sensitive  parts  of  the  mouth  is  the  roof  of  the  up- 


FOUE-EING,   OR  UPPEE   JAW   BIT. 


73 


per  jaw.  If  we  take  a  common  snaffle  bit  and  slide  two 
rings  over  the  mouth-pieces,  and  connect  them  by  a  strap 
passing  loosely  ove..  the  nose,  when  the  reins,  which  are 
attached  to  the  outside  rings,  are  pulled  upon,  the  center  of 
the    bit   is  forced  upward  against  the  roof  of  the  mouth. 


Fig.  70. — Improved  Four-ring  Bit, 

This  produces  such  acute  pain  that  but  few  horses  can  pull 
against  it  for  any  length  of  time. 

This  bit  has  been  in  very  general  use  for  a  number  of 
years,  but  I  do  not  know  when  or  by  whom  it  was  in- 
vented. Frank  Leslie,  of  Leslies  Weekl?/,  who  witnessed 
some  of  my  experiments  in  New  York  City,  told  me  that 


Fig.  71. —  Improved  Four-ring  Bit.     Patent  applied  for. 

while  in  Europe  he  saw  an  illustration  of  such  a  bit  in  an 
old  Grecian  work.  While  the  bit  works  fairly  Avell  when 
not  pulled  upon  very  hard,  its  power  would  be  almost 
wholly  lost  by  the  rings  sliding  to  the  ends  of  the  bars  if 
the  resistance  against  it  were  at  all  severe.  To  prevent 
this  I  devised  an  obstruction  to  the  rings  at  a  certain  point, 
beyond  which  they  cannot  slide.  (See  cuts  70,  71,)  By 
this  improvement  the  bit  will  rest  easily  and  naturally  in 


74  METHODS   OF  SUBJECTION. 

the  mouth,  yet  be  held  firmly  in  place  in  spite  of  any  de- 
gree of  pulling  upon  it. 

This  bit  will  work  well  upon  hard  pullers  and  side 
reiners,  especially  those  that,  as  they  warm  up,  have  more 
inclination  to  lug  or  pull.  A  horse  that  will  pull  so  hard 
upon  a  common  bit  as  to  draw  the  wagon  by  the  reins,  will, 
in  most  cases,  by  the  use  of  this  bit  submit  to  an  easy  rein. 


Fig.  72. — Four-riug  Bit  as  arranged  for  use. 

It  is  also  one  of  the  simplest  and  safest  means  to  make  a 
horse  stand  to  be  shod.  For  this  purpose,  when  the  bit  is 
in  the  mouth,  take  a  common  War  Bridle  cord,  tie  one  end 
into  the  near  ring,  and  pass  through  the  opposite  ring  till 
taut,  and  tie.  Then  bring  the  cord  around  the  horse's  neck 
as  for  Second  Form  of  War  Bridle,  with  the  cord  well 
back  upon  the  neck,  and  passed  down  back  of  the  jaw. 
This  will  be  found  of  special  A^alue  to  horse-shoers,  because, 
with  rare  exceptions,  it  compels  most  horses  bad  to  shoe  to 
stand  gently  while  being  shod.  See  chapter  on  "  Bad  to 
Shoe." 


HALF  MOON   BIT. 


75 


It  will  greatly  increase  the  efi'ectiveiiess  of  the  Half 
Moon  Bit  to  keep  the  head  elevated.  Indeed,  this  alone 
will  enable  driving  many  headstrong  horses  easily.  The 
simplest  and  best  form  of  check  for  this  is  arranged  about 
as  follows  :  Put  on  a  small  steel  bit  partly  bent,  and  pass 
a  closely-fitting  strap  from  each  ring  across  the  nose.  To 
keep  it  in  place,  another  small  strap  should  extend  from 
the  center  of  it  to  the  head-piece.  The  gag-runners  should 
be  attached  to  the  bridle  well  up  on  the  head-piece  on  a 
line  with  the  enrs.  The  check-rein  should  be  attached  to 
this  bit,  and  drawn  short  enough  to  throw  the  head  well  u\k 


Fig,  73.— Half  Moon  Bit 


The  next  point  is  to  so  conform  the  driving  bit  that  it 
cannot  be  resisted.  This  is  accomplished  by  making  the 
part  of  the  mouth-piece  coming  .igainst  the  jaw  so  thin  that 
more  than  an  ordinary  pull  upon  it  will  liurt  so  severely 
that  there  will  be  no  inclination  to  pull  against  it ;  next, 
that  it  be  made  so  circular  in  form  that  it  Avill  give  suffi- 
cient lateral  restraint  to  prevent  pulling  ov  lunging  side- 
ways. The  length  should  be  from  four  and  seven-eighths 
to  five  inches  from  center  to  center  of  lioles,  the  bend  about 
one  inch  forward  from  a  line  di-aAvn  across  the  center  of 
the  holes,  with  the  edge  fded  down  to  about  the  thickness 
of  the  back  of  an  ordinary  knife-blade,  and  rounding  to 
prevent  cutting.  This  will  make  the  surface  bearing  against 
the  mouth  so  narrow  the  most  plucky  horse  can  scarcely 


76 


METHODS  OF  SUHJECTION. 


pull  against  it.     This  bit  will  be  found  very  effective  for 
the  management  of  spirited,  pulling,  and  lunging  horses. 

Spoon  Bit. 

The  Spoon  Bit  simply  causes  sensibility  in  the  mouth 
in  another  way,  namely,  by  the  pressure  of  the  spurs  or 
flanges  against  the  outside  of  the  jaw  to  the  degree  the  bit 
is  pulled  upon.     It  will  be  found  in  many  cases  to  work 


Fig.  74.— Spoon  Bit. 

very  nicely,  though  it  is  not  a  bit  that  gives  much  power. 
It  is  more  like  the  Four-ring  Bit  in  compelling  an  easy  sub- 
mission of  the  mouth  to  the  guidance  and  restraint  of  the 
reins.  The  illustration  will  sufficierJl-'  explain  its  con- 
struction. 

Patent  Bridle. 

The  Patent  Bridle  is  especially  adapted  for  the  control 
of  extremely  headstrong,  lunging  horses.  It  requires  con- 
sideral)lc  i)ractice  as  well  as  much  hard  work  to  train  a 
horse  successfully  by  the  Breaking  Bit ;  also  to  make  a 
bad  puller,  or  horse  having  a  hard  mouth,  so  sensitive  as 
to  submit  to  the  control  of  an  ordinary  bit.  And  on  ac- 
count of  the  other  bits  given  being  frequently  inadequate 


PATENT   BEIDLE. 


77 


for  these  cases  to  make  their  management  simple  and  easy, 

I  have  invented  this  means  of  control. 

This  is  an  ordinary  bit  with  a  jjulley  in  each  ring.     A 

small,  oval  strap  passes 

under  the  head-piece  of 

the  bridle,  at  each  end 

of  which    is    a  pulley 

corresponding  to  those 

attached  to  the  bit.   Tie 

or  buckle  the  ends  of 

the  reins  into  the  rings 

of  the    bit,  pass  them 

up  through  the  pulleys 

on  the  ends  of  the  round 

straps,  thence    back 

through  the  pulleys   in 

the  bit  rings.     On  the 

ends  of  these  round  pul- 
ley reins,  is  stitched  a 

small,  strong  ring.     Another  round,   extra  bit   of  strong, 

flexible  material  (used  only  for  very   severe   cases)    is  at- 
tached to  the  main  bit.     (See  cuts  75,  TO.)      This  bridle 

gives  great  pulley  power  up 
and  backward,  against  the 
most  sensitive  part  of  the 
mouth,  under  the  upper  lip, 
making  it  almost  impossible 
to  resist  an  ordinary  pull 
upon  the  reins.  In  addition, 
the    fulcrum    of    whatever 

power  is  used  being  brought,  by  the  rounded  strap  before 

referred  to,  directly  upon  the  spinal  cord  (as  explained  in 


Fig.  75.— Outliuc  of  Patent  Bridle. 


Fig.  76. 


78 


METHOI>S   OF   SUBJECTION. 


Third  Method),  makes  it  a  direct  and  powerful  means  of 
subjection ;  so  that  if  there  is  courage  to  pull  for  any  length 
of  time,  the  horse  finds  himself  so  overmatched  that  he  will 
soon  cease  the  resistance,  and  drive  with  an  easy  or  slack 
rein,  when  the  extra  bit,  if  used,  can  be  removed.  A  rub- 
ber connecting  the  ends  of  the  bit  to  the  rings  on  the  pul- 
ley reins  makes  the  action  of  the  bit  upon  the  mouth  the 


Fig.  77. — The  Patent  Bridle  for  headstrong,  luughij^-,  runuway 
horses.     Patented  Oct.  30,  1880. 

same  as  any  ordinary  bit.  But  if  at  any  time  lliere  should 
be  much  resistance,  the  rubbers  stretch  sufficiently  to  give 
play  to  the  reins  upon  the  pulleys,  which  will  compel  sub- 
mission,— a  Aciy  important  point  in  the  management  of 
plucky,  treacherous  horses. 

In  breaking  a  horse  to  lead,  simply  reverse  the  reins 
through  the  puUcys  so  as  to  pull  ahead.  By  catching  both 
reins  and  pulling  sideways  and  ahead,  it  will  give  such  pur- 


FOOT   STEAP. 


79 


chase  that  the  horse  can  be  lifted  right  or  left,  or  ahead, 
with  as  much  or  more  power  than  by  the  War  Bridle. 

For  halter-pulling  pass  the  reins  or  cord  attached  to  the 
rings  through  the  ring  or  hole  in  the  manger,  and  form  the 
end  into  a  noose  around  the  body  of  the  horse  back  of  the 
shoulders.  The  instant  lie  begins  to  pull,  the  punishment 
becomes  so  severe  uj^on  his  head  that  he  will  soon  be  afraid 
to  pull.  This  is  the  only  practicable  means  for  breaking 
bridle-pullers.  It  is  equally  eftective  for  breaking  double 
balkers.  For  such,  the  cord  is  tied  to  the  end  of  the  pole 
(as  explained  under  the  head  of  "Balking"),  when,  if  he 
does  not  go,  the  gentle  horse  jerks  him  out  of  his  tracks. 

Foot  Strap. 

The  Foot  Strap,  properly  considered,  is  but  a  palliative 
means  of  control.     It  is,  how^ever,  so  simple  and  practical 

that  I  will  give  it  a  place 
here.  It  is  merely  to  be  used 
in  an  emergency  as  an  aux- 
iliary to  the  other  methods. 
Tying  up  one  foot  (referred  to 
in  "  Subjection")  greatly  dis- 
ables a  horse  from  resisting. 
During  my  early  experi- 
menting I  frequently  resorted 
to  this  means  in  the  manage- 
ment of  colts.  Once  having  a,  horse  I  could  not  safely  con- 
trol while  driving,  it  occurred  to  me  to  attach  a  strap  to 
the  foot  and  carry  it  back  to  the  wagon,  by  w-hich  means 
I  could  at  any  moment,  while  driving,  hold  the  foot  help- 
less. Upon  trial  the  effect  upon  the  horse  was  beyond  my 
expectation.     The  sudden  pulling  of  the  foot  from  under 


Fig.  78.— Foot  Strap. 


80  METHODS  OF  SUBJECTIOIT. 

him  had  a  much  more  powerful  effect  in  disconcerting  and 
discouraging  the  resistance  than  coukl  possibly  be  done  by 
tying  up  the  foot.  A  horse  can  travel  but  a  short  distance 
upon  three  legs,  and  if  a  bad  kicker,  he  is  liable  to  balance 
on  the  opposite  leg  and  kick  as  bad  as  before ;  whereas, 
suddenly  holding  the  foot  helpless  not  only  prevents  this, 
but  freedom  can  be  given  him  to  move  again  when  desired. 
When  there  is  danger  of  an  unbroken  colt's  resisting 
control  and  running  away,  a  strap  may  bo  attached  to  both 
fore  feet,  which  will  of  course  give  power  to  entirely  dis- 
able him.  Buckle  a  soft  strap  around  the  foot,  to  which 
attach  a  cord  or  driving-rein,  and  carry  back  under  the 
belly-band  to  the  wagon.  The  belly-band  should  be  strong, 
and  not  buckled  very  tightly,  so  as  to  allow  entire  freedom 
for  the  cord  or  strap  to  play.  With  the  aid  of  this  alone, 
when  properly  used,  almost  any  colt  can  be  easily  broken 
to  harness  without  difficulty.     (See  cut  78.) 

Breaking  Big. 

When  a  colt  or  horse  is  dangerous  or  reckless  in  his  re- 
sistance, it  is  very  convenient  to  control  him  by  means  that 
will  require  but  Little  if  any  practical  skill,  and  for  this  pur- 
pose T  have  in\'ented  the  Breaking  Big,  which  will  be  found 
a  valuable  acr^uisition  to  the  other  methods  here  given. 

To  break  a  kicking,  runaway  horse  or  colt,  all  that  is 
necessary  is  to  carefully  harness  him  in  the  rig  so  that  he 
will  not  break  loose,  and  let  him  go  as  he  pleases.  The 
more  ho  struggles  to  free  himself,  or  tries  to  kick  and  run, 
the  quicker  he  will  be  broken,  while  the  trainer  can  sit 
quietly  behind,  touching  and  poling  the  horse  where  sensi- 
tive, until  he  is  entirely  gentle  and  submissive.  The  rig 
should  be  constructed  as  follows  :  First  set  nn  upright  post 


BEEAKING  lilCi.  g^ 

firmly  in  the  ground.  Next  have  two  shaft  arms  about 
twenty  feet  in  length  so  fitted  that  one  end  of  each  will 
turn  upon  the  post.  At  the  outer  end  of  both  of  these 
shaft  arms  should  be  fitted  a  spindle  and  a  wheel  from  a 
lumber  or  farm  wagon.  Separate  the  ends  of  the  arms  at 
a  distance  of  eleven  or  twelve  feet,  or  so  that  the  horse  can 
travel  between  them  without  touching  either.     Next  place 


Fig.  79— Simple  Form  of  Breaking  Rig.     Patented  July  G.TsSO. 

two  bars  across  from  one  shaft  arm  to  the  other,  tlie  inner 
one  about  three  feet  and  eight  inches  from  the  hub  of  the 
wheel,  the  outer  one  about  two  feet  from  the  inside  one 
at  the  horse's  shoulders,  and  three  feet  at  the  quarters,  so 
that  an  average-sized  horse  can  travel  easily  between  them. 
Have  Jioles  or  mortises  made  through  the  shaft  arms,  and 
the  ends  of  the  bars  fitted  to  them.  The  inner  one  should 
be  fastened  permanently,  but  the  outer  one  so  fitted  that 
it  can  be  taken  out  and  reversed  to  allow  driving  the  othei- 
way.  It  would  be  well  to  have  tlie  holes  or  mortises  du- 
plicated so  that  ihe  bars  cnii  bo  ndjustcd  in  fit  the  size  of 
the  horse, 

6 


82 


METHODS   OF   SUBJECTION. 


(Jj 


•-5 


S 
O) 

OS 

Ph 


a 

■•i 


o 

CO 


ADAPTATION   TO   WANTS.  83 

If  the  wheels  are  not  high  enough  to  support  the  frame 
arms,  put  an  extra  piece  of  scantling  on  the  upper  side, 
and  make  the  mortises  or  holes  high  enough  to  bring  the 
bars  where  the  shafts  would  come  in  driving.  The  simplest 
way  of  fastening  the  horse  in  the  rig  is,  after  he  is  har- 
nessed in  place,  to  pass  a  strap  under  the  body  from  one  bar 
to  the  other,  another  over  the  body  and  shoulders,  and  a 
third  over  the  hips. 

No  matter  how  vicious-  or  headstrong  a  runaway  horse 
may  be,  the  faster  and  more  determinedly  he  runs  in  this 
rig,  the  sooner  he  will  from  necessity  become  gentle.  lie 
has  not  the  liberty  to  rear  up,  throw  himself,  or  kick.  If 
he  undertakes  to  run,  he  is  carried  in  a  circle  so  rapidly 
that  he  becomes  comi)letely  drunk  and  dizzy,  and  would 
fall  helpless  if  not  confined  and  supported.  If  sensitive 
about  having  the  head,  neck,  or  hind  parts  touched,  he  can 
now  be  handled  until  he  is  entirely  submissive  to  it.  If 
he  is  afraid  of  an  umbrella  or  robe,  they  can  now  be  brought 
around  him  until  he  is  submissive.  If  he  is  afraid  of  a  car- 
riage-top, open  and  shut  an  umbrella  before  his  face,  over, 
and  behind  him,  until  he  is  fearless  of  it.  If  afraid  of  hav- 
ing the  rein  caught  under  the  tail,  and  inclined  to  run  un- 
der such  circumstances,  he  can  now,  with  entire  ease  and 
safety,  be  made  to  submit  to  it. 


Adaptation  to  Wants. 

It  is  evident  to  almost  any  one  that  all  horses  are  not 
alike,  and  that  they  cannot  all  l)e  managed  in  the  same 
way ;  that  there  are  great  differences  in  strength,  intelli- 
gence, and  disposition.  Yet  the  majority  of  people  seem 
to  entirely  overlook  these  conditions  in  applying  treatment, 


84 


METHODS    OF    STT]',.TF/'TI0N. 


ADAPTATION   TO   WANTS. 


85 


or  in  putting  them  to  such  work  ;is  \ho.y  arc   by  Die  pecul- 
iarity of  their  nature  best  adapted. 

In  the  first  place,  we  see  there  is  a  singular  adaptation 
in  all  the  domestic  animals  to  the  locations  and  sections  of 
country  in  which  we  find  them,  and  to  the  wants  of  the 
people  in  those  parts.  In  the  extreme  North,  where  no 
other  domestic  animal  could  live,  we  find  a  dog  of  peculiar 


Fig.  82.— The  stallion,  Godolphin  Arabian. 

iiature,  adapted  to  the  wants  of  the  Esquimaux  as  a  beast 
of  burden,  fisherman,  hunter,  &c.,  and  able  to  subsist  on 
the  scantiest  fare  of  fish.  A  little  farther  south,  the  Lap- 
landers have  the  reindeer,  which  not  only  thrives  on  the 
moss  peculiar  to  that  region,  but  supplies  the  people  with 
subsistence  in  the  way  of  milk,  butter,  and  cheese.  He 
travels  with  rapidity  long  distances,  drawing  a  sledge  over 
the  frozen  ground,  easily  guided  and  controlled  by  the  Lap- 
lander as  he  sits  behind.  His  skin  makes  the  best  of  cloth- 
ing, while  the  flesh  is  indispensable  for  food. 


80 


METHODS  OF  SrB.IF.rTION. 


The  Peruviiius  have  the  Ihiinn.  or  alpaca,  which,  accus- 
tomed to  climbing  the  mountain.s,  carries  heavy  burdens 
over  the  Andes,  and  furnishes  the  people  with  milk  for 
their  children  ;ind  wool  for  their  clothing,  as  well  as  flesh 
for  food.  The  ])eoi)le  of  the  desert  have  the  camel,  or  drom- 
edarv,  for  crossing  the  arid,  sandy  plains.     Not  only  will 


Fig.  83. — A  good  model  of  Draught  Horse. 

he  carry  a  heavy  burden  patiently,  but  carries  Avithin  his 
body  a  supply  of  water  to  last  him  a  week. 

Now  we  see  the  same  principle  of  adaptation  to  the  va- 
rious wants  of  man  shown  to  a  wonderful  degree  in  the 
horse,  by  the  great  modifications  in  size,  strength,  and  en- 
durance. For  drawing  heavy  loads  we  have  the  coarse- 
grained, heavy,  square-shouldered,  patient  cart-horse.  For 
quick,  active  exertion,  the  thoroughbred,  or  lithe,  active 
race-horse,  with  oblique  shoulders,  deep  chest,  dense  text- 


ADAPTATION  TO  WANTS. 


87 


ure  of  body,  having  the  conformation  of  the    greyhound, 
and  capable  of  running  with  the  swiftness  of  the  wind. 

Some  are  docile,.intelligent,  and  quick  to  learn ;  others 
are  dull,  wild,  or  A^icious,  and  more  difficult  to  manage,  often 
reminding  of  the  characteristics  of  other  animals.  For  ex- 
ample, a  horse  having  small,  round  eyes,  set  well  back  on 


*FiG.  Si. —A  fiue  model  of  the  Frcncli  Norman  Horse. 


the  sides  of  the  head,  hea^y  eyelids,  long  from  eyes  to  ears, 
narrow  forehead,  rounding  nose,  and  small  nostrils,  will  be 
found  naturally  obstinate,  treacherous,  and  stupid,  remind- 


ing of  the  hog  or  mule  nature. 


Though  sullen  and  deter- 


♦Drawing  from  life  of  the  Norman  Stallion,  "  Vermouht,"  owned  by  E.  Dillon 
&  Co.,  Bloomington,  111.,  well  known  importers  of  Norman  Stallions. 


88 


METHODS   OF  SUBJECTION. 


mined  in  his  resistance  at  first,  and  reijuiring  considerable 
time,  he  is  not  difficult  to  manage.  On  the  contrary,  if  the 
eye  be  large,  clear  or  dark  in  color,  showing  much  white, 
and  set  well  out  on  the  head,  long  from  eyes  to  ears,  ears 
rather  long  and  heavy,  and  set  well  apart,  forehead  mid- 
dling broad,  and  medium-sized  nostrils,  the  character  when 
excited  will  be  vicious,  and  he  will  be  liable  to  snort,  strike, 
and  kick,  reminding  of  the  cat,  or  feline  nature.     In  this 


'  <///////' 


>\%^ 


Fig.  85.— The  Shetland  Pony. 


class  are  to  be  found  the  greatest  average  of  vicious  horses. 

If  a  horse  has  large,  brown  eyes,  set  well  out  on  the 
head,  eyelids  thin,  short  from  eyes  to  ears,  ears  pointed 
and  active,  forehead  broad,  and  nostrils  large,  he  will  be 
naturally  docile  and  intelligent.  If  made  vicious,  no  mat- 
ter how  bad,  he  will  submit  readily  to  treatment. 

Again,  if  the  horse  is  one  of  fine  bones,  thin  skin,  small 
chest,  medium-sized  stomach  and  bowels,  not  inclined  to 
put  on  flesh,  there  will  be  great  sensibility  and  action,  but 
not  corresponding  endurance.'  Any  resistance  usually  re- 
sults from  excitement  and  fear,  requiring  but  little  more 


ADAPTATION   TO  WANTS.  89 

than  careful,  good  iiiauagomeiit.  But  if  on  the  other  hand 
we  find  the  horse  to  be  heavy  boned,  with  dense  texture 
of  body,  deep  chest  and  good  digestion,  there  will  be  greater 
power  of  resistance,  and  more  prolonged  endurance.  The 
greatest  average  of  the  most  vicious  horses  I  have  ever 
handled  were  dull  iron-grey,  sorrel,  or  black,  and  occasion- 
ally a  bay  is  equally  bad. 

In  determining  character  we  cannot  form  correct  judg- 
ment by  studying  parts  only ;  it  must  be  determined  chiefly 
by  the  correspondence  of  the  different  parts  of  the  whole 
body.  For  example,  a  horse  with  long  ears,  and  small, 
round  eyes,  may  kick  and  run,  but  this  is  no  certain  indi- 
cation that  every  horse  with  long  ears  and  small  eyes  is  a 
kicking  runaway.  The  whole  body  must  be  taken  into 
consideration,  though  frequently  a  very  reliable  opinion 
can  be  formed  by  a  close  observation  of  the  head,  and  es- 
pecially by  the  expression  of  the  eye.  The  "Hillman" 
horse  referred  to  was  in  every  respect  a  model  in  appear- 
ance except  the  eyes,  which  were  snake-like,  and  the  form 
of  the  head  between  the  ears,  which  was  very  low.  He 
would  look  at  a  man  pleasantly,  and  the  very  next  minute 
spring  at  him  with  the  quickness  of  a  cat. 

Long-continued  practice  in  the  treatment  of  all  kinds 
of  horses  enabled  me  finally  to  determine  with  great  accu- 
racy the  exact  type  of  character  from  the  color,  kind  of 
eyes,  ears,  etc.,  as  there  is  always  an  intimate  relation  be- 
tween the  peculiarity  of  disposition  and  the  physical  struct- 
ure. Indeed,  this  was  necessary  to  my  success,  for  unless 
I  was  able  to  determine  clearly  the  character  of  the  horse 
when  brought  forward  for  treatment,  and  know  just  how 
he  would  be  liable  to  act  under  excitement,  I  would  often 
be  subjected  to  great  embarrassment  by  having  notoriously 


}>0  METHODS  OF  SUBJECTION. 

bad  horses  sprung  upon  me  without  warning.  In  fact,  it 
was  on  account  of  being  caught  in  this  way  a  great  many 
times  that  I  was  compelled  to  become  observant,  and  when 
able  to  point  out  what  a  horse  would  do,  and  the  treatment 
necessary  for  his  subjection,  and  then  prove  it,  it  became 
a  great  point  in  my  favor. 

To  give  some  idea  of  these  peculiarities,  I  include  a 
great  variety  of  heads.  But  it  will  be  understood  that  it 
is  impossible,  with  the  greatest  nicety  of  artistic  skill,  to 
illustrate  the  changing  expression  of  even  the  eye.  In  the 
human  eye,  anger,  fear,  or  affection  is  clearly  marked. 
Now  the  horse  shows  the  same  peculiarity  of  changing  ex- 
pression in  his  eye,  and  will  require  the  same  amount  oi 
study  to  determine  his  intentions. 

The  methods  given  in  this  chapter  are  proved  to  be  the 
most  powerful,  comprehensive,  and  humane  for  the  subjec- 
tion of  horses  that  have  ever  yet  been  discovered.  They 
give  power  to  control  the  whole  or  any  part  of  the  body, 
so  that  with  reasonable  care  it  becomes  a  very  easy  and 
simple  matter  to  perform  astonishing  feats  of  mastery  over 
the  most  vicious  horses.  When  his  intelligence  and  better 
nature  cannot  be  reached  by  kindness,  force  becomes  nec- 
essary until  a  foundation  is  laid  which  will  allow  an  appeal 
to  the  better  nature  by  kindness.  Under  treatment  by 
these  methods  the  horse  is  taken  at  such  a  disadvantage  at 
every  point  that  there  is  but  one  alternative, — submission. 
It  is  science  against  strength, — man  using  his  ingenuity  to 
neutralize  and  master  brute  force. 

Now  it  is  seen  that  the  most  valuable  machine  may  be 
rendered  useless  by  bad  management ;  that  its  usefulness 
and  value  depend  upon  the  skill  with  which  it  is  managed. 
So  the  advantages  of  these  methods  depend  upon  the  man- 
ner in  which  they  are  applied.  A  more  detailed  explana- 
tion of  these  methods,  with  a  history  of  the  methods  here- 
tofore practiced,  etc.,  will  be  found  in  the  chapter  on  "  Sub- 
jection," which  should  be  read  in  connection  with  this. 


CHAPTER   II. 


COLT  TRAINING. 


The  successful  teacher  aims  first  to  gain  the  confidence 
of  his  scholars,  so  that  he  can  address  their  understanding 
clearly.     But  were  he  to  transform  himself  into  a  danger- 


FiG.  86. — Simple  way  of  haltering  a  dangerous  colt. 

ous  monster,  whipping  them  while  talking  in  an  unknown 
language,  indicating  by  his  actions  that  he  would  kill  or  in- 
jure them,  they  would  become  so  frightened  and  excited 

(91) 


92 


COLT   TEAINING. 


tliat  their  first  impulse  would  be,  resistance,  or  ,a  desperate 
struggle  to  get  away. 

Now  this  is  the  impression  made  upon  the  wild,  un- 
broken colt  when  hurt,  frightened,  or  excited,  in  the  effort 
to  train  and  control  him,  and  Avhich  in  a  proportionate  de- 
gree must  increase  the  difficulty  of  his  successful  manage- 
ment.-   It  is  important,  on  this  account,  that  every  step  in 


Fig.  87.— Testing  a  doubtful  colt  before  subjecting  to  treatment. 

the  management  of  these  cases  be  of  a  character  to  prevent 
and  overcome  fear,  when  the  instruction  and  training  can 
be  carried  forward  tb  the  degree  of  the  colt's  ability  to  un- 
derstand, and  there  is  perfect  obedience. 

Haltering. 

To  halter  an  unbroken  colt,  first  turn  him  into  a  mod- 
erate-sized room  or  carriage-house,  without  stalls  or  any- 


HALTEKING. 


93 


thing  which  he  can  run  against  to  hurt  himself.  It  would 
alarm  him  too  much  to  try  to  catch  and  hold  him  to  put 
on  the  halter,  and  besides,  there  is  danger  of  getting  hurt. 
This  difficulty  can  be  easily  overcome  as  follows  :  Get  a 
hcj'ht  pole  ten  feet  long,  and  drive  two  nails  in  it  about 
eight  inches  apart,  the  first  about  one  inch  from  the  end. 
Take  a  common  rope  halter,  and  form  a  running  noose  with 
the  part  which  slips  through  it  back  about  two  feet.     Hang 


Fig.  88.— About  the  length  the  halter  should  be  tied. 

the  part  which  goes  over  the  head  upon  the  nails  at  the 
end  of  the  stick,  so  as  to  be  easily  adjusted  upon  the  head. 
(See  cut  86.)  If  the  colt  is  not  excited  or  frightened,  as 
the  halter  is  extended  toward  him  he  will  reach  out  his 
nose  to  smell  and  examine  it.  While  he  is  gratifying  his 
curiosity  in  this  way,  bring  the  slack  part  under  his  jaw, 
the  head  part  over  and  back  of  the  ears,  when  by  turning 
the  stick  half  way  round,  the  halter  will  drop  upon  the 
head.  Now  by  pulling  upon  it,  the  slack  will  be  taken  up 
m^  the  halter  will  be  upon  him  securely. 


94 


COLT  TKAINING. 


Making  the  Colt  Gentle. 

To  teach  a  vicious,  headstrong  colt  to  follow,  subject 
him  at  once  to  Second  Method.  Tie  the  hair  of  the  tail 
into  a  knot,  and  run  the  halter  through  above  it,  drawing 
short  enough  to  turn  the  body  in  a  half  circle.  If  at  all 
doubtful  about  the  length,  before  tying  go  around  with  him 
once  or  twice  (see  cut  35),  when  the  length  can  be  regu- 
lated to  the  point  desired  and  tied  into  a  half-hitch  knot. 


Fig.  89.— Pulling  the  foot  back  with  cor  J. 

Now  bring  the  pole  against  the  quarters  until  it  is  submit- 
ted to. 

If  the  halter  is  tied  too  long,  especially  if  the  colt  is  a 
little  sullen,  he  will  not  move  around  fast  enough  to  have 
the  desired  effect.  Or  if  he  is  at  all  nervous  and  excitable, 
and  tied  very  short,  he  will  be  likely  to  go  around  so  rap- 
idly as  to  fall  helplessly  before  the  halter  can  be  untied. 
To  avoid  possible  accident  this  should  bo  carefully  guarded 
against. 

When  the  colt  will  submit  to  being  touched  on  one  side 
or  part  with  a  pole,  go  to  the  opposite  side,  and  repeat  un- 


MAKING   THE   COLT   GENTLE. 


95 


/ 


til  there  is  no  resistance  or  fear  shown.  Some  colts  will 
resist  very  hard  when  touched,  striking  and  kicking  with 
great  fury.  This  need  not  discourage;  simply  force  up 
sharply  to  the  point  of  helplessness,  reversing  quickly,  and 
repeating  until  there  is  entire  submission.  It  is  rare  that 
this  treatment  will  not  give  success  in  ten  or  fifteen  min- 
utes. But  should  the  case  be  one  of  such  extreme  vicious- 
ness  as  not  to  submit,  then  the  treatment  must  be  the  same 


Fig.  90.— Pulling  the  foot  forward. 

as  for  other  extremely  vicious  horses.  After  submitting, 
if  warm  and  sweaty,  keep  handling  him  gently  until  cool. 
Next,  handle  the  feet.  At  this  stage  there  should  be 
no  difficulty  in  doing  this.  If,  however,  the  colt  should 
show  an  inclination  to  resist  the  foot  being  taken,  and  it  is 
not  desired  to  push  the  general  subjection  farther  (for  fre- 
quently a  colt  may  be  entirely  gentle  as  to  general  hand- 
ling, and  still  resist  the  feet  being  taken,  with  much  en- 
ergy), put  on  the  War  Bridle.  After  giving  a  few  quick, 
energetic  jerks  right  and  left  with  it,  let  an  assistant  tie  a 


96 


COLT   TEAJNl^^G. 


rope  or  strap  around  the  foot  below  the  fetlock,  and,  while 
holding  the  cord  rather  tight  on  the  mouth,  pull  the  foot 
back  until  it  is  submitted  freely  to  the  restraint  upon  it ; 
then  reverse  and  pull  forward  a  few  times.  Finally  take 
the  foot  in  the  hand  and  pound  upon  it. 

Teaching  to  Folloav. 


Usually  after  this  treatment  the  colt  will  lead  by  the 


Fig.  91.-  The  colt  as  he  stands  after  treatmeut. 

halter  freely ;  but  if  he  does  not,  put  on  the  War  Bridle, 
First  Form,  which  will  soon  enable  making  him  do  so. 
Sometimes  it  is  desirable  to  use  the  Second  Form.  Colts 
of  a  cold-blooded  nature,  which  are  liable  to  become  sullen 
when  heated,  will  sometimes  resist  very  hard  ;  but  by  per- 
severance they  always  work  in,  though  in  some  extreme 
cases  it  may  be  best  to  wait  until  the  excitement  is  over, 
and  then  repeat  the  lesson.  As  the  War  Bridle  may  not 
always  be  available,  T  will  give  the  simplest  method  of 
doing  it  with  a  halter  : — 

If  a  rope  halter  is  on,  tie  the  running  noose  back  of  the 


TEACHI^TI   TO   FOLLOW.  97 

jaw  into  a  knot  to  prevent  it  from  pulling  tightly  upon  the 
nose.  Stand  opposite  the  shoulder,  take  a  firm  hold  of  the 
hitching-part,  and  give  a  sharp,  quick  jerk,  repeating  at 
slow  intervals  until  the  colt  will  step  around  promptly; 
then  repeat  on  the  opposite  side,  gradually  pulling  more 
on  a  line  with  the  body  until  he  will  go  right,  left,  or  ahead 
freely.  The  War  Bridle,  if  available,  is  much  more  power- 
ful and  effective,  and  to  be  preferred. 

The  following  method  will  also  teach  a  sullen  colt  to 
follow  instantly,  though  not  so  good  to  make  follow  by  the 


Fig.  93. — Wrong  way  of  teaching  colt  to  lead  by  halter. 

halter,  which  is  the  real  object  to  be  attained  :  Take  a 
piece  of  cord  twenty-two  to  twenty-five  feet  in  length, 
double,  and  place  the  center  of  it  under  the  tail  like  a 
crupper ;  bring  both  ends  forward,  crossing  and  twisting 
them  once  or  twice  over  the  back,  and  knot  together  in 
front  of  the  breast.  Now  catch  the  halter  strap  in  the 
left  hand  rather  loosely,  and,  with  the  right  hand,  pull 
upon  the  cord  with  a  sharp  jerk ;  this  will  so  excite  and 
frighten  the  colt  that  he  will  jump  aliead,  and  after  repeat- 
ing once  or  twice,  will  follow  anywhere.  Should  the  colt 
kick  when  the  cord  is  pulled  upon,  it  must  not  be  repeated, 
;is  it  would  teach  the  habit  of  kicking.  At  once  take  it 
olf,  and  make  a  noose  around  the  l)ody  (as  shown  in  cut), 

7 


9a 


COLT   TEAINING. 


when  it  will  be  found  tluit  luilliiiii'  ([uickly  will  so  tighten 
the  noose  and  hurt  the  back  as  to  make  the  eolt  jump 
ahead  in  surprise,  and  he  will  soon  learn  to  follow  promptly. 
This  does  not  require  any  skill,  and  will  be  found  to  work 
very  nicely.  It  will  be  found  especially  valuable  in  teach- 
ing young,  sensitive  colts  to  lead. 

I  will   give    another    method    of  teaching  colts  to  be 


Fig.  93. — When  pulled  upon  vei-y  hard  is  liable  to  rear  and 
throw  himself  over  backward. 

gentle  and  follow  Avithout  the  use  of  the  halter, — a  method 
I  f>racticed  with  great  success  during  my  early  experi- 
ence,— which,  when  well  done,  will  be  found  very  eifective. 
First,  get  the  colt  into  a  small  room  or  carriage  house. 
The  smaller  the  inclosure  the  less  inclined  the  colt  will  be 
to  get  away.  Next,  take  a  common  five  or  six  foot  buggy 
whip,  and,  speaking  kindly,  approach  him  slowly,  as  he 
will  bear.  Tie  will  naturally  get  as  far  away  into  a  corner 
as  he  can,  but  as  sooxi  as  you  see  the  least  indication  of 


TEACH  IXC    TO   FOLLOW 


99 


fear,  step  back,  showing  an  indit'terent  manner.  When  his 
alarm  subsides,  apijroach  as  before,  and  so  continue  to  do 
until  the  mane  can  be  touched  and  patted  a  little.  This 
submitted  to,  bring  the  whip  from  behind  you,  quietly 
over  his  back,  until  it  extends  over  the  shoulder,  so  that 
the  lash  can  be  brought  against  the  opposite  side  of  his 
head  a  little  below  the  eye,  and  commence  tapping  with  it 


Fig.  94.— Right  way  of  pulling  to  teach  the  colt  to  lead. 

very  lightly,  gradually  increasing  the  force  of  the  stroke 
until  the  head  is  moved  from  it  a  little,  when  stop  and 
caress;  so  continue  until  he  steps  around  toward  you  a 
little  to  get  away  from  the  force  of  the'  stroke.  By  re- 
peating the  tapping,  and  striking  a  little  harder,  as  he 
learns  to  fear  the  whip  he  will  be  forced  around  in  a  circle 
at  will.  This  may  be  done  when  the  halter  is  on.  If  the 
whip  is  too  limber  and  the  lash  too  springy  and  long,  it 


100 


COLT  TEAINING. 


will  be  difficult  to  do  this  properly,  as  it  will  be  liable  to 
be  brought  across  the  fjice  in  an  irregular  manner,  fright- 
ening the  colt  and  makhig  him  try  to  get  away.  Success 
will  depend  upon  the  whip  being  just  right. 

The  point  made  of  forcing  the  colt  around,  step  well 
up  to  the  head  and  drop  the  end  of  the  whip  back  over  the 
hips,  touching  the  part  lightly  with  it,  or  barely  enough  to 
move  him,  then  step  forward,  when  he  will  come  ahead. 


Fig.  95. — Simple  method  of  making  a  sulleu  colt  follow  instantly. 

Should  he  come  ahead  too  far,  he  can  be  instantly  stopped 
by  bringing  the  lash  to  the  first  position  and  forcing  him 
around  again.  Now  repeat,  not  enough  to  frighten  or  hurt 
much,  yet  sufficient  to  force  him  around  or  ahead  freely. 
It  will  help  greatly  to  reward  with  apples,  etc.  It  seldom 
requires  more  than  five  or  ten  minutes  to  teach  a  colt  to 
follow  in  this  way.  (Tlie  principle  is  the  same  in  teaching 
steers  or  oxen  to  drive  with  the  whip,  with  the  difference 
that  when  it  is  desired  to  stop  the  steer,  to  prevent  him 
from  running  ahead,  it  may  be  necessary  to  put  on  a  foot- 
strap,   as    explained  in  the  first  chapter.     The  foot-strap 


TEACHING  TO   FOLLOW. 


101 


would  also  be  good  for  the  colt,  though  I  prefer,  when  re- 
straint is  necessary,  to  use  the  halter.) 

During  my  first  visit  to  Maine,  in  1863-4, 1  advertised, 
the  better  to  attract  attention,  that  I  would  take  any  colt 
that  had  never  been  haltered,  and  within  twenty  minutes 
make  him  perfectly  gentle  to  lead,  ride,  and  handle.  Daily 
the  wildest  colts  to  be  found  were  driven  in  from  the  coun- 
try to  put  me  to  the  test.  In  my  run  through  the  entire 
State  I  did  not  fail  in  a  single  instance,  with  the  control  of 


Fig.  90. — The  colt  as  be  ■will  usually  follow  after  treatmeut. 

the  whip  alone,  to  lead  such  colts  into  the  open  street,  witli- 
out  halter  or  bridle.  The  feat  was  accomplished  by  train- 
ing as  explained. 

Another  method,  which  has  been  ^jracticed  by  some 
traveling  horsemen,  is  to  turn  the  colt  into  a  small  inclos- 
ure,  and  whip  keenly  witli  a  bow  whip,  around  the  legs  and 
flanks.  This  will  cause  the  colt  in  his  fright  and  pain  to 
run  into  a  corner.  As  soon  as  he  will  turn  his  head  around 
a  little,  the  whipping  is  stopped  and  an  effort  made  to  reach 
his  head  slowly,  the  hand  being  held  out  toward  him  while 
doing  so.  Should  the  head  be  turned  away,  or  resistance 
be  shown,  the  whipping  is  repeated,  and  this  continued  un- 


102 


COLT   TliAlNING. 


til  he  can  be  controlled.  At  each  inclination  to  follow,  he 
is  caressed  ;  while  for  running  away,  or  resistance,  the  whip 
is  applied,  until  he  soon  learns  to  follow  to  avoid  punish- 
ment. 

There  are  several  objections  to  this  method :  First,  the 
horse  is  greatly  excited  and  frightened  by  the  severity  of 
the  punishment,  before  he  can  know  what  it  is  for,  which 
is   entirely  prevented  by  the  other  methods.     Second,  if 


Fig.  97. — Teaching  a  colt  to  follow  with  the  whip. 

the  horse  is  warm-blooded  and  plucky,  there  is  danger  of 
teaching  the  most  aggravating  kind  of  kicking,  as  the  in- 
tense excitement  and  pain  of  the  whipping  impresses  the 
nervous  system  so  greatly  as  to  weaken  and  injure  it,  mak- 
ing what  is  termed  a  habit  of  nervous,  switching  kicking — 
a  habit  very  difficult  to  overcome.  The  writer  has  at  dif- 
ferent times  found  fine  colts  that  had  been  treated  in  this 
manner  by  traveling  horsemen,  and  completely  spoiled. 
The  other  methods  are  so  much  simpler,  and  more  humane, 
that  there  is  no  need  whatever  of  resorting  to  such  needless 
cruelt^ . 


DElVmG   TO   HAENESS. 


103 


If  the  colt  is  not  very  bad  after  being  haltered,  catch 
the  halter  up  near  the  head,  and  go  aronnd  with  him  on  a 
sharp  walk.  At  the  same  time  bring  the  pole  (one  end  of 
which  being  well  back  under  the  arm)  against  the  quarters. 
The  pulling  around  will  sufficiently  disconcert  the  horse  to 
allow  this  without  much  resistance,  and  he  will  soon  leam 
to  submit,  when  repeat  on  the  opposite  side.  It  will  be 
still  better  to  put  on  the  War   Bridle,   and  after   pulling 


Fig.  98. — Colt  as  he  will  follow  after  being  ti-aincd  with  whip. 

around  right  and  left,  bring  the  pole  against  the  quarters, 
legs,  and  flanks,  as  before  explained.  If  the  colt  will  sub- 
mit to  this,  it  is  all  that  is  necessary  to  do,  and  just  as  ef- 
fective as  if  he  were  subjected  to  more  powerful  treatment. 

Driving  to  Harness. 

With  the  foundation  laid  of  making  the  colt  gentle  to 
be  touched,  handled,  and  rode,  the  course  I  usually  pursue 
to  accustom  the  colt  to  drive  in  harness  is  about  as  follows  : 
Put   on  the  harness,  which  should  be  so  fitted  as  to  rest 


]04 


COLT   TEAINING. 


easily  upon  the  body,  tie  up  the  tugs  and  breeching  straps, 
and  bring  the  reins  through  the  lugs  or  shaft  bearers.  This 
is  very  important,  to  prevent  his  turning  around.  Now 
get  behind,  holding  the  reins  low  on  each  side  of  the  hips. 
If  he  does  not  start  as  desired,  touch  lightly  with  a  Avhip, 
and  drive  around  a  little,  gradually  pulling  so  as  to  drive 
him  in  long  circles,  and  ahead,  or  either  way,  freely.  If 
the  mouth  is  hard,  and  he  pulls  upon  the  bit  rather  stub- 


FiG.  99.— Bringing  the  pole  against  the  quarters. 

bornly,  the  Breaking  Bit,  if  available,  had  better  be  substi- 
tuted.    This  will  give  all  the  power  desired. 

After  the  drive,  while  standing,  let  an  assistant  bring 
a  pole  against  the  quarters  and  flanks  until  submitted  to, 
then  back  the  horse  sharply  against  a  rail  or  pole  so  ar- 
ranged that  it  will  come  against  the  quarters  w^here  the 
breeching  or  crosspiece  of  shafts  comes.  (See  cut  101.) 
The  resistance  to  this  poling  may  sometimes  be  so  serious 
as  to  necessitate  subjecting  again  to  Second  Method,  but 
not  often  if  the  first  lesson  is  made  very  thorough.  It  will 
not  do  under  any  circumstaiices  to  proceed  farther,  until 


DEIVING  TO   HARNESS. 


lOi 


there  is  unconditional  submission  to  this  requirement.  Then 
drive  around  moderately,  either  stopping  to  pole,  or  have 
an  assistant  do  it  gently  until  it  can  be  done  without  at- 
tracting his  notice  in  the  least.  A  good  way  is  to  tie  the 
hair  of  the  tail  into  a  knot  quite  short,  so  that  a  pole  passed 
through  the  hair  above  it  when  pressed  against  the  quar- 
ters will  strike  where  the  breeching  comes.  It  is  very  im- 
portant to  have  the  colt  made  thoroughly  fearless  of  beinj^ 


Fig.  100.-  Colt  when  first  driven  in  liaruess. 

touched  about  the  quarters  and  flanks  in  tliis  way  while 
driving. 

The  next  step  is  to  make  the  point  of  reining,  stopping, 
and  backing.  After  he  has  learned  to  go  ahead  and  turn 
sideways,  he  can  easily  be  taught  to  stop.  To  do  this,  say 
"  Whoa ! "  sharply,  and  immediately  give  a  slight,  raking 
pull  upon  the  reins  sufficiently  hard  to  compel  stopping, 
then  instant]}^  slack.  Usually,  the  colt  will  at  first  try  to 
move  ahead.  Let  him  go  a  few  steps,  then  repeat  the  com- 
mand, and,  as  before,  pull  sufficiently  hard  to  stop  him. 
So  repeat  until  he  learns  to  stop  and  stand  quietly  as  long 
as  desired. 

Next,  stand  behind  and  say,  "  Back !"  and  immediately 


106 


COLT   TEAIJSriNC:^. 


give  a  sharp,  raking  jerk  to  pull  him  back  a  little,  and  re- 
peat until  he  will  back  as  desired.  Do  not  force  him  to 
back  too  freely,  but  just  enough  to  give  to  a  slight  pressure 
of  the  bit.  If  there  is  much  resistance  to  the  driving  bit, 
the  Breaking  Bit  may  be  substituted,  but  this  must  not  be 
used  so  severely  as  to  bruise  or  make  the  mouth  sore.  If 
he  becomes  warm  and  decidedly  stubborn  at  any  point,  the 
better  way  will  be  to  put  him  away  until  cool,  when,  by 
repeating  the  lesson,  he  will  soon  work  in.     At  this  point 


Fig.  101. — Backing  the  colt  against  rail  or  pole. 


there  is  great  danger  of  spoiling  the  mouth,  because  when 
the  blood  becomes  greatly  heated,  the  sensibility  of  the 
mouth  is  so  blunted  that  he  will  bear  having  it  bruised  and 
even  cut  to  pieces  without  noticing  it.  But  when  over  the 
excitement,  it  will  be  so  sensitive  and  sore  that  he  is  liable 
not  only  to  yield  to  the  pressure  of  the  bit  too  freely,  but 
acquire  the  habit  of  running  back.  Hence  the  advisability 
of  putting  him  away  until  cool,  and  then  repeating  the  les- 
son, when  the  mouth  will  be  sufficiently  sensitive  to  com- 
pel submitting  freely.  If  he  is  given  to  running  away,  and 
resists  the  bit  so  hard  that  he  cannot  be  held,  first,  over- 


BITTING. 


107 


come  his  fear  of  being  touched  around  the  quarters,  etc.,  by 
the  Second  Method,  then  train  the  mouth  with  the  Break- 
ing Bit  until  manageable.  I  ndA'ise  this  training  of  the 
mouth,  because,  when  properly  done,  it  enables  controlling 
afterward  with  an  ordinary  snaffle  bit. 

It  is  not  advisable,  in  teaching  to  drive,  to  run  one  les- 
son into  another,  especially  that  of  stopping  and  backing. 


Fig.  103.— Simple  form  of  Bltting-rig. 

Backing  should  be  taught  very  cautiously,  so  as  not  to  teach 
the  habit  of  going  back  toe  freely — a  bad  habit. 

Bitting. 

My  course  in  most  cases  has  been  to  continue  the  driv- 
ing to  poles  or  wagon.  But  as  bitting  may  be  necessary, 
especially  for  headstrong  colts,  I  will  include  directions 
here  : — 

Simply  put  on  such  an  outline  of  harness  as  will  enable 


108 


COLT   TEAINING. 


103. — Strained,  unnatural  position  of 
the  head  when  checked  liigh. 


bringing  pressure  upon  the  mouth  and  holdhig  it  there. 
The  ordiiiary  arrangement  is  a  surcingle  with  crupper  at- 
tachment, to  which  the  check-rein  is  connected.  This  is  so 
common  and  well^understood  that  it  is  unnecessary  to  go 

into  an  explanation  of  de- 
tails. There  are  great  ob- 
jections to  the  common 
method  of  bitting,  and 
putting  the  rig  upon  an 
entirely  green,  wild  colt, 
checking  the  head  up  high, 
and  turning  him  loose  in 
this  condition.  The  colt 
in  his  struggles  for  free- 
dom is  liable  to  get  mad, 
rear  up,  fall  backward, 
and  possibly  kill  himself. 
At  any  rate,  the  undue  confinement  irritates  and  excites 
him  to  a  needless  degree. 

The  proper  course  would  be  about  as  follows  :  First,  put 
on  a  bridle  with  a  snaffle  bit,  leaving  it  on  until  he  becomes 
accustomed  to  it.  Next,  put  on  any  simple  harness  rig, 
and  check  at  first  so  as  to  bring  but  little  restraint  upon 
the  head,  leaA-ing  it  on  thirty  or  forty  minutes.  Next  day,, 
check  a  little  shorter,  and  let  him  run  in  a  yard  in  Ihe  same 
manner.  At  each  repetition,  check  shorter,  until  the  head 
is  brought  as  high  as  he  will  bear. 

Another  excellent  method  is  to  fit  a  simple  surcingle, 
having  loops  at  different  points  on  either  side,  and  with 
crupper  attachment.  Put  on  an  ordinary  bridle  with  snaf- 
fle Ijit  and  gag-runners.  Now  take  a  piece  of  cord  about 
the  size  used  for  War  Bridle,  and  fasten  its  center,  either 
bringing  it  over  the  water-hook,  or  held  by  a  strap  connect- 
ing with  the  saddle-part.     Pass  the  ends  forward  through 


BITTING. 


109 


the  gag-runners,  down  through  the  rings  of  the  bit  on  each 
side,  thence  back  through  the  loops  on  each  side  of  the  sur- 
cingle, an^i  tie  into  the  hip  ring  of  the  back-band  sufficiently 
short  to  give  the  restraint  required.  The  higher  the  cord 
is  held  on  each  side,  the 
greater  the  tendency  to 
pull  the  head  up  and  back, 
while  the  lower,  the 
greater  the  tendency  to 
pull  the  nose  in ;  so  the 
length  and  height  on  each 
side  must  be  regulated  to 
suit  the  case.  While  by 
this  means  there  is  re- 
straint upon  the  head  up 
and  backward,  the  sliding 
of  the  line  or  cord  through 
the  rings  and  gag-runners  gives  sufficient  freedom  for  the 
head  to  be  brought  down,  thereby  easing  the  weariness  of 
the  restraint. 

Training  the  mouth  implies  teaching  it  to  submit  freely 
to  flexible  restraint.  Now  bitting  is  only  a  partial  step  to- 
wards accomplishing  this,  as  it  only  holds  the  head  to  a 
fixed  ppsition  of  restraint.  Not  infrequently,  when  the 
head  is  checked  high  and  held  there  so  long  as  to  weary 
the  muscles  of  the  neck,  the  head  is  rested  upon  the  bit 
for  relief,  and  imperceptibly  the  habit  of  lugging  is  learned. 
Several  other  bad  habits  may  also  be  learned  by  this  indi- 
rect method  of  training  the  mouth ;  the  annoying  habit  of 
pulling  on  one  rein,  holding  the  head  down  when  pulled 
upon,  refusing  to  stand,  back,  or  to  rein  freely,  or  refusing 
to  rein  but  one  way  when  excited  or  maddened. 

There  has  been  practically  no  remedy  for  these  diffi- 
culties, yet  they  are  in  most  cases  easily  prevented  or  over- 


110  COLT   TBAi^^lNG. 

come  by  the  simple  method  of  trahiiiig  the  mouth  with  the 
Breaking  Bit. 

If  the  colt  does  not  rein  freely,  or  pulls  too  heavily, 
put  on  the  Breaking  Bit,  run  the  reins  through  the  shaft  lugs 
and  drive  around  slowly.  When  the  pull  is  too  hard,  give 
a  little  raking  jerk,  just  enough  to  break  the  pull,  then 
slack  instantly,  and  so  repeat.  Do  the  same  also  for  throw- 
ing the  head  down,  and  lugging,  which  will  bring  the  head 
up  and  back.  Simply  repeat  until  the  mouth  submits  freely 
to  moderate  restraint.  Sometimes  the  horse  will  fight  this 
(j^uite  hard  for  a  time,  the  same  as  a  stubborn,  headstrong 
horse  will  resist  the  jerking  or  pulling  upon  the  War  Bridle 
in  teaching  to  lead ;  but  by  repeating,  he  will  soon  learn 
to  submit  to  it  unconditionally.  There  must  be  persever- 
ance until  the  point  is  made  of  submitting  to  the  slightest 
restraint.  If  necessary,  the  lesson  should  be  repeated 
when  driving  to  wagon.  It  is  surprising  how  easily  the 
mouth  is  made  to  submit  to  restraint  by  a  little  training 
with  this  bit.  (See  details  of  using  Breaking  Bit  under 
that  head  in.  first  chapter.) 

Hitching  to  Wagon. 

With  sufficient  control  of  the  mouth  to  hold  the  horse 
under  any  excitement,  the  next  step  is  to  drive  to  wagon. 
As  it  is  sometimes  a  little  risky  to  do  this  directly,  driving 
to  poles  should  be  resorted  to  first.  In  fact,  I  regard  this 
necessary,  because  it  accustoms  the  colt  to  being  touched 
around  the  quarters,  backing  against  the  crosspiece,  etc., 
with  entire  safety.  Hitch  the  colt  into  these  polos  with- 
out breeching,  and  drive  around,  turning  right  and  left,  and 
backing  against  the  crosspiece  occasionally  to  fix  the  im- 
pression of  being  touched  by  it. 

Before  hitching  to  wagon,  all  fear  of  any  rattle,  or  noise 
from  behind,  must  be  overcome.     Next,  hitch  the  horse  in, 


HITCHING   TO   WAGON. 


Ill 


and  before  attaching  the  tugs,  run  the  crosspiece  against 
the  quarters  to  overcome  all  fear  of  the  shafts.  Be  very 
particular  that  the  harness  is  fitted  so  as  not  to  restrain 
the  circulation,  or  bring  any  undue  pressure  upon  any  part 
of  the  body.  In  my  practice  I  give  the  head  entire  free- 
dom, using  nothing  but  the  restraint  of  the  reins,  as  it  tends 
to  confuse  and  annoy  the  colt  to  be  needlessly  hampered 
in  any  Avay.  If  desirable  to  guard  against  any  possible 
impulse  of  resistance,  attach  a  strap  to  the  fore  foot,  by 


Fig.  105. — Testing  the  colt  by  driving  in  poles. 

which  it  can  be  taken  up  at  any  time.  This  will  prevent 
kicking.  I  would  also  add  here  that  it  is  always  advisable, 
when  the  colt  is  standing  in  the  shafts,  before  being  at- 
tached, to  shake  and  rattle  the  wagon ;  then  move  him 
ahead  and  pull  the  wagon  behind. 

Another  point :  The  colt  should  always  be  hitched 
where  the  road  is  wide  and  level,  or  in  a  field,  giving  a 
chance  to  drive  around  and  turn  easily.  At  first  let  him 
go  any  way  he  will,  giving  him  a  moderately  slack  rein. 
If  the  previous  work  has  been  well  done,  the  colt  will  be 
3,s  gentle,  and  indifferent  to  excitement  as  any  old  horse, 


112  COLT  TEAINING. 

But  if  not  subdued  and  made  thoroughly  gentle  and  fear- 
less, as  before  explained,  there  is  danger,  in  exceptionally 
bad  cases,  of  his  getting  frightened  and  kicking,  and  thus 
a  great  point  is  lost.  It  is,  in  fact,  almost  fatal  to  success 
to  let  a  horse  by  carelessness  or  accident  resist  at  any 
point,  as  it  makes  him  cunning  and  doubtful — a  condition 
that  sometimes  requires  very  careful,  thorough  work  to 
overcome. 

There  should  be  no  effort  to  make  a  drive  until  the  colt 
is  accustomed  to  turning,  stopping,  and  starting,  but  not  to 
backing ;  let  that  come  after  the  going  ahead  and  stopping 
is  thoroughly  established,  when  repeat  the  lesson  on  back- 
ing a  little.  At  first,  the  driving  should  be  confined  to  a 
walk,  then  gradually  let  out  to  a  moderate  trot,  being  care- 
ful not  to  drive  to  the  point  of  exhaustion.  If  the  colt 
steps  well,  and  it  is  desired  to  cultivate  a  fast  trotting  gait, 
there  is  more  necessity  for  going  slowly.  First,  let  him 
out  on  a  smooth,  moderately  descending  road,  holding  up 
often,  and  speaking  to  him  kindly.  Gradually  he  can  be 
let  out  faster  and  a  little  farther,  but  not  to  the  point  of 
breaking,  nor  so  far  at  any  time  as  to  cause  fatigue.  If  it 
is  intended  to  hitch  to  top  carriage,  drive  around  first  with 
an  umbrella  held  over  the  head,  bringing  it  over  the  back. 
Next,  lead  him  around  so  that  he  can  look  into  the  top  and 
smell  of  it,  then  lead  him  into  the  shafts  and  hitch. 

The  custom  of  using  blinders  on  horses,  especially  as 
usually  put  on,  in  a  haphazard  way  of  pressing  against  and 
covering  up  the  eyes,  is  an  abomination  which  should  be 
dispensed  wdth  in  driving.  They  are  admissible  only  when 
the  horse  is  lazy  or  cunning,  watching  the  whip,  etc.  Any 
horse  of  intelligence  and  courage  will  always  drive  more 
reliably  when  able  to  see  around  and  behind  him.   ' 


SULLEN  COLTS. 


113 


Sometimes  a  colt,  becoming  heated  and  sullen,  refuses  to 
rem,  or  lunges  sideways.     If  very  bad,  subject  sharply  to 
Second  Method  while  the  harness  is  on,  following  with  the 
treatment  by  the  War  Bri- 
dle   until  perfectly    sub- 
missive to  it ;  then  do  up 
the   cord    and  commence 
driving  again.     If    there 
is   disinclination    to    rein, 
drop  the  reins,  untie   the 
cord,  and  jerk  him  in  the 
opposite  direction  until  he 
will  come  freely,  when  tie 
again  loosely  into  the  fer- 
ret, take  up  the  reins,  and 
go  on  with  the  lesson.    It 
is  very  important,  in  les- 
sons of  this  character,  that 
the  head  be  not  hampered 
in  any  way  by  extra  rig- 
ging of  any  kind ;  nothing 
should  be  upon  it  but  an 
easily-fitting  bridle.     The 
harness  in  all  cases  should 
fit  easily,  so  as  not  to  ir- 
ritate by  its  pressure    or 
restraint.     The  lesson  is 
to  be  continued  by  driv- 
ing to   poles,  etc.,  as  be- 
fore   explained.     It   may 
also  be  necessary  to  use 

the  Breaking  Bit,  but  this  must  be  used  cautiously  on  colts, 
as  it  is  easy  to  make  the  mouth  too  sensitive  with  it,  which 
must  be  guarded  against. 


114 


COLT   TKAmiNG. 


Throwing  over  Backward. 

Sometimes  colts  acquire  the  habit  of  throwing  them- 
selves down,  or  over  backward.  This  is  one  of  the  few 
habits  for  which  there  has  been  no  practical  remedy,  yet 
when  subjected  to  proper  treatment,  it  will  not,  as  a  general 
thing,  be  found  difficult  to  overcome.  Subject  quickly  to 
Second  Method,  and  get  him  so  confused  and  off  his  bal- 


FiG.  107.  — Colts  as  usuiilly  made  to  follow  on  a  ruu  by  a  few 
luiimtcs'  treatment  before  the  class. 

ance  that  he  cannot  concentrate  his  purpose  to  throw  him- 
self. Let  the  lesson  be  made  sharp,  following  quickly  with 
War  Bridle.  Sometimes  it  may  be  necessary  to  use  the 
Third  Method ;  then  put  in  harness  and  drive  around  as 
first  explained.  If  well  done,  it  is  rarely  the  colt  will  try 
to  throw  himself  afterward ;  should  he  do  so,  repeat  more 
thoroughly  with  the  Thkd  Method,  after  w^hich,  with  the 
Second,  and,  while  yet  confused,  drive  him  around,  at  first 
rapidly,  then  more  slowly  until  found  reliable. 

These  cases  have  been  very  common  in  my  practice. 
By  way  of  illustration  I  will  refer  to  two  cases,  one  of  the 
colts  being  sold  wdien  three  years  old  for  $150.     In  trying 


THEOWmCi   OVBE  BACK\YARD.  115 

to  break  him,  he  acqmred  the  habit  so  badly  of  throwing 
himself  down  that  it  was  impossible  to  drive  him  in  harness. 
He  resisted  every  effort  to  break  him,  consequently,  Avhen 
six  years  old  he  was  sold  for  $50.  He  was  brought  in 
without  my  being  informed  as  to  his  true  character,  for  the 
purpose  of  breaking  me  down.  He  yielded  readily,  how- 
ever, to  the  Second  and  Third  Methods,  driving  anywhere 
as  gentle  as  desired.  The  other,  eight  years  old,  had  re- 
sisted every  effort  to  be  broken,  and  had  the  habit  so  badly 
that  whenever  the  reins,  or  even  the  halter,  were  pulled 
upon  a  little  while  leading,  he  would  throw  himself  down. 
A  horse-breaker,  who  took  the  job  of  breaking  him  for  $25, 
joined  my  class  at  Elyria,  Ohio,  and  brought  him  in  to  be 
experimented  upon.  In  a  chance  way,  when  taking  him 
by  the  halter  to  look  him  over,  I  happened  to  pull  a  little 
to  make  him  follow,  when  instantly  he  threw  himself  over 
backAvard.  The  man  thought  it  a  good  joke,  and  laughed, 
saying,  "  He  is  a  good  one.  If  you  can  keep  him  on  his 
feet  while  driving,  you  will  break  the  worst  horse  that  ever 
lived.  I  can't  break  him,  and  I  don't  know  of  any  one  who 
can,  so  I  brought  him  in  for  you  to  try  your  hand  upon." 
I  put  the  harness  on  the  horse  carefully,  all  ready  to 
drive,  tied  up  the  reins  so  I  could  take  them  down  quickly, 
and  subjected  him  sharply  to  the  Second  Method.  When 
he  became  so  dizzy  as  to  be  at  the  point  of  falling,  I  quickly 
pulled  the  halter-strap  loose,  grasped  the  reins,  and  gave 
him  a  cut  or  two  with  the  whip  across  the  hind  legs,  at  the 
same- time  yelling  "  Get  up  !"  to  frighten  him  ahead.  He 
jumped  before  he  knew  what  he  was  at,  and  after  a  few 
moments'  pushing  in  this  way  he  could  be  driven  without 
showing  any  inclination  to  repeat  the  habit.  The  lesson, 
though  requiring  but  a  few  minutes,  proved  effectual. 
Occasionally  horses  of  this  character  may  bother  consider- 
ably.    Such  are  usually  of  a  cold-blooded,  sullen  nature, 


116  COLT   TEAINING. 

but  it  is  only  a  matter  of  a  little  more  care  and  extra  work, 
to  make  them  work  in  submissively.  It  is  advisable  in  all 
these  cases  to  test  thoroughly  for  two  or  three  days,  before 
driving. 

Driving  Double. 

We  first  drive  the  colt  double  because  easier.  If  this 
is  desirable,  subject  first  to  Second  Method,  making  him 
gentle  to  be  touched  around  the  quarters  and  parts  gener- 
ally, so  that  there  will  be  no  fear  when  touched  by  the 
tugs  or  whiffletree.  Put  on  the  off  side  first,  because  less 
liable  to  be  excited  there,  then  reverse  to  the  near  side. 

Hitching  the  Colt. 

In  most  cases  when  the  colt  is  taught  to  follow  freely 
as  before  explained,  there  will  be  but  little  inclination  to 
try  to  pull  loose  when  hitched  by  the  halter,  especially 
if  the  stall  is  wide,  and  the  hitching  part  of  the  halter  is 
left  rather  long.  But  as  it  is  the  best  proof  of  skill  to  guard 
against  successful  resistance  at  any  point,  such  precautions 
must  be  taken  as  will  prevent  it.  It  must  be  borne  in  mind 
that  learning  to  stand  when  hitched,  above  any  other  con- 
dition of  training,  should  be  so  thoroughly  taught  that  there 
will  be  no  inclination  to  pull,  even  when  subjected  to  the 
greatest  excitement  or  fear,  as  from  dogs  or  hogs  running 
in  front,  cats  or  hens  jumping  or  flying  around  the  manger, 
the  blowing  of  newspapers,  etc.,  near  the  head.  The 
surest  and  best  method  for  overcoming  this  fear  is  as  fol- 
lows  : — 

Take  a  large  size  War  Bridle  cord  of  the  best  quality 
about  twenty-eight  to  thirty  feet  long,  double  it,  and  make 
a  noose  of  the  doubled  end  around  the  body  a  little  back 
of  where  the  saddle  rests.  Bring  the  other  ends  forward 
between  the  fore  legs,  through  the  ring  or  hole  in  the  man- 


HITClimCx  BY   THE   HALTER.  117 

ger  and  tie  to  the  ring  of  the  halter  back  of  the  jaw.  The 
length  must  be  so  regulated  that  the  horse  can  step  around 
as  freely  as  if  tied  rather  long  by  a  common  halter.  If 
there  is  an  inclination  to  go  back  when  in  any  way  excited, 
the  noose  draws  so  tightly  around  the  body,  and  presses  so 
keenly  upon  the  back  bone,  that  the  colt  is  at  once  disa- 
bled, hurt,  and  frightened,  so  that  the  first  impulse  is  to 
jump  ahead.  A  few  repetitions  will  convince  him  of  his 
inability  to  pull  loose,  as  well  as  create  in  him  such  a  fear 
of  pulling,  that  he  cannot  be  induced  to  repeat  it.     Hitch 


Fig.  108,— Proper  method  of  hitchiDg  the  colt  at  first. 

in  this  way  in  the  stall  a  few  times  until  there  is  no  incli- 
nation to  pull  loose,  after  which  he  can  be  hitched  with  en- 
tire safety,  directly  by  the  head. 

By  this  mode  of  treatment,  there  is  no  danger  of  the 
colt  straining  or  hurting  himself,  or  pulling  himself  down— 
a  very  objectionable  habit— or  to  pull  loose  when  first 
hitched.  It  teaches  him  to  submit  unconditionally  to  the 
restraint  of  the  halter  upon  the  head  under  the  greatest  ex- 
citement. 

For  extended  details  of  hitching  by  the  halter,  and  hal- 
ter pulling,  see  chapter  under  that  head. 


CHAPTER    III. 


EXCESSIVE  FEAR.— ITS  EFFECTS. 


It  is  quite  wonderful  to  what  a  degree  the  nervous  sys- 
tem can  be  shaken  or  deranged  by  a  sudden  fright  or  in- 
tense fear.    So  susceptible  is  the  mind  to  this  influence 


Fio.  109. — The  colt  excited  by  fear. 

that  not  infrequently  very  trifling  causes  in  themselves 
make  such  an  imj^ression  upon  children  and  sensitive  per- 
sons as  to  produce  convulsions  and  insanity  that  may  in 
some  cases  end  in  death.  Even  large  audiences  are  some- 
times so  panic-stricken  by  the  cry  of  fire,  or  some  other 

(118) 


GENEEAL  REMARKS.  119 

cause  uf  danger,  as  to  seem  insensible  to  reason.  Under 
such  circumstances,  many  men  and  women  become  so  de- 
mented that  they  are  most  likely  to  do  just  what  they 
should  not.  For  example,  they  will  try  to  save  things  of 
no  value,  and  leave  valuable  property  to  be  destroyed, 
throw  mirrors  and  other  fragile  articles  from  upper  story 
windows,  without  realizing  they  must  be  broken ;  be  un- 
able to  dress,  or  will  get  on  garments  the  wrong  way,  etc. 

Now  the  horse  is  liable  to  be  excited  and  deranged  in 
the  same  manner.  It  is  well  understood  how  difficult  it  is 
to  get  horses  out  of  a  burning  building ;  and  if  by  blind- 
folding, etc.,  they  are  taken  out,  when  given  freedom  their 
confusion  and  excitement  is  so  intense  that  they  are  apt  to 
rush  back  into  the  fire.  On  the  sudden  approach  of  a  train, 
or  blowing  of  the  whistle,  a  horse  in  crossing  the  track  is 
liable  to  become  so  paralyzed  that  he  cannot  be  forced  across 
in  time  to  prevent  a  collision.  It  is  not  uncommon  to  have 
a  horse  frightened  to  death  in  this  way. 

To  illustrate^  I  will  include  an  account  of  a  few  such 
cases  that  comprise  the  record  of  a  few  days  only  : 

"In  Rochester,  K  Y.,  the  other  day,  a  horse  was  so  frio;]itene(l  at  an 
engine  letting  oif  steam  that  it  trembled,  and  in  a  moment  fell  dead  from 
fright/' 

"At  White  Plains,  New  York,  a  horse  was  so  friglitcned  hy  a  locomo- 
tive whistle  that  he  dropped  dead." 

"Two  very  remarkable  cases  of  horses  being  frightened  to  death  oc- 
curred in  Fairmount  Park,  Phil.,  within  the  past  few  days.  Last  Thursday 
the  horse  of  P.  Wallace,  of  Seventeenth  and  Catharine  streets,  became  un- 
manageable, through  fright  at  a  train  of  cars  on  Mifflin  Lane.  The  occu- 
pants of  the  carriage  alighted,  and  Mr.  Wallace  undertook  to  drive  the  horse 
off  to  quiet  it,  when  it  dropped  dead." 

"During  Monday  the  horse  of  Mr.  Zeiss,  Ridge  avenue  and  Jefferson 
street,  ran  away  by  fright  at  a  passing  steamboat.  Guard  Ledlie  caught  the 
animal,  when  Mr.  Zeiss  said  ho  could  then  manage  the  horse,  and  started  off. 
The  horse  went  off  all  right  for  about  60  yards,  when  he  again  ran  away  and 
went  15  or  20  feet,  when  he  dropped  dead." 

Colts  or  unbroken  horses  are  especially  susceptible  to 
fear.  Almost  every  step  in  their  management,  as  shown 
in  Colt  Training,  hes  in  overcoming  resistance  excited  by 


120 


FEAE.— ITS  EFFECTS. 


Fig.  110. — Nervous,  excitable  character. 


fear.  It  is  the  principal  cause  of  kicking  and  running  away, 
as  well  as  many  other  annoying  or  dangerous  habits,  which 
make  the  horse  partially  or  Avholly  worthless  for  use. 

A  colt  that  once  had  the  habit  of  feeding  around  and 

poaching  in  neighboring 
yards,  was  so  gentle  and 
indifferent  to  fear  that 
he  could  scarcely  be 
driven  away.  In  order 
to  frighten  him  off,  an 
old  tin  pail  was  tied  to 
his  tail  and  a  dog  set  on 
him.  At  first  he  cared 
nothing  about  it,  but 
when  he  started  to  run, 
the  pail  rattled  and 
thumped  against  his  heels  so  severely  that  he  became  fright- 
ened, and  kicked.  The  fjxster  he  ran,  the  more  the  pail 
rattled  and  thumped  against  his  legs,  and  he  ran  until  he 
was  exhausted.  As  the  result,  his  nervous  system  was  so 
shaken  and  injured  that  afterward  the  stirring  of  the  grass, 
or  drawing  of  a  stick  on  the  ground  behind  him,  would  so 
excite  him  that  he  would  scringe,  switch,  and  kick. 

The  effect  is  the  same  upon  a  colt  or  horse,  which  by 
some  accident  or  imprudence  has  been  excited  to  kick  and 
run  away  while  hitched  to  a  wagon.  The  striking  of  the 
wagon  against  the  legs  in  kicking,  makes  him  think  it  is  the 
wagon  hitting  and  hurting  him,  and  he  tries  in  the  most 
desperate  manner  to  get  away  or  free  himself  from  it ;  so 
the  fear,  kicking,  and  running  are  increased  until  freed  from 
the  wagon,  disabled,  or  caught.  Thus  the  wagon  becomes 
the  same  in  respect  to  frightening  and  exciting  the  horse 
and  spoiling  him,  that  the  tin  pail  was  in  frightening  the 
colt.      The  same  effect,  of  exciting  and  frightening  the 


GENEEAL  EEMAEKS.  121 

horse  as  by  sudden  or  unexpected  contact  with  objects  or 
sounds,  are  produced  in  various  ways.  Now,  as  these  dif- 
ficulties are  entirely  preventable  by  proper  treatment,  the 
importance  of  understanding  and  applying  it  can  be  appre- 
ciated. 

A  horse's  way  of  reasoning  is  limited  to  his  experience 
in  seeing,  hearing,  and  feel- 
ing. When  comdnced  in 
this  way  that  an  object  or 
sound  will  not  hurt  him,  no 
matter  how  objectionable 
or  repugnant  it  may  have 
previously  seemed  in  ap- 
pearance, it  will  be  re- 
garded with  entire  indif- 
ference.      It  is  remarkable         Fig.  hi.— Extreme  of  a  wild,  vicious 

also  what  a  degree  of  in-  "^*'''"''" 

sensibility  to  fear,  or  how  much  confidence  can  be  inspired 
when  proper  treatment  is  apphed.  For  instance  :  Let  a 
pole  be  brought  suddenly  or  unexpectedly  against  the  quar- 
ters of  a  wild  colt,  and  he  will  instantly  jump,  snort,  and 
kick,  showing  the  greatest  fear  of  it.  If  this  be  repeated 
for  a  few  times,  the  fear,  kicking,  and  effort  to  get  away 
will  be  greatly  increased.  If,  on  the  contrary,  the  pole 
were  slowly  and  gently  brought  to  the  nose,  so  that  he  can 
smell  of  it,  then  passed  over  the  mane  and  back,  gently 
rubbing  the  parts,  and  gradually  extending  it  over  the  hips 
and  across  the  quarters  lightly,  increasing  the  force  of  the 
contact  as  he  will  bear,  at  the  same  time  attracting  his  at- 
tention, and  quieting  his  fear  by  stroking  the  head,  talking 
to  him,  or  giving  apples,  etc.,  a  few  repetitions,  requiring 
in  all,  perhaps  not  more  than  ten  or  fifteen  minutes,  will 
make  the  colt  entirely  fearless  and  indifferent  to  being 
touched. 


12.2 


FEAR— ITS   EFFECTS. 


T  was  once  present  when  a  team  of  four  horses  was  har- 
nessed for  the  first  time  to  a  band  wagon.  With  the  first 
note,  the  horses  were  excited  to  such  intense  fear  that  it 
was  only  by  the  greatest  effort  they  were  kejit  from  run- 
ning away,  though  the  band  stopped  playing  instantly.     I 

directed  the  men  to  get  out  and 
go  back  about  fifteen  rods.  In 
the  meantime,  I  took  the  most 
excitable  horse  by  the  bridle, 
stroked  his  nose,  talked  to  him 
quietly,  and  directed  the  others 
to  be  treated  in  a  like  manner. 
They  were  greatly  excited ;  the 
one  I  held  fairly  shook  with 
fear.  After  a  few  minutes,  I 
directed  the  band  to  commence 
very  lightly  upon  one  or  two  in- 
struments at  first,  the  others  af- 
terward to  gradually  start  in.  This  slight  commencement 
was  repeated  several  times  before  the  horses  would  bear  it 
without  showing  great  excitement.  I  then  directed  them  to 
play  louder,  and  increase  the  tone  gradually  until  up  to  the 
full  force  of  all  the  instruments  and  drums.  This  point 
made,  while  playing  they  came  forward  very  slowly,  got  in 
and  commenced  again  in  the  lightest  possible  manner,  grad- 
ually increasing  the  sound  until  they  played  again  with 
full  force.  I  now  directed  the  band  to  keep  quiet  while 
the  team  wns  driven  a  short  distance,  then,  as  before,  com- 
mence lightly  and  slowly,  gradually  playing  louder  until 
the  horses  appeared  indifferent  to  the  sound.  The  result 
was  that  in  less  than  twenty  minutes  the  band  paraded  the 
streets,  playing  as  they  pleased,  the  horses  entirely  gentle, 
in  fact,  appearing  to  enjoy  the  music.  Here  we  see  such 
marked  excitement  and  fear  shown  from  hearing  a  sudden, 


Fig.  113. — Docile,  intelligent 
character. 


GENERAL   REMARKS. 


12:^ 


unexpected  sound,  as  to  precipitate  the  most  violent  resist- 
ance, and  the  contrary  of  soon  quieting  down  and  becoming 
indifferent  to  it,  by  convincing  the  reason  that  it  would  not 
cause  injury. 

Understanding  these  effects,  we  will  now  consider  con- 
ditions. Suppose  we  wish  to  accustom  a  colt  to  the  sight 
of  a  piece  of  paper  or  a  white  handkerchief.  It  is  first 
brought  to  his  nose  so  that  he  is  able  to  feel  of  it,  and  see 
it  plainly,  then  rubbed  against  the  head  and  neck  until  it 
ceases  to  attract  attention. 
If  now  the  operator  were 
to  step  behind  or  opposite 
the  flanks,  and  throw  it 
suddenly  behind  or  under 
the  belly,  it  would  be  very 
likely  to  excite  as  much 
fear  and  resistance  as  if  ,f] 
he  had  not  before  seen  or 
felt  it.  The  difference  of 
position  makes  it  appear  a 
new  object  of  danger  to 
be  avoided.  Familiarized  with  it  at  the  head,  it  should  be 
thrown  down  carelessly  in  front,  then  a  little  further  back, 
occasionally  rubbing  it  against  the  head  and  nose,  and  so 
repeating  until  it  can  be  thrown  anywhere  around  or  under 
the  body ;  this  must  also  be  done  on  both  sides  of  the  body 
alike. 

A  spirited  horse  that  may  have  been  driven  for  years 
to  a  wagon,  gentle,  would  be  just  as  likely  to  kick  and  run 
away  should  the  breeching  break  and  let  the  cross-piece  or 
whiffletree  come  against  the  quarters,  as  if  he  had  previ- 
ously known  nothing  about  them.  And  so  in  relation  to 
other  objects  or  causes  of  resistance.  This  is  particularly 
noticeable  in  breaking  colts,  as  shown  by  the  fact  that  mak- 


FiG.  113. — Sullen,  treacberous  character. 


124 


FEAR— ITS   EFFECTS. 


ing  one  side  or  leg  gentle  will  not  make  other  parts  so ; 
both  sides  must  be  treated  alike.  It  is  on  account  of  these 
conditions  not  being  understood  (the  details  of  which  are 
given  in  Colt  Training,  Kicking,  etc.)  that  so  many  acci- 
dents occur  from  the  use  of  horses  supposed  to  be  gentle 
and  safe.  They  are  gentle  so  far  as  they  have  been  broken 
or  accustomed  to  certain  objects  or  sounds,  but  when  sub- 
jected to  changes,  the  impulse  of  kicking,  running  away, 


Fig.  114. —  Simple  Treatment  -  bringiug  the  pole  over  the  back 
and  quarters  until  no  fear  of  it  is  shown. 

etc.,  is  as  liable  to  occur  as  if  they  were  entirely  unbroken. 
Hence  we  say  that  the  great  majority  of  such  accidents  are 
the  direct  result  of  ignorance  and  bad  treatment.  In  break- 
ing colts,  as  explained  under  that  head,  if  the  trainer  is  in 
no  hurry,  and  does  not  wish  to  resort  to  coercive  treatment, 
the  confidence  of  the  colt  can  be  easily  won  by  scratching 
the  mane,  giving  apples,  etc.  After  being  haltered,  com- 
mence rubbing  along  the  back  with  a  pole,  extending  it 
down  the  hips  and  legs,  and  giving  an  apple,  etc.  Where 
much  fear  is  shown,  bring  the  pole  to  the  first  point  and 


EATTLE   OF   A   WAGON.  125 

work  again  back  to  that  which  is  sensitive.  In  this  way 
continue  the  rubbing  or  scratching  about  the  hips,  quarters, 
or  flanks  until  no  fear  of  it  is  shown.  Or  a  short  hokl  can 
be  taken  of  the  halter,  and,  while  stepping  around,  sharply 
pull  the  colt  after  ;  then  bring  the  pole  smoothly,  but  lightly, 
against  the  quarters  and  hips  until  submissive  to  it.  This 
slow  and  direct  method  of  treatment  is  as  good  and  lasting 
as  when  controlled  by  direct  subjective  treatment,  which  is 
necessary  only  when  resistance  is  great. 

Fear  of  Rattle  of  Wagon. 

If  the  horse  is  afraid  of  the  rattle  of  a  wagon,  restrain 
or  overcome  his  resistance  as  may  be  necessary  by  one  or 
more  of  the  methods  of  subjection.  Next,  accustom  the 
horse  to  being  touched  on  the  quarters,  etc.,  with  a  pole. 
Put  on  the  harness  with  Patent  Bridle,  or  Breaking  Bit,  to 
insure  holding  him  easily,  bring  him  in  front  of  the  shafts, 
and  have  some  one  rattle  the  wagon  until  the  horse  is  re- 
gardless of  it.  Now  carefully  put  him  between  the  shafts, 
and  let  the  wheels  and  body  of  the  wagon  be  shaken 
again ;  then  drop  the  shafts  upon  the  ground  and  repeat. 
Should  the  horse  at  any  time  try  to  run  ahead,  pull  him 
back  sharply  until  he  will  stand  quietly  without  resistance. 
Now  hitch  him  up  and  drive  moderately  at  first,  making  a 
noise  by  a  stick  running  across  the  spokes,  etc.  Gradually 
let  out  to  a  trot  and  run,  compelling  him  to  stop  occasion- 
ally at  the  command  to  "  whoa."  In  the  meantime,  as 
there  is  submission,  treat  kindly.  This  will  not  usually 
be  found  a  difficult  habit  to  overcome.  In  making  experi- 
ments before  classes  on  this  kind  of  cases,  which  were  very 
common,  it  rarely  required  more  than  fifteen  or  twenty 
minutes  to  hitch  up  nnd  drive  such  safely,  even  without 
breeching. 


120  FEAJI.— ITS    EFFECTS. 

Jumping  out  of  the  Shafts. 

To  make  a  colt  entirely  sale  and  reliable  in  shafts,  he 
should  be  thoroughly  accustomed  to  objects  striking  against 
his  quarters  or  legs.  It  is  not  sufficient  that  he  is  accus- 
tomed to  being  touched  around  the  tail,  or  even  flanks  ;  for 
though  brought  to  submit  to  this,  there  will  be  no  assur- 
ance of  his  being  gentle  should  the  shafts  strike  lower  down 
on  his  quarters  or  legs.  In  my  practice  I  always  make  it 
a  point,  even  after  the  colt  is  proved  gentle,  while  he  is 
standing  between  the  shafts  to  pull  them  against  tlie  legs 
both  ways,  letting  them  drop  down  sharply  on  the  ground, 
etc.,  until  he  is  entirel}^  indifferent  to  their  noise  or  con- 
tact. When  a  horse  is  not  properly  trained  to  this,  if  the 
breeching  is  not  unbuckled  Avhen  he  is  unhitched,  there 
is  danger  of  his  becoming  frightened  from  the  breeching 
pulling  the  shafts  sideways  against  the  legs,  and  bringing 
its  pressure  upon  another  part.  Under  such  circumstan- 
ces a  horse,  if  at  all  sensitive,  is  apt  to  become  very  much 
frightened,  kick,  and  jump  around  until  loose,  and  is  ever 
afterward,  the  moment  unhitched,  ready  to  jump  out  of  the 
shafts.  The  habit,  as  a  rule,  is  easy  to  overcome.  Simply 
accustom  the  quartei^-i  to  be  touched,  and  treat  practically  as 
before  exj^lained. 

Top  Carriage. 

A  very  little  precaution  in  preventing  excessive  fear 
will  save  a  great  deal  of  trouble.  In  no  respect  is  this 
more  strongly  illustrated  than  in  the  fear  of  a  top  carriage. 
Because  a  horse  drives  gently  to  an  open  carriage,  it  is  ta- 
ken for  granted  he  must  know  enough  to  drive  to  one  with 
a  top,  and  hence  the  trouble.  The  horse  should  first  be 
driven  around  moderately,  the  driver  carrying  over  his  head 


OBJECTS   EXCITING  FEAE.  127 

an  open  umbrella,  which  appears  to  the  horse  like  the  top 
of  a  carriage.  It  should  be  shaken  around  and  over  the 
horse's  body  gently  until  it  does  not  attract  his  attention 
in  the  least.  Now  lead  the  horse  to  the  carriage,  and  let 
him  feel  and  smell  of  the  top,  and,  while  doing  so,  raise  and 
lower  it.  Then  lead  him  around  the  carriage,  shaking  and 
rattling  the  top  at  intervals.  Next  lead  him  into  the  shafts 
so  as  to  bring  the  head  over  the  dash.  If  sensitive,  caress 
and  talk  to  him,  and  reward  as  before.  Turn  the  horse 
around  in  the  shafts,  lowering  and  raising  the  top  until  it 
can  be  brought  up  and  thrown  back  without  attracting  his 
notice.  While  the  top  is  up,  put  the  shafts  through  the 
lugs  so  as  to  bring  the  horse  into  position,  attach  the  har- 
ness, and  start  him  on  a  walk  or  moderate  trot,  rej)eating 
the  raising  and  lowering  of  the  top  until  it  is  disregarded, 
when  he  can  be  driven  rioht  alono-. 

O  a 

If  an  extreme  case,  it  will  be  necessary  to  first  compel 
submission  by  subjective  treatment,  and  getting  thorough 
•^jontrol  of  the  mouth  with  the  Breaking  Bit  or  Patent  Bri- 
dle. There  must  be  no  half-way  work.  Make  every  step 
sure,  and  go  slowly  until  the  horse  can  be  put  in  shafts  as 
before  explained,  and  driven  without  showing  fear.  This 
work  must  in  all  cases  be  done  out  of  doors.  It  may  also 
be  necessary  to  repeat  the  lesson  once  or  twice,  so  far  as 
leading  around,  feeling  and  smelling  of  the  carriage,  are 
concerned.  It  is  only  a  matter  of  a  little  work  and  care  in 
this  way  to  make  almost  any  horse  entirely  gentle  and 
fearless. 

Objects  Exciting  Fear  while  Riding  or  Driving. 

In  overcoming  the  horse's  fear  of  objects  while  riding 
or  driving,  very  much  depends  upon  the  treatment.  If  but 
partially  broken,  and  sensitive,  it  will  help  very  much  to 
put  him  through  a  course  of  subjection.    Sometimes,  horses 


128  FEAR— ITS   EFFECTS. 

so  exceedingly  sensitive  they  can  hardly  be  driven  with 
any  degree  of  safety,  after  being  treated  are  entirely  fear- 
less in  driving.  This  is  seen  in  the  effect  produced  by  the 
treatment  upon  the  wild  colt.  The  subjection  of  "  Wild 
Pete,"  and  other  horses  referred  to  at  the  conclusion  of  this 
chapter,  are  good  illustrations  of  the  remarkable  effect  of 
this  treatment. 

If  the  horse  drives  gentle,  but  is  afraid  of  some  special 
object,  such  as  a  white  stone,  stump,  sheep,  etc.,  take  all 
the  precaution  possible  against  his  seeing  such  things  sud- 
denly and  unexpectedly.  As  soon  as  his  alarm  is  excited, 
if  at  all  violent,  the  best  way  is  to  stop  him,  speak  encour- 
agingly, and  hold  him  quiet  until  his  alarm  subsides,  then 
let  him  go  on,  quieting  him  until  the  object  is  reached  or 
passed  by. 

Many  horses  comparatiA^ely  safe  are  liable  to  be  fright- 
ened by  suddenly  meeting  a  drove  of  sheep,  load  of  hay, 
white  cow,  sprinkling  wagon,  etc.  For  safety,  it  is  better 
for  a  few  times  to  get  out  and  take  the  horse  by  the  head 
and  hold  or  lead  him  in  part.  Particular  care  should  be 
taken  not  to  expose  him  to  the  sudden  meeting  of  a  brass 
band  and  drums.  If  he  is  a  crazy  headed  fellow  that  seems 
all  right  until  he  sees  something  and  then  loses  his  senses, 
lunging  into  the  fence,  or  turning  around  quickly,  there  is 
so  much  danger  of  being  upset  that  unless  there  is  certainty 
of  making  him  thoroughly  safe,  he  should  be  condemned 
for  such  use.  If  he  will  keep  well  up  to  the  bit  there 
should  be  no  trouble  in  preventing  his  going  sideways  by 
either  the  Breaking  Bit  or  Patent  Bridle. 

The  Bit  gives  power  in  but  two  ways, — sideways  and 
ahead  ;  so  if  the  horse  will  not  go  against  it  and  runs  back 
when  suddenly  frightened,  or  turns  around  quickly,  there 
is  practically  but  very  little  power  to  prevent  it,  except 
what  can  be  done  with  the  whip  and  speaking  sharply.  ^ 


FEAK  OF  PtOBE. 


129 


Hence  the  great  clanger  and  imprudence  of  using  such  horses 
for  single  carriage  driving. 

A  Kobe. 

The  sight  of  a  buffalo  robe  will  sometimes  excite  great 
fear  in  a  horse.  In  ordinary  cases  the  fear  of  it  can  be 
easily  overcome  as  follows  :  While  holding  the  horse  by  a 
halter,  or  War  Bridle,  which  would  be  better,  stand  on  the 
off  side  of  the  head,  and  bring  the  robe  up  to  the  right 
side,  so  that  he  can  see  and  smell  of  it.  If  this  is  borne, 
with  a  quick  jerk-Kke  movement  swing  it  over  the  head, 
covering  it  completely,  and  go  around  Avitli  him,  keeping 
on  either  side  of  the  head  until  he  will  stop  and  stand 
quietly.  The  first  movement  determines  the  success  or 
failure  of  the  experiment.  The  point  is  to  get  it  over  the 
head  so  quickly  that  the  horse  cannot  see  the  movement, 
when  the  terror  of  it  will  almost  immediateh'  subside. 
Then  draw  it  backward  and  forAvard,  finally  pulling  it  off 
and  throwing  it  on,  and  so  repeat  until  it  can  be  thrown 
over  the  body  or  around  the  horse  in  any  manner. 

If  there  is  failure  by  this  method,  which  is  something 
of  a  sleight,  take  the  following  course  :  First,  get  good  con- 
trol with  the  War  Bridle.  Next,  while  holding  the  horse 
firmly  with  one  hand,  with  the  other  bring  the  robe  gently 
to  his  nose,  letting  him  smell  and  feel  of  it,  when,  gradually, 
as  he  will  bear,  bring  it  up  over  the  head,  neck,  and  bod}' ; 
then  stand  off  a  little  way,  and  throw  it  upon  him,  and  re- 
peat until  it  can  be  thrown  upon  him  at  a  distance  of  eight 
or  ten  feet  without  exciting  fear.  Both  sides  must  be 
treated  alike. 

No  matter  what  is  done,  the  treatment  must  always 

commence  at  the  nose  and  head,  and  gradually  work  back, 

as  before  explained.     To  overcome  all  fear  of  the  robe,  it 

*may  be  necessary  to  repeal   the  lesson  several  times.     If 

0 


130 


FEAR..— ITS  EFFECTS. 


the  robe  cannot  be  brought  near  tlie  horse  with  safety  by 
the  control  of  the  War  Bridle,  the  resistance  must  be  over- 
come by  First  or  Second  Methods  of  Subjection.  The 
Breaking  Rig,  if  available,  Avould  be  still  simpler  and  bet- 
ter. Occasionally  there  may  be  found  cases  in  which  the 
intensest  fear  may  be  shown,  for  Avhich  the  treatment  should 
be  made  exceptionally  careful  and  thorougli.      Cases  5  and 


Fig.  115. — Lettiug  colt  feel  and  smell  of  an  umbrella. 

7,  referred  to  at  the  close  of  this  chapter,  are  good  illus- 
trative subjects. 

When  treated  by  Second  Method,  the  horse  may  strike 
and  kick  so  recklessly  as  the  robe  is  brought  near,  it  may 
be  necessary  to  hang  it  upon  the  end  of  a  pole  to  bring  it 
near  the  head  with  safety.  It  will  aid  greatly  to  give  the 
horse  apples,  etc.,  after  submitting. 

Umbrella  or  Parasol. 

For  an  ordinary  case  of  a  horse  being  afraid  of  an  um- 
brella or  parasol,  bring  one  while  closed,  gently  to  the  nose, 
passing  it  back  over  the  head  and  neck ;  then  open  it  a  lit- 


FEAR  OP  GUJ^.  J3J 

tie  and  repeat  until  it  can  be  fully  spread  and  brought  over 
and  around  the  body  generally.  Now  go  off  some  distance 
and  again  approach  slowly,  and  hold  it  over  the  head  If 
at  any  point,  there  is  much  fear  evinced,  close  it  and  let 
the  horse  see  and  smell  of  it,  when  again  repeat  the  ex- 
periment; so  continue  until  the  horse  can  be  approached 
m  any  manner  while  swinging  the  umbrella  over  the  head 


Fig.  116.— BringiDg  umbrella  over  the  head. 

without  attracting  notice.  No  matter  how  well  the  horse 
behaves,  the  umbrella  should  not  at  any  time  be  forced 
upon  him  so  quickly  or  unexpectedly  as  to  excite  him  To 
do  so  would  endanger  undoing  the  good  impression  previ- 
ously made.  The  lesson  should  be  repeated  as  for  other 
objects. 

Sound  of  a  Gun. 

If  the  horse  is  afraid  of  the  sound  of  a  gun,  first,  snap 
caps  some  distance  from  him,  gradually  going  nearer  and 


132  FEAE.—ITS  EFFECTS. 

repeating  until  it  can  be  done  over  the  body,  neck,  and 
head,  occasionally  patting  and  rubbing  the  head  and  neck 
with  the  hand ;  then  repeat,  putting  in  small  charges  of 
powder  and  coming  nearer,  and  so  continue  until  a  full 
charge  can  be  fired  over  or  near  the  horse,  as  desired. 

Hogs  and  Dogs. 

Sometimes  a  dog  or  hog  by  running  under  a  colt  will 
excite  intense  fear.  If  very  bad,  get  good  control  by  sub- 
jecting to  First  and  Second  Methods,  and  drive  around  in 
harness  in  a  small  yard  where  th  re  are  hogs  until  they  will 
not  attract  attention.  Next,  hitch  to  a  wagon,  and  repeat 
the  driving  slowly.  These  cases  usually  require  several 
repetitions  of  treatment. 

Railroad  Cars. 

When  a  horse  has  been  frightened  by  a  locomotive  or 
train  of  cars,  it  is  sometimes  a  very  difficult  matter  to  over- 
come the  fear,  mainly  on  account  of  the  inability  to  control 
the  movement  of  the  cars.  The  simplest  and  best  course 
for  all  average  cases  will  be  about  as  f  Hows  : — 

Drive  the  horse  around  in  harness,  so  far  away  from 
the  engine  as  not  to  excite  much  fear,  and  gradually  drive 
back  and  forth  in  long  circles,  and  closer,  st  ping  ccasion- 
ally  to  give  a  piece  of  apple,  or  something,  talking  and  rub- 
bing the  head  and  neck  awhile.  Sometimes  it  may  be  ad- 
visable to  use  the  War  Bridle ;  but,  as  a  general  thing,  it 
would  be  better  to  teach  him  confidence  by  driving  around 
near  the  train.  This  should  be  repeated  until  he  can  be 
driven  around,  and  quite  close,  without  offering  resistance. 
Now  drive  around  to  a  wagon  or  sulky ;  if  to  a  wagon,  get 
one  that  will  allow  turning  short  circles  without  upsetting. 
To  work  surely,  it  is  necessary  to  work  slowly.  Of  course 
it  will  be  necessary  to  have  absolute  control  over  the  mouth. 


BAILEOAD  CABS.  1^3 

In  this  way  a  horse  can  be  driven  with  comparative  safety 
near  or  about  moving  or  stationary  trains.  Anything  Hke 
complicated  rigging  for  the  control  of  such  horses  will  be 
found  comparatively  worthless.  If  the  horse  cannot  be 
driven  with  safety  after  the  treatment  given,  the  risk  is  too 
great;  he  had  better  be  discarded  for  driving  near  the  cars. 

It  may  be  asked,  how  I  have  been  able  to  make  horses 
so  fearless  of  the  cars  that  they  can  be  led  up  to  an  engine 
or  driven  near,  with  indifference.  The  course  I  have  usu- 
ally pursued  is  as  follows  :  First  get  the  horse  under  good 
control  by  a  course  of  subjection,  usually  by  the  First  or 
Second  Methods,  or  both;  then  make  arrangements  with  the 
engineer  to  let  off  steam  plentifully,  and  rush  the  horse, 
with  the  harness  on,  into  it  until  completely  covered,  when 
he  will  soon  cease  to  care  anything  about  the  noise,  etc.  If 
this  cannot  be  done,  drive  him  around,  gradually  going 
nearer  the  engine,  until  indifferent  to  it. 

Much  depends,  in  the  first  place,  upon  getting  the  horse 
under  good  control ;  second,  in  the  management  while  in 
the  neighborhood  of  the  engine.  A  good  way,  sometimes, 
is  to  blindfold  the  horse  and  dri^^e  near  the  train  until  quiet, 
then  let  him  see  out  of  one  eye,  gradually  moving  him 
around,  and  let  him  see  out  of  both  eyes.  Very  much  can 
be  done  in  this  way.  The  horse  should  be  hitched  to  a 
wagon  and  driven  at  every  available  opportunity  about  or 
near  the  cars. 

There  is  one  point  to  which  I  would  call  particular  at- 
tention :  The  horse  may  appear  perfectly  gentle  after  being 
treated,  but  when  the  position  is  changed,  as  when  taken 
from  a  building  into  the  street,  or  from  the  street  into  a 
building,  or  if  allowed  to  stand  for  some  time,  he  will,  upon 
trial,  seem  to  be  as  much  afraid  as  ever,  but  upon  repeti- 
tion of  treatment  it  will  require  only  a  very  few  minutes  to 
make  him  as  fearless  as  before. 


134  PEAR— ITS  EFFECTS. 

Prenatal  Causes. 

In  this  connection  I  would  call  attention  to  indirect 
causes  of  fear  which  should  be  guarded  against.  For 
example  :  A  farmer  who  kept  a  small  dairy  had  the  cows 
driven  to  and  from  the  pasture  by  a  trained  dog,  which  bit 
and  frightened  one  of  them  severely.  A  neighbor  had  a 
very  wild  cow,  which  had  been  treated  gently.  Both 
cows  having  steer  calves,  the  ow^ner  of  the  wild  cow  bought 
the  calf  raised  by  the  neighbor  for  the  j^urpose  of  match- 
ing his  own  to  make  a  yoke  of  steers.  When  he  tried  to 
train  them,  he  found  the  one  out  of  the  gentle  cow  that 
had  been  frightened,  exhibited  such  uncontrollable  fear  of 
dogs,  and  became  so  wild  when  he  saw  one  or  heard  it 
bark,  that  he  could  do  nothing  with  him,  and  so  sold  him 
for  beef.  The  incident  was  related  to  me  by  the  owner, 
who  was  a  member  of  my  class,  upon  my  advancing  the 
theory  that  great  extremes  of  fear  or  viciousness  were 
sometimes  the  effect  of  prenatal  causes. 

Soon  afterward,  in  the  same  neighborhood,  a  five-year- 
old  colt  was  brought  in  to  be  experimented  upon  before  a 
class.  He  was  extremely  wild  and  difficult  to  approach, 
and,  as  the  owner  stated,  had  never  been  touched  or 
handled  by  any  one.  Upon  remarking  that  there  must 
haA^e  been  some  good  cause  for  this,  and  that  usually  such 
extreme  fear  and  sensibility  was  the  result  of  abuse  to  the 
mother,  the  owner  said,  "  That  is  true,"  and  then  gave  me 
the  following  ficts  concerning  him  :  "  When  the  stallion 
was  brought  to  serve  the  mare,  he  acted  badly,  and  was 
disposed  to  resist  the  groom,  for  which  he  was  taken  behind 
the  barn  and  severely  whipped.  In  this  condition,  while 
A^ery  much  excited,  he  w^as  put  to  the  mare.  When  the 
colt  came,  he  was  so  wild  that  no  one  could  get  near 
enough  to  touch  him. 


INSANITY.  135 

It  being  impossible,  with  safety,  to  go  near  enough  to 
this  colt  to  touch  him,  the  halter  was  put  on  with  pole,  as 
explained  in  "  Colt  Training,"  when  he  was  easily  subjected 
to  Second  Method,  by  which  he  was  made  s  gentle  and 
manageable  in  about  fifteen  minutes  that  he  was  harnessed 
and  driven  to  breaking-cart,  without  breeching,  acting  as 
well  as  any  ordinary,  quiet  colt. 

A  great  many  cases    illustrating   the    effects    of  bad 

treatment  at  such  times,  have  been  repeatedly  brought  to 

mv  notice. 

Insanity. 

It  is  not  uncommon  to  find  horses  insanely  afraid  of 
some  particular  object,  as  blood,  or  the  sound  of  the  cars, 
etc.,  while  perfectly  indifi'erent  to  other  objects  or  sounds. 
The  causes  we  cannot  always  trace,  though  we  can  see 
the  effects.  In  all  ordinary  cases,  there  is  but  little 
difficulty  in  overcoming  such  fear  by  proper  treatment, 
but  it  is  possible  to  find  cases  so  extreme  as  to  render  it 
difficult,  if  not  impossible,  to  make  reasonably  safe.  I  am 
satisfied,  as  before  explained,  that  many  of  the  extreme 
cases  of  this  character  which  I  have  treated,  have  been  the 
effect  of  prenatal  causes.  But  the  nervous  system  can  be 
so  impressed  by  direct  causes  of  fear  and  injury  as  to 
destroy  life  or  produce  insanity,  as  shown  by  reference  to 
several  cases  in  the  first  part. 

This  insanity  in  horses  is  shown  by  the  intense  re- 
pugnance to  special  objects  and  sounds.  Horses  that  have 
once  been  frightened  by  something  giving  out,  or  running 
against  the  hind  quarters,  cutting  or  injuring  them,  per- 
haps severely,  are  afterward  uncontrollably  afraid  of  the 
noise  of  the  wagon,  or  the  shafts  touching  the  parts.  One 
of  the  worst  horses  I  ever  handled  was  a  small  bay,  in 
Vermont,  that  was  perfectly  gentle,  except  being  afraid  of 
the  shafts  touching  one  quarter.     This  was  caused  by  the 


].%  PFAE.— ITS  EFFECTS. 

•shaft  liaviuiJ'  run  into  his  ([nartor.  OrdinaiT  cases  of  this 
kind  yield  to  treatment  in  a  few  moments.  Some  nerAous 
systems  are  susceptible  to  very  intense  impressions  when 
once  excited,  and  there  will  he  corresponding  difficulty  in 
OA^ercoming  them.  Therefore  success  must  he  determined 
as  much  by  the  intensity  of  the  habit,  as  by  the  treatment. 
The  success  of  the  treatment  Avill  depend  upon  the  direct- 
ness wdth  Avhich  the  brain  can  be  influenced ;  but  success 
in  getting  up  a  reaction  and  changing  the  character  as  de- 
sired, must  )»e  equally  the  result  of  the  amount  of  resist- 
ance, viciousness,  or  derangement  of  the  nervous  system. 
These  are  jjoints  which  should  be  studied,  since  frequently 
even  a  minor  habit,  or  apparently  trifling  form  of  resist- 
ance, may  cause  a  great  deal  of  trouble  to  l»e  overcome, 
because  of  the  intensely  susceptible  as  Avell  as  positive 
character  of  the  case. 

I  include  here  an  account  of  a  few  representative 
cases,  out  of  the  many  to  Avhich  reference  could,  if  neces- 
sary, be  made,  mainly  for  the  purpose  of  showing  the  re- 
markable change  of  cliaracter  that  may  be  produced  in  a 
horse  when  subjected  to  proper  treatment. 

Case  T. 

When  at  Buftalo,  New  York,  an  eight-year-old  sorrel 
horse,  owned  by  William  Press,  of  Gowanda,  w\is  brought  as 
a  subject  for  experiment.  This  horse  Avhen  six  years  old 
was  used  to  plow  corn.  The  whiflletree  coming  accident- 
ally against  his  quarters,  so  frightened  him  that  he  kicked 
and  ran  away,  tearing  the  cultivator  to  pieces.  Every 
effort  to  work  him  afterward  only  intensified  his  fear. 
Four  or  five  times  in  succession  he  kicked  loose  and  ran 
away,  becoming  wholly  unmanageable. 

Mr.  Press  was  a  leading  horseman  in  the  town.  He 
had  recently  taken  lessons  in  the  art  with  a  number  of 


ILLUSTEATIVE  CASES. 


137 


FiCr.  117. — Press  Horse,  after 
being  subdued. 


others,  and  they  eonchided  to  try  tlieii-  skill  on  the  sorrel. 

Five   of  them  as.senibled  on  the  following   Sunday,  and 

worked  half  a  day  on  the  horse, 

using   nearly  thirty  dollars' 

worth  of  rigging.      The  result 

was,  that  after  doing  all  they 

could,  ^vhen  they  tried  to  hitch 

and  drive  the  horse,  he  kicked 

himself  loose,  and  ran  furiously 

OA' er  a  mile  into  the  village,  with 

his  straps  and  rigging  hanging 

to  him.      They  concluded  now 

the  horse  could  not  be  broken, 

and  that  he  was  j^ractically 

worthless. 

My.  Press  brought  the  horse  to  Buffalo,  and  offered  to 
sell  him  to  me.  I  told  him,  if  he  Avould  join  my  class,  I 
would  break  the  horse  for  him,  as  I  wanted  just  such  a  one 
upon  which  to  illustrate  the  effect  of  the  treatment. 

"  I  do  not  care  to  join  any  horse-taming  class,"  replied 
he.  "  I  have  been  in  a  number  of  them,  and  can  do  as  much 
with  a  horse  as  any  man.  I  do  not  want  any  such  instruc- 
tions, but  will  sell  you  the  horse." 

"  I  do  not  want  your  horse,"  said  I,  "  but  if  you  will 
join  the  class  and  bring  him  in  for  me  to  experiment  upon, 
I  will  guarantee  not  to  injure  him,  and  promise  if  I  do  not 
hitch  him  up  and  drive  him  perfectly  gentle  in  twenty  min- 
utes, to  charge  you  nothing  for  instructions,  and  also  to  give 
you  the  best  suit  of  clothes  to  be  found  in  the  city  of  Buf- 
falo." 

"  I  will  come  on  these  conditions,"  said  he,  "  yet  I  know 
no  living  man  can  drive  that  horse." 

He  and  his  friends  laughed  in  anticipation  of  the  sport 
they  were  to  have  in  seeing  me  defeated.     They  knew,  as 


138  FEAE.— ITS  EFFECTS. 

they  supposed,  all  about  horse-taming,  and  felt  sure  this 
subject  would  cause  me  humiliating  failure.  When  he  was 
brought  in,  Mr.  Press  got  upon  the  top  seat,  out  of  harm's 
way.  At  the  same  time  he  told  the  people  that  ten  men 
could  not  hold  the  horse  in  shafts,  and  that  he  felt  it  his 
duty  to  tell  them  that  they  must  look  out  for  themselves. 
I  told  the  people  there  was  no  danger  at  all,  that  the  case 
was  in  fact  a  very  simple  one  to  manage. 

I  subjected  him  quickly  to  the  First  and  Second 
Methods,  which  made  him  submit  to  have  anything  brought 
against  his  quarters ;  this  was  the  first  point  to  be  gained. 
I  then  obtained  control  of  the  mouth  by  the  Breaking  Bit, 
when  I  hitched  him  up  and  drove  him,  without  breeching, 
perfectly  gentle  and  manageable,  all  of  which  was  done 
within  fifteen  minutes.  Next  morning,  I  gave  him  another 
short  lesson  out  of  doors,  testing  him  hard,  hitching  and 
unhitching  him  in  the  open  street  with  entire  success.  The 
feat  was  regarded  as  marvelous.  Mr.  P.  and  others  who 
knew  the  case,  said  they  would  not  have  believed  it  possi- 
ble had  they  not  seen  it  done. 

Though  the  horse  appeared  perfectly  gentle,  Mr.  P. 
said  he  had  no  faith  that  he  would  stay  broken,  and  that 
he  would  not  ride  behind  him  for  any  amount  of  money, 
and  offered  to  sell  him  to  me  at  my  own  price.  I  bought 
the  horse,  and  two  weeks  afterward,  sold  him  in  the  city 
where  he  was  afterward  used,  and  proved  perfectly  gentle. 

I  will  explain  here  an  interesting  fact  in  connection 
with  this  case,  to  show  the  necessity  of  treating  a  horse 
where  in  the  habit  of  resisting,  and  where  it  is  desired  to 
work  him  :  Knowing  I  could  make  a  great  stir  in  Gowanda 
by  taking  him  back  and  exhibiting  him  there,  and  anticipat- 
ing that  the  horse,  though  under  the  most  perfect  control  in 
the  city,  would  be  likely  when  in  the  country  to  show  some 
of  his  old  nature,  I  arranged  to  guard  against  such  results 


ILLUSTEATIVE  CASfiS.  139 

as  much  as  I  could  by  driving  there  in  the  night,  as  doubt- 
ful horses  always  drive  better  in  the  night  than  in  the  day 
time.  I  started  about  9  o'clock,  and  as  I  had  anticipated, 
upon  reaching  the  country,  he  acted  so  badly,  showing  such 
intense  fear  of  almost  everything  he  saw,  that  I  could  not 
drive  him  with  any  safety.  I  was,  in  fact,  compelled  to 
get  out  and  lead  him  back  to  the  settled  part  of  the  city, 
when  he  at  once  drove  as  well  as  ever.  I  had  broken  and 
driven  him  in  the  noisiest  and  most  densely  traveled  part 
of  the  city.  There  he  was  perfectly  gentle  ;  but  upon  tak- 
ing him  where  he  had  not  been  controlled,  the  instinct  of 
his  old  fear  and  resistance  became  so  strong,  that  to  pro- 
ceed would  be  at  the  risk  of  having  him  kick  and  resist 
control.  If  subjected  to  treatment  here,  his  management 
would  have  been  as  easy  and  simple  as  in  the  city.  But 
as  I  did  not  care  to  do  this,  on  account  of  the  difficulty  of 
getting  privacy,  and  w^hich  would  also  require  doing  the 
whole  work  over  again,  I  concluded  to  give  up  the  project 
of  exhibiting  him  at  Gowanda.  My  friends  never  knew 
the  reason  of  my  not  showing  him  there  as  promised,  and 
will  learn  it  for  the  first  time  from  this  explanation. 

A  very  sensitive  horse  will  always  behave  better  in  a 
noisy  city  than  in  the  country.  The  rattle  and  noise  on 
every  side  so  confuses  as  to  prevent  him  from  concentrat- 
ing his  purpose  to  resist,  or  from  having  his  attention  di- 
rected in  any  particular  direction ;  whereas  in  the  country 
the  whole  attention  is  attracted  to  some  special  object  or 
cause  of  notice,  and  excites  correspondingly  increased  dis- 
turbance. This  condition  is  specially  referred  to  under 
various  heads. 

Case  II. 

This  was  an  eight-year-old  bay,  owned  in  Brookville, 
Pa.     He  was  of  ordinary  size,  nervous  temperament,  good 


140  li^EAR.— ITS   EFFECTS. 

head,  strong,  dense  texture  of  body,  and  naturally  of  good 
disposition,  but  had  been  spoiled  by  being  frightened  into 
running  away  several  times,  the  last  time  jumping  over  the 
toll-gate  and  leaving  the  wagon  there.  He  was  afraid  of  a 
wagun  and  could  not  even  be  hitched  to  one.  The  people 
did  not  question  my  ability  to  so  control  him  that  I  could 
drive  him,  but  would  not  believe  that  I  could  break  him  so 
that  others  could  drive  him.  There  was  a  general  impres- 
sion that  I  either  acted  upon  the  horse's  brain  in  some  mys- 
terious Avay  to  control  him,  or  that  I  gave  medicine  to  do 
so.  Some  went  so  far  as  to  say  they  would  not  believe  it 
though  they  should  see  it  done.  By  great  effort,  however, 
I  was  able  to  make  quite  a  large  class  on  the  condition  that 
I  subdue  this  horse  and  drive  him  perfectly  gentle  before 
them. 

I  subjected  the  case  to  First  and  Second  Methods,  and 
getting  good  control  of  the  mouth,  not  only  drove  him  to 
wagon  down  hill  without  breeching,  but  at  the  same  time, 
to  prove  his  perfect  safety,  had  him  driven  by  a  boy  eight 
years  old,  in  the  same  manner.  This  short  lesson  proved 
sufficient  to  completely  reform  him. 

Case  III. 

This  Avas  a  nine-year-old  bay  horse,  owned  by  Mr. 
Gates,  of  Garretsville,  Ohio.  He  would  run  away  in  double 
or  single  harness,  and  defied  every  effort  to  break  him.' 
With  great  care  he  could  be  hitched  up,  but  the  moment 
a  whip  or  the  least  thing  excited  him,  he  would  kick  and 
run  away,  regardless  of  all  control.  All  sorts  of  rigging  had 
been  tried  on  him  in  vain.  Although  a  very  powerful,  en- 
ergetic horse,  I  knew  he  would  not  prove  a  difficult  case, 
and  so  stated,  guaranteeing  that  I  would  hitch  him  up 
without  breeching,  drive  him  before  a  class,  and  make  him 
submit  to  nnv  excitement  desired. 


ILLUSTEATIVE   CASES.  141 

Upon  trial  he  yielded  readily  to  First  and  Second  Meth- 
ods ;  after  which,  with  the  Breaking  Bit,  I  obtained  entire 
control  of  the  mouth,  though  he  resisted  for  some  time  with 
great  courage  and  perseverance.  His  mouth  had  become 
so  hard  that  with  any  driving  bit  in  use,  he  could  run  away 
with  even  six  or  eight  men  holding  on  to  the  reins.  In 
about  thirty  minutes  from  the  time  I  commenced,  I  drove 
him,  perfectly  gentle,  in  shafts  without  breeching. 

I  saw  at  once  that  I  could  make  a  great  stir  with  him 
at  Garrettsville,  and  so  proposed  going  back  there  the  third 
time.  The  owner  consenting,  I  advertised  that  two  weeks 
afterward  I  would  drive  the  horse  without  breechino-,  down 
hill  through  the  main  street  of  Garrettsville,  while  distant 
from  him  ten  rods,  and  prove  him  one  of  the  safest  horses 
in  the  country.  At  the  time  appointed  there  was  a  large 
crowd  assembled  to  witness  the  experiment,  and  I  per- 
formed the  feat  without  any  reservation  whatever,  to  the 
Avonder  and  surprise  of  all  present,  enabling  me  to  make 
the  largest  class  I  had  yet  made  there. 

It  is  proper  to  explain  that  though  the  horse  had  stood 
idle  for  two  wrecks,  upon  trial  I  did  not  find  it  necessary  to 
repeat  the  treatment,  and  did  no  more  than  to  hitch  him 
up  under  canvas,  and  rush  him  out  into  the  street.  The 
owner  was  still  afraid  he  could  not  manage  the  horse  safely, 
so  he  wished  me  to  handle  him  once  more.  This  I  did  in 
a  field  outside  of  the  town,  where  I  subjected  him  to  the  most 
exacting  tests.  Years  afterward,  he  informed  me  that  he 
sold  the  horse  to  a  gentleman  in  Pittsburg,  who  used  him 
for  a  family  horse,  proving  him  one  of  the  gentlest  and  saf- 
est in  the  city. 

Case  IV. 

This  was  a  twelve-year-old  sorrel  horse,  owned  by  Dr. 
Keegan,  of  Cleveland,  Ohio.  While  hitched  in  the  street, 
and  covered  with  a  blanket^  he  was  frightened  by  the  wind 


142  PEAK.— ITS   EFFECTS. 

suddenly  lifting  and  throwing  the  blanket  under  his  body. 
It  was  afterward  an  object  of  such  terror  to  him  that  he 
did  not  have  a  blanket  over  him  again  for  seven  years. 
lie  would  have  killed  any  man  venturing  near  him  with 
one  in  his  hand.  When  I  exhibited  one  before  him,  at  a 
distance  of  twenty  feet,  he  plunged  away  in  the  most  des- 
perate manner ;  and  after  being  almost  completely  disabled, 
he  would  squeal,  strike,  and  kick  at  a  blanket  held  at  a  dis- 
tance of  ten  or  twelve  feet,  his  eyes  bloodshot  with  terror. 
The  point  was  to  appeal  to  the  understanding  without  seri- 
ously shocking  the  nervous  system. 

I  subjected  him  to  First  and  Second  Methods,  showing 
him  a  part  of  the  blanket,  first  at  a  distance  of  about  twelve 
or  fifteen  feet,  gradually  coming  nearer  as  I  felt  safe  in  so 
doing.  Even  after  a  treatment  that  would  have  compelled 
the  complete  submission  of  any  ordinary  horse,  he  was  so 
fierce  and  desperate  that  I  could  not  approach  near  enough 
with  the  blanket  to  make  him  smell  or  touch  it,  without 
danger  of  being  killed.  I  hung  it  upon  a  pole,  and  when 
able  finally  to  bring  it  against  his  nose,  he  grabbed  't  in  his 
mouth  four  or  five  times  with  the  ferocity  of  a  buUdo^  but 
biting  less  and  less  each  time,  until  he  seemed  to  cai'c  noth- 
ing about  it,  when  he  submitted  to  having  it  thrown  over 
or  around  him,  as  desired,  entirely  regardless  of  it ;  and 
the  experiment  was  pronounced  a  remarkable  success. 

Case  V. 
This  was  a  bay  pony,  nine  years  old,  owned  by  a  phy- 
sician at  Greencastle,  Pa.  This  horse  was  afraid  of  a  buf- 
falo-robe. I  had  a  large  class  of  leading  citizens,  and  at 
the  close  of  the  instructions  the  pony  was  brought  in.  Al- 
though distant  from  him  more  than  thirty  feet,  upon  ex- 
posing a  part  of  the  robe  to  his  view,  his  terror  became  so 
great  that  in  his   effort  to  get  away,  he  broke  out  of  the 


ILLUSTKATIYE   CASES.  143 

barn.  When  brought  back,  I  subjected  him  for  thirty  min- 
utes to  the  Second  Method,  without  making  any  apparent 
progress  in  overcoming  his  fear.  He  continued  making  the 
most  desperate  resistance  by  striking  and  kicking  at  the 
robe  whenever  it  was  exposed  to  his  view.  The  owner 
now  objected  to  further  treatment,  claiming  he  could  not 
be  broken,  which  was  seconded  by  the  class.  This  was 
extremely  annoying.  The  usual  experiments  and  instruc- 
tions had  been  gone  through  with,  the  class  entirely  satis- 
fied, and  at  the  time  this  horse  was  brought  in,  were  en- 
gaged in  paying  their  fees.  As  soon  as  they  saw  him  re- 
sist, they  stopped  paying  to  await  results  of  the  experi- 
ment, which,  as  explained,  was  pronounced  a  failure,  and 
a  sufficient  excuse  for  them  not  to  pay  me.  It  was  not 
alone  this  class  at  stake,  but  a  failure  would  be  magnified 
to  such  an  extent  as  to  destroy  confidence  in  my  efforts 
in  the  surrounding  towns. 

I  asked,  "What  do  you  value  your  horse  at?" 
He  replied,  "One  hundred  and  fifty  dollars." 
"Very  well,"  said  I,  and  put  up  the  amount,  which  he 
understood  he  was  at  liberty  to  take  if  the  experiment  re- 
sulted in  the  least  injury  to  the  horse.  I  then  said  to  the 
class:  "I  want  no  talk  or  criticism  from  you.  I  insist 
upon  your  keeping  still  and  in  your  places  until  the  result 
of  the  experiment  is  determined.  You  say  I  will  fail.  We 
will  see  about  that.     It  will  cost  you  nothing  if  I  do." 

As  I  brought  the  robe  near  the  horse,  he  was  so  des- 
perately afraid  of  it  that  he  would  squeal,  kick,  and  fight 
with  the  greatest  fury.  But  my  blood  was  up,  and  there 
was  nothing  for  it  but  at  any  hazard  to  see  the  end.  It 
was  a  severe  struggle ;  but  I  Avas  determined  to  push  him 
now,  regardless  of  consequences,  to  such  a  limit  of  help- 
lessness as  would  enable  me  to  bring  the  robe  close  to  his 
nose.     When  I  did  so,  he  grabbed  and  ground  it  between 


144  FEAK.— ITS    EFFECTS. 

his  teeth,  let  go,  grabbed  and  bit  it  again,  and  so  repeated, 
five  times  in  succession,  when  his  Avhole  nature  seemed  to 
suddenly  change,  and  he  submitted  to  it  without  the  least 
resistance.  I  now  rubbed  it  gently  over  his  head  and 
body,  then  untied  him  and  repeated  the  rubbing,  followed 
by  throwing  it  upon  him  gentl}^  In  a  few  moments  I 
could  stand  and  throw  it  upon  him  without  his  caring  for 
it.  All  were  now  delighted  with  the  result.  Every  man 
paid  his  fee  cheerfully.  The  pony  was  led  home  by  his 
owner,  who  carried  a  robe  over  his  shoulder  dangling  be- 
fore the  horse's  head,  while  another  was  thrown  over  the 
horse's  head  and  neck,  he  being  as  indifferent  to  it  as  if  he 
had  never  been  frightened  by  such  an  object.  All  present 
voted,  "I  was  a  good  fellow." 

Case  VI. 

This  was  a  five-year-old  colt  of  a  cold-blooded,  sullen 
nature,  owned  by  Mr.  J.  C.  Collins,  proprietor  of  the  trott- 
ing track  in  Toledo,  Ohio.  Though  a  thoroughly  practical 
horseman,  he  could  do  nothing  with  this  horse.  The  only 
way  he  could  drive  him  was  b>'  hitching  him  between  two 
heavier  horses    and  tying  him  back  to  them  by  the  head. 

This  gentleman  was  persuaded  to  join  the  class,  as  he 
afterward  stated  to  the  writer,  "  with  the  expectation  of 
being  fooled."  After  witnessing  the  experiments  on  a  num- 
ber of  very  bad  horses,  he  came  forward,  saying,  ''  he  had 
a  horse  that  he  would  like  to  see  me  drive,  and  would 
bring  him  in  next  day ;  that  it  was  the  only  horse  he  ever 
had  he  was  willing  to  take  off' his  hat  to,  and  say  he  could 
not  Ijreak ;  that  if  I  could  break  and  drive  him  in  the  time 
claimed,  he  would  be  convinced  I  could  break  any  horse  in 
the  world." 

I  found  the  horse  a  strong,  determined,  impulsive  fel- 


ILLUSTKATIV-K   CASES.  14.5 

low,  very  much  afraid  of  anything  being  brought  around 
or  near  him,  especially  of  being  touched  around  the  quar- 
ters or  flanks.  Subjecting  to  First  and  Second  Methods 
compelled  his  complete  submission,  Ilis  resistance  to  the 
Breaking  Bit  was  very  determined ;  but,  in  time,  he  sub- 
mitted to  it  unconditionally,  requiring  in  all  about  forty 
minutes.  The  lesson  was  in  part  repeated  next  day  and  he 
was  driven  without  breeching  through  the  main  street  of 
the  city. 

I  append  Mr.  CoUins's  acknowledgement  published  at 
the  time  : — 

"Great  Feat — The  Worst  Runaway  Horse  in  Toledo. 

"  I  certify  that  a  five-year  old  bay  horse  owned  by  me  was  so  vicious  and 
unmanageable  that  he  could  not  be  driven  single  or  double  without  running 
away.  I  tried  to  drive  him  with  a  strong,  gentle  horse,  and  he  would  run 
away  in  defiance  of  all  I  could  do,  carrying  the  other  horse  with  him.  The 
only  way  we  could  hold  him  or  drive  him  in  Iiarness  was  by  hitching  him  be- 
tween two  horses,  and  attaching  a  strap  from  his  bit  to  the  hame  rings  of  the 
horses  on  either  side.  It  was  impossible  to  hold  this  horse  in  any  other  way. 
Professor  Magner  subjected  him  to  treatment  in  my  presence,  and  drove  him 
in  the  street,  yesterday,  without  breeching,  to  wagon,  so  perfectly  gentle  and 
manageable  that  the  slightest  command,  or  pull  on  the  reins,  would  cause 
him  to  stop,  allowing  the  wagon  to  strike  his  heels,  etc.  I  have  driven  him 
myself  since,  single  and  double,  and  find  him  perfectly  gentle  and  manage- 
able. I  believe  a  knowledge  of  Prof.  Magner '3  treatment  of  the  greatest 
value  to  owners  of  horses,  and  should  be  learned  by  all  who  are  wise  to  their 
own  interests.  His  system  will  enable  any  man  to  make  the  most  vicious 
horses  gentle  with  a  reasonable  effort,  and  it  is  undoubtedly  the  best  in  the 
world.     I  would  not  take  ^500  for  what  I  learned  from  him. 

"J.  P.   COLLINS, 
"Proprietor  of  Track,  Toledo,  Ohio." 

Case  YIT. 

This  was  a  bay  horse  owned  by  a  butcher  in  Rochester, 
N„  Y.  A  professional  horse  tamer  \\  h  >  had  boen  quite  suc- 
cessful in  the  West  was  engaged  there  in  business.  Hap- 
pening in  the  city,  I  visited  him,  and  during  my  A'isit,  the 
horse  was  led  in  to  l)e  experimented  upon  before  the  class. 
When  shown  a  robe,  he  exhibited  the  r..ost  intense  fear  of 
it.     After  a  treatment  of  nearly  two  hours  the  horse  was 

in  reality  worse  than  before,  and  the  experiment  was  an 

10 


14G  FEAE.— ITS  EFFECTS. 

acknowledged  failure.  The  man  said,  "I  liaA^en't  time  to 
break  so  bad  a  horse  in  one  lesson,  but  I  will  give  him 
another  to-moriow,  when  I  will  show  you  the  effect  of  the 
treatment  upon  him. 

When  the  class  had  gone  and  he  was  left  alone,  he  took 
the  horse  in  haiid  and  worked  with  him  until  twelve  o'clock 
that  night.  Upon  my  return  next  morning,  al)out  ten 
o'clock,  I  found  an  assistant  driving  around  with  a  buffalo- 
robe  fastened  upon  the  horse's  back.  Every  few  mo- 
ments the  hors  would  snort  and  kick  at  the  parts  of  the 
robe  hanging  over  his  hips,  and  to  all  appearances  as  much 
afraid  of  it  as  the  night  before.  As  a  final  resort,  they 
tried  this  method  of  familiarizing  him  with  it. 

Knowing  the  fear  of  the  robe  could  not  ])e  overcome  by 
the  treatment  used,  and  not  willing  to  see  the  man  de- 
feated, I  felt  compelled,  as  an  act  of  friendship,  to  help 
him  out  of  the  scrape.  Not  wishing  to  be  identified  in  any 
way  with  the  matter,  I  exacted  a  pledge  of  secrecy  from 
the  man  driving  him ;  after  which  I  subjected  the  horse 
quickly  to  Second  Method,  and  in  less  than  ten  minutes  he 
was  made  perfectly  gentle.  The  robe  was  pulled  under 
the  body,  between  the  hind  legs,  and  thrown  upon  him 
from  a  distance  of  over  ten  feet  without  his  showing  the 
least  fear  of  it.  He  performed  equally  well  the  same  even- 
ing before  the  class,  proving  perfectly  gentle.  The  result 
was  regarded  as  a  proof  of  the  great  success  of  the  treat- 
ment. 

The  treatment  used  upon  him  was  a  modified  form  of 
7  irst  Method.  It  was  tried  upon  him  persistently,  as 
stated,  for  nearly  two  hours,  and  Avhile  down,  the  robe  put 
upon  him;  b  it  when  allowed  to  get  upon  his  feet,  and  the 
robe  shown  him,  his  resistance  and  fear  of  it  were  as  great 
as  before.  Failing  in  this,  the  only  resource  left  was  the 
palliative  treatment,  which  had  no  effect  whatever  upon 


ILLUSTRATIVE   CASES. 


147 


him.  Pushing  sharply  with  Second  Method,  made  him  for 
the  moment  sufficiently  helpless  to  permit  the  robe  to  be 
put  upon  him,  and  when  in  the  position  of  resistance,  (on 
his  feet)  when  he  seemed  to  realize  its  harmless  character 
he  submitted  unconditionally,  and  thereafter  became  en- 
tirely indifferent  to  it.  The  importance  of  this  treatment 
is  shown  by  the  fact  that  though  the  lesson  was  not  re- 
peated, after  standing  almost  an  entire  day,  he  proved  en- 
tirely gentle.  * 

Case  VIII. 

This  was  a  nine-year  old  bay  pony,  owned  by  Mr. 
Smawley,  a  liAery 
keeper  in  Petrol- 
eum  Centre,  Pa. 
This  pony  was  so 
wild  and  reckless 
that  he    was    in 
that   region   of 
country    known 
by   the   name    of 
Wild    Pete.     Ev- 
ery effort  to  break 
him    had     failed. 
It  usually  re-  ^'^-  h^-wm  Pete. 

quired  two  men  to  hold  him  while  being  groomed.  He 
could  be  ridden,  but  it  was  utterly  impossible  to  do  any- 
thing with  him  in  harness.  Once  when  a  harness  was  put 
on  him,  he  became  so  frightened  and  reckless  that  he  jumped 
and  got  away,  and  when  found,  all  the  harness  excepting 
the  collar  had  been  torn  or  shaken  off.  His  insane  fear 
was  so  great  that  he  was  really  wicked  in  his  resistance. 

When  I  visited  the  place  in  1869,  I  was  confronted 
with  this  horse.     All  said,  "  Let  us  see  you  drive  Wild 


148 


FEAE.— ITS  EFFECTS. 


Pete,"  regarding  it  as  a  good  joke  that  they  had  a  horse 
that  could  "  beat  the  horse-tamer." 

Upon  examination,  I  found  him  a  small,  closely-knit 
fellow,  possessing  great  action  and  power  of  endurance. 
His  forehead  was  broad,  and  the  head  in  all  respects  well 
formed.  To  test  him,  I  put  on  the  War  Bridle,  tied  up  his 
near  fore-foot,  and  while  holding  him,  with  the  lash  of  a 
straight  buggy  whip  barely  touched  his  quarters.  This 
frightened  him  so*  intensely  that  he  sprang  over  six  feet 


Fig.  119. — Wild  Pete  ia  the  act  of  running  away. 

into  the  air,  kicked  violently,  pulled  away  from  me,  and 
although  on  three  legs,  repeated  this  jumping  and  kicking 
for  over  half  a  mile. 

I  stated  to  the  people  that  I  could  not  break  such  a 
horse  in  a  barn,  but  would  form  a  class,  and  on  the  follow- 
ing day  I  would  drive  him  before  them  without  breeching, 
entirely  gentle  and  fearless,  and  that  the  money  for  the  in- 
structions might  be  deposited  in  the  bank,  to  be  delivered 
to  me  on  fulfillment  of  this  condition.  As  this  was  one  of 
the  most  interesting  and  marked  cases  I  had  found  in  all 
my  experience,  and  as  it  represents  a  large  class  of  nerv- 
ous!, unmanageable  colts,  I  will  include  the  full  details  of 
the  treatment  used  : — 


ILLUSTRATIVE   CASES. 


149 


I  first  arranged  with  the  owner  to  have  him  taken  to 
the  Titusville  trotting  park,  eight  miles  distant,  and  there  I 
subjected  him  carefully  to  Second  Method,  which  was  ex- 
actly adapted  to  his  temperament.  I  touched  his  quarters 
very  lightly  at  first,  Avhich  he  resisted  by  kicking,  snorting, 
and  jumping  in  the  most  desperate  manner.  But  I  per- 
sisted in  the  effort,  repeatedly  reversing  both  ways  until 
he  was  compelled  to  submit  to  it,  but  not  sufficiently  to 


hold  gentle. 


Fig.  120. — Pole  Rig  referred  to  below. 

This  so  toned  him  down  that  I  was  then  able 
to  subject  him  without  difficulty  to  First  Method,  which,  as 
he  resisted  with  great  courage,  was  consequently  very  ef- 
fective in  his  case,  but  not  by  any  means  sufficient  to 
make  him  submit  to  be  harnessed  or  put  in  shafts.  Con- 
sequently, I  subjected  him  again  to  Second  Method,  and 
now  succeeded  in  making  him  entirely  gentle  to  submit  to 
having  a  pole  brought  against  his  flanks,  etc. 

The  next  step  was  to  drive  him,  which  I  knew  I  could 
not  safely  do.  To  accomplish  this,  I  improvised  the  pole 
rig  for  shafts.  (See  cut.)  As  soon  as  he  found  himself  be- 
tween the  poles  and  allowed  to  moA^e,  he  seemed  for  a  few 


150 


KEAK.— ITS    MI'M-\K(!'rs. 


inoinents  to  cxcit  all  the  energy  of  despair  in  trying  to  get 
away.  But  expecting  this,  I  was  prepared  to  meet  it  and 
liold  him,  though  liis  resistance  at  this  stage  was  \er\  de- 
termined. 

This  simple  rig,  though  a  chance  outgrowth  of  inciden- 
tal necessity,  proved  not  only  just  the  thing  for  the  emer- 
gency, but  a  valuable  acquisition  for  the  management  of 
colts  and  horses  generally  of  this  character.  Turning  right 
or  left,  the  poles  come  against  the   legs ;    in   backing,  the 


Fig.  121.— Wild  Pete,  as  he  appeared  next  day  after  being  subdued. 

ends  stick  into  the  ground,  bringing  the  cross-piece  firmly 
against  the  quarters.  There  is  no  danger  of  their  breaking, 
and  by  their  use  the  (quarters  can  be  accustomed  to  being 
touched  or  run  against  by  the  shafts  in  driving.  Submit- 
ting to  this  he  was  practically  broken,  and  at  once  harnessed 
before  a  wagon  with  breeching  straps  loose,  and  drove  back 
to  the  American  House,  much  of  the  way  with  the  cross- 
piece  striking  his  quarters,  proving  him  perfectly  gentle. 
That  evening  I  drove  him  to  Petroleum  Centre,  and  the 
next  day  as  promised,  exhibited  him  in  harness,  proving 
him  a  model  of  docility. 

An  incident  peculiar  to  this  case  is  here  worth 3^  of  men- 


ILLUSTRATIVE   CASES.  151 

tion  :  Upon  Adsiting  this  place  about  three  years  afterward, 
Mr.  Smalley  informed  me  that  the  horse  had  been  used  as  a 
family  carriage  horse  and  was  one  of  the  safest  in  that  part 
of  the  country,  but  that  it  was  impossible  to  shoe  him  with 
the  halter  on,  while  with  the  bridle  on  he  was  perfectly 
gentle  to  have  his  feet  handled.  While  treating  him,  had 
I  taken  up  his  feet  after  the  harness  was  removed,  and  ac- 
customed them  to  being  handled  and  pounded  upon  for  a 
few  moments,  he  would  have  been  just  as  gentle  while  be- 
ing shod  with  the  halter  on  as  with  the  bridle.  As  it  w^as, 
he  could  associate  submission  only  in  the  manner  the  treat- 
ment was  used,  and  this  carried  it  no  fjirther  than  driving 
with  the  control  of  the  bit,  and  hence  the  docility  to  allow 
the  feet  to  be  handled  while  it  was  on. 


CHAPTER    IV 


KICKING. 

Kicking  is  in  all  cases  the  result  of  ignorance  or  bad  man- 
agement. As  explained  in  Colt  Training  and  Fear,  mak- 
ing one  side  of  the  body  gentle  and  submissiA'^e  to  contact, 
will  give  no  assurance  in  respect  to  the  opposite  side.     Now 


"■*Kg\-RtllLt^.  CMC 

Fig.  132.— The  effect  of  bad  treatment. 


when  a  colt  or  horse  is  broken  as  ordinarily  done,  and  goes 
off  all  right  when  put  in  harness,  it  is  taken  for  granted 
that  he  is  as  gentle  and  safe  as  can  be  expected ;  but,  if 
by  carelessness  or  accident  the  rein  is  caught  under  the 
tail,  or  the  cross-piece  or  whiftletree  should  come  suddenly 
against  the  quarters,  those  parts  being  practically  unbroken, 
or  not  accustomed  to  such  contact,  the  horse  is  liable  to  be 
so  excited  and  frightened  as  to  kick ;  and  once  started  in 
this  habit  there  is  increased  inclination  to  do  so  until  con- 
firmed in  it.     Now  all  this  could  be  prevented  without  the 

(152) 


GENEEAL   KEMAI^KS. 


153 


least  dilUciilty  by  fifteen  or  twenty  minutes'  treatment, 
which  would  make  the  horse  entirely  insensible  to  such 
causes  of  contact.  It  is  a  habit  also  that  merges  into  so 
many  other  faults  that  destroy  the  value  of  the  horse  and 
render  him  unsafe  for  use,  that  I  consider  it  advisable  to 
make  this  chapter  as  full  in  the  details  ofmanagement  as  space 
will  permit.  There  is  no  reason  to  suppose  that  a  horse  is 
naturally  bad  and  unmanageable  because  he  kicks.  The 
point  is  to  make  him  sufficiently  gentle  to  safely  bear,  with- 
out kicking,  the  restraint  and  excitement  necessary  in  har 


Fig.  123.  — Treatmeut  that  only  confirms  the  habit. 

ness.  Or  when  the  habit  is  once  formed  to  so  combat  it 
that  all  tendency  to  repeat  it  is  overcome. 

In  the  chapter  on  Colt  Training  I  have  given  details  of 
the  treatment  to  be  pursued  for  the  management  of  excit- 
able colts,  or  those  that  kick.  It  also  includes  directions 
for  overcoming  fear  of  the  wagon,  and  other  causes  of  ex- 
citement, until  proved  gentle  to  control,  and  the  treatment 
as  given  there  for  such  cases  should  be  studied  in  connec- 
tion with  this. 

In  the  chapter  on  Teaching  Tricks,  which  can  also  be  re- 
ferred to,  I  have  explained  that  the  principle  of  breaking 
up  and  overcoming  a  habit  is  exacth^  the  reverse  of  that 
of  teaching  a  trick  or  habit.     If,  for  example,  in  teaching  a 


l.-)! 


KICKINCt. 


horse  to  kick  iiji.  lie  were  so  Liriitle  and  learless  tliat  he 
could  not  by  any  ordinal y  means  be  made  to  do  so,  it 
would  be  necessary  to  use  such  means  as  would  excite  and 

irritate  liim  to  kick,  when  he  could 
be  easily  confirmed  in  the  habit.  On 
the  same  principle,  if  the  horse  is  a 
very  determined  kicker,  then  an  ef- 
fort should  be  made  to  overcome  the 
sensibility  which  is  the  cause  of  the 
kicking,  until  there  is  no  inclination 
to  repeat  it.  This  can  easily  be  done 
by  either  one,  or  by  a  combination, 
of  the  Methods  of  Subjection  given. 
To  illustrate:  I  had  a  pony  that  I 
washed  to  teach  to  throw  boys.  As 
a  preliminary  to  teaching  him  this  trick,  it  was  necessary 
to  make  him  kick  up  promptly  at  command.  The  simplest 
way  of  teaching  this  trick  is  to  prick  lightly  on  the  rump 
with  a  pin,  and  when  the  hind  parts  are  throwai  up  a  little, 
caress,  and  repeat  until  simply 
touching  the  part  causes  the  horse 


Fig.  124.— a  little  doubtful. 


diS:,m^' 


Fig.  125. 


Points  of  uood  character. 


Fig.  126. 


to  kick  up.  I^ut  this  pony  was  so  gentle  that  sticking 
the  pin  into  his  rump  would  not  excite  the  least  motion 
toward  kicking.  The  only  alternative  now  was  to  make 
the  parts  sufficiently  sensitive  to  start  him  in    the  trick. 


GE^EKAL    HEMAKKS. 


1; 


).) 


Fig.  127. — Docile  cliaructer. 


T  drove  a  few  tacks  into  a  shingle,  filed  the  ends  sharp, 
and  of  equal  length,  and  hacked  them  into  the  skin  a.  little 
to  cause  irritation.  Next  day  on  touching  his  rump  with 
a  pin,  he  kicked  readily.  A  few  repetitions  made  him  so 
sensitive  that  even  the  lightest 
touch  on  the  part  with  the 
finger,  or  even  a  motion  to- 
ward the  hip,  would  make  him 
kick  as  high  as  I  wished,  which 
he  would  do  ever  afterward. 
This  is  teaching  to  kick. 

Now  if  a  horse  is  violently 
excited  h}"  any  cause,  such  as 
by  catching  the  rein  under  the 
tail,  the  breeching  l^reaking  or 
being  too  long,  so  as  to  allow  the  cross-piece  or  shafts  to 
come  against  the  quarters,  etc.,  it  would  excite  kicking, 

and  the  habit  is  taught 
precisely  as  if  by  inten- 
tion. It  is  seen  that  af- 
ter starting  the  horse  in 
kicking,  at  each  repe- 
•titiuii  of  being  touched 
or  hurt  he  will  kick  the 
harder.  So  in  learning 
l)y  chance  to  kick  in  har- 
ness, the  greater  the  ex- 
citement and  fear  pro- 
duced and  the  oftener  its 
repetition,  the  more 
reckless  and  determined 
Now  any  cause  that  excites  and 
irritates  this  kicking  without  being  able  to  control  or  stop 
it,  will  only  intensify  and  confirm  it.     Consequently,  when 


Fig.  128.  -Good  eve. 


will*  the  habit  become. 


loG 


KIOKIN(i. 


u  horse  by  chance  is  made  to  kick,  and  in  trying  to  break 
np  the  habit  is  excited  and  badly  managed,  each  repetition 
of  treatment,  if  unsuccessful  in  overcoming  the  habit,  only 
aggravates  and  tends  to  confirm  it. 

The  key  of  success  is  in  being  able  to  combat  the  habit 

directly  until  all  inclination 
to  resist  is  overcome.  But 
the  method  of  doingthis 
must  in  a  great  measi^  be 
governed  by  the  peculiar- 
ity of  disposition,  and  the 
intensity  with  which  the 
habit  is  fixed.  If  the  nerv- 
ous system  is  so  greatly 
deranged  and  weakened 
that  kicking  is  in  a  great 
measure  involuntary,   and 

Will  not  bear  abuse,    ^j^-^  ^^^-^^-^^^  ^^  oVOrCOmO  by 

subjective  treatment,  then  such  means  must  be  used  as  will 
disable  and  restrain  the  kicking  in  harness  until  the  inclin- 
ation is  fully  overcome.  So  far  as  the  act  of  kicking  is  con- 
cerned, it  is  about  the  same  in  all  cases ;  but  the  energy 
of  resistance  and  the  persistence  of  the  habit  depend  upon 
the  sensibility,  jjluck,  and  endurance  of  the  horse,  and  the 
degree  to  which  the  nervous  system  has  been  shaken  or 
broken  down  by  fear  or  abuse.  A  very  little  lack  of  good 
judgment  here  may  sometimes  cause  a  great  deal  of  trouble 
and  needless  cruelty,  and  make  the  horse's  subjection  far 
more  difficult.  I  pay  particular  attention  to  this  point,  and 
do  not  make  a  move  until  sure  of  the  proper  course.  I 
have  learned  by  long  experience  to  take  no  false  step  if 
avoidable,  knowing  what  trouble  may  result  therefrom- 

For  instance  :  Is  the  horse  a  wild,  reckless  runaway,  or 
simply  one  that,  save  the  habit  of  kicking,  is    otherwise 


Fig.  129.— Sensitive. 


GEKEIiAL   REMAliKS. 


157 


gentle  ?  Is  he  cold-blooded  and  persistent,  throwing  all  his 
energy  into  kicking  at  all  hazards  ?  If  the  first,  is  the 
habit  the  result  of  fear,  and  to  what  degree  is  the  nervous 
system  weakened,  or  is  the  case  one  of  a  really  bad  dispo- 
sition ?  If  the  second  class,  what  is  the  undercurrent  of 
his  nature  ?  Will  he  bear  pushing  while  under  excitement, 
or  is  he  one  that  to  warm  him  up  is  to  excite  only  to  more 
intense  resistance  ? 

If  he  is  very  sensitive,  high  strung,  kicking  mainly  from 
fear,  the  treatment  must  be  of  a  char- 
acter not  to  heat  the  blood,  excite, 
or  give  much  freedom,  when  all 


Fig.  130. — Ideal  of  sullen,  treacherous  nature. 

that  will  be  necessary  to  do  Avill  be  to  accustom  him  to  the 
noise  or  rattle  of  the  wagon,  or  bearing  contact  until  fear- 
less of  it.  If  a  headstrong,  runaway  kicker,  especially  one 
that  kicks  recklessly  when  touched,  a  simple  course  of  sub- 
jection that  will  force  his  submission  to  restraint,  will  usu- 
ally be  all  that  is  necessary ;  when  by  repeating  the  les- 
son in  part  once  or  twice  the  habit  can  be  easily  overcome. 
If  a  cold-blooded,  sulky  kicker,  or  one  that  kicks  only 
in  harness,  the  habit  must  be  combated  directly  until  un- 
der control.  The  cold  but  courageous,  switching  kicker, 
kicking  by  spells  or  when  excited,  will  usually  submit  most 
readily  to  simple  restraint.     To  excite  or  irritate  cases  of 


158 


KICKING. 


this  character  by  general  coercive  methods,  unless  the  after 
treatment  is  carried  out  with  great  care  and  judgment,  will 
only  do  harm  by  irritating  the  nervous  system  to  a  degree 
that  W'Ould  only  intensify  the  habit. 

A  good  idea  of  these  differences  in  disposition  and  char- 
acter can  be  seen  by  the  large  variety  of  illustrations  of 
heads  in  this  and  other  chapters. 

For  inexperienced  persons,  the  Breaking  Rig,  if  avail- 
able, would  make  the  control  of  all  ordinary  cases  simple 
and  easy.     But  presuming  it  is  not  available,  I  will  give 


Fig.  131. — Ideal  expression  of  the  determined,  fighting  kicker. 

my  regular  methods  of  management.  As  I  have  before  ex- 
plained, the  principle  of  breaking  a  horse  of  a  habit  is  the 
reverse  of  teaching  it,  and  I  have  also  reminded  in  the  chap- 
ters before  referred  to  (Colt  Training  and  Fear),  that  mak- 
ing one  part  of  the  bod}^  gentle  does  not  give  assurance  of 
making  other  parts  so.  The  same  in  breaking  a  horse  to 
drive  in  harness,  making  him  gentle  out  of  harness  or  in  a 
position  in  which  he  is  not  accustomed  to  w^ork,  cannot  be 
regarded  as  assurance  of  safety  when  hitched  before  a 
wagon.  The  subjection  must  be  progressive  until  this  end 
is  attained. 

Now  to  break  a  horse  of  kicking,  the  first  point  is  to 


GENEKAL   REMAEKS. 


159 


make  a  reliable  foundation  by  rendering  him  thoroughly 
gentle  out  of  harness.  In  doing  this,  it  will  greatly  facili- 
tate success  to  adapt  the  treatment  to  the  case  as  nearly 
as  possible.  I  have  learned,  as  one  of  the  hard  lessons  of 
my  experience,  that  if  I  let  the  horse  resist  me  after  once 
forcing  his  submission,  it  will  only  make  him  worse  than 
he  was  before.  It  gives  him  increased  courage  and  con- 
fidence afterward  to  fight  back,  and  thus  makes  his  char- 
acter doubtful  and  treach- 
erous. This  taught  me 
when  I  had  a  bad  case  t<> 
make   every    stej)    s  u  r  c  ; 


Fig.  132.  — Points  showing  the  expreasion  of  contirnied  kickers. 

from  each  step  gained,  to  make  the  next  until  I  came  to 
driving,  whicli  I  made  so  thorough  tliat  I  felt  sure  of  mak- 
ing the  horse  reliable. 

Suppose  we  have  a  nervous,  kicking  colt  or  horse,  of  a 
naturally  good  disposition.  Perhaps  putting  on  the  War 
Bridle  and  puUing  him  right  and  loft  a  few  times,  just 
enough  to  disconcert  a  little,  will  make  him  submit  in  a  few 
minutes  to  have  a  pole  brought  against  the  quarters,  hips, 
and  flanks.  Simply  repeat  until  the  horse  will  submit  to 
be  poled  in  any  manner  with  the  head  free.  If  the  horse 
is  strong  and  shows  much  fear  of  being  touched  around  the 


IGO 


KTCKlNfi. 


quarters,  kicking  hard,  and  trying  to  get  away,  this  treat- 
ment Avill  not  be  sufficient.  It  is  necessary,  therefore,  to 
resort  to  means  by  which  he  can  be  controlled  quickly  and 
easily.  The  Second  Method  would  be  the  simplest  way  of 
doing  it,  turning  him  right  and  left  sharply,  but  not  to  the 
point  of  falling,  at  the  same  time  bringing  the  pole  against 
the  quarters  as  he  passes  around,  until  he  will  sub'.nit'  to  it 
without  fear  while  standing  still. 

The    point    of   his    submitting    unconditionally    to    be 


Fig.  V-i3. — A  good  expression  of  the  sullen  kicker. 

touched  all  around  the  tail,  quarters,  and  flanks,  should  at 
this  stage  be  made  very  thorough.  Then,  when  untied,  re- 
peat this  poling;  or,  if  necessary,  by  the  control  of  the 
War  Bridle  repeat  the  pohng  until  the  horse  will  stand 
quietly  while  being  poled  in  any  manner  with  the  head 
free.  (See  cut  41.)  If  the  horse  is  of  decided  viciousness  and 
great  endurance,  the  treatment  must  be  made  more  posi- 
tive. For  such,  this  method  may  not  be  sufficient.  When 
this  is  anticipated,  follow  with  either  or  both  the  other 
methods;  and,  if  necessary,  repeat  the  Second  Method. 
Tf  I  have  a  good  place  and  the  horse  will  bear  the  excite- 
ment, I  usually  follow  with  the  First  Method,  throwing 


GENEKAL   KEMAilKS.  161 

rapidly  eight  or  ten  times,  as  fast  as  the  horse  will  get  up ; 
then  stand  behind  him  and  excite  him  to  get  up,  and  roll 
him  back  until  he  will  not  try  to  get  up.  This  is  the  limit 
of  this  treatment,  and  works  well  when  the  horse  will  get 
up  with  energy  ;  but  is  almost  inert  when  there  is  not  much 
resistance  to  it. 

All  that  is  necessary  when  the  horse  gets  up  and  is 


Fig.  134.—  Snowing  the  impulsive,  dangerous  character  of  bad  kickers 
when  first  brought  for  treatment. 

standing  on  three  legs,  is  to  bring  the  pole  against  the  quar- 
ters. If  there  is  submission  to  it,  simply  repeat  until  he 
will  bear  the  poling  in  any  manner  with  his  head  and  legs 
free.  But  if  there  is  still  resistance,  follow  with  the  Third 
Method,  and  repeat.  While  pressure  is  on,  bring  the  pole 
against  the  quarters  industriously.  Usually,  at  first,  the 
horse  will  kick  hard  when  touched ;  but  it  is  rarely  there 


102 


KICKING. 


will  not  be  submission  in  a  few  minutes.  This  point  nuide, 
gradually  remove  the  pressure,  and  while  doing  so,  kec}) 
rubbing  and  bringing  the  pole  against  the  quarters  and 
flanks  until  there  is  unconditional  submission. 

Sometimes  young  horses  of  this  character  are  very  bad. 
The  greatest  average  of  the  w^orst  horses  I  have  ever  found 
have  been  iron-gray,  sorrel,  or  black,  though  I  have  occa- 
sionally found  bays  extremely  bad.  But  the  case  must  be 
very  bad  that  will  not  yield  readily  to  the   Second  and 


Fig.  135. —  As  some  very  bad  kickers  will  act  when  touched. 

Third  Methods.  The  First  in  many  cases  will  be  found 
equally  effective.  A  great  deal  depends  upon  how  the 
treatment  is  applied.  A  man  may  use  either  or  all  the 
methods,  supposing  he  has  done  all  that  it  is  possible  to  do, 
and  fail  in  subduing  the  horse,  yet  I  may  use  the  same 
treatment  immediately  afterward  and  succeed  without  dif- 
ficulty, the  only  difference  being  in  the  proper  application 
of  the  treatment.  (These  conditions  will  be  found  explained 
in  connection  with  the  description  of  each  method  in  the 
first  chapter.)  When  done  properly,  it  should  seldom  re- 
quire more  than  thirty  or  forty  minutes  to  subdue  even 
very  bad  cases. 


GENEEAL   REMAEKS. 


163 


The  point  accomplished  of  making  the  horse  gentle  in 
one  position  to  be  handled  and  poled,  it  must  be  carried  to 
driving  in  harness,  which  is  the  real  point  to  be  attained ; 
for  however  gentle  the  horse  may  be  at  this  stage,  he  may 
still  resist  with  great  recklessness  when  driven  to  wagon. 
In  many  cases,  if  thoroughly  subdued,  he  may  be  safely 
put  to  a  wagon  and  driven ;  but  if  at  all  doubtful  this  should 


Fig.  136. — As  the  desperate  kicker  sometimes  resists  when 
subjected  to  First  Method. 

not  be  attempted,  as  in  the  event  of  kicking  successfully  a 
great  point  is  lost.  To  break  a  horse  reliably  of  kicking, 
means  that  there  will  be  no  inclination  to  kick  in  any  posi- 
tion, no  matter  how  irritated. 

Now  put  on  the  harness,  tie  up  the  tugs  and  breeching 
straps,  and  run  the  reins  through  the  shaft-bearers.  The 
point  in  driving  is  to  disconcert  and  control  the  horse  suffi- 
ciently by  the  power  of  the  bit,  so  that  he  can  be  controlled 
and  driven  by  the  restraint  of  the  reins.     The  most  power- 


1G4  KICKING. 

f'ul  and  simple  means  of  controlling  the  mouth  is  by  the 
Patent  Bridle.  If  this  is  not  available,  the  "  W  "  or  Breaking 
Bit  should  be  used.  The  chief  value  of  this  bit  depends 
upon  the  way  it  is  used. 

The  advantage  of  the  Patent  Bridle  is  that  it  gives  great 
power  without  requiring  any  special  practice.  Get  directly 
behind  the  horse ;  if  he  is  sensitive,  it  is  better  before 
starting  to  have  an  assistant  bring  a  pole  over  the  back  and 


Fig.  137. — As  the  bad  kicker  will  usually  resist  wheu 
touched  while  turning. 

against  the  quarters  on  both  sides  and  flanks  until  he  takes 
no  notice  of  it.  Now  start  the  horse  gently,  and,  having 
driven  a  few  steps,  bring  the  pole  against  the  quarters 
lightly  at  first,  then  repeat,  until  it  can  be  brought  with 
considerable  force  against  the  legs  and  quarters  without 
exciting  fear.  If  the  horse  is  very  sensitive,  give  an  ap- 
ple, stroke  the  head  and  nose,  and  speak  kindly.  No  mat- 
ter how  severe  the  previous  treatment,  when  submissive, 
kindness  will  be  very  important  in  quieting  the  nervous 
system.  In  addition,  it  tells  the  horse  by  his  way  of  rea- 
soning that  the  punishment  is  for  kicking.     Now  drive  right 


DETAILS   OF   TREATMENT. 


165 


and  left,  pulling  the  rein  firmly  against  the  outside  quar- 
ter, and  continue  until  the  horse  dri^^es  fast  or  slow  as  re- 
quired. If  disposed  to  resist  when  touched,  and  kicks, 
give  a  quick,  sharp  pull  on  the  reins  in  order  to  pull  the 
head  up  and  back,  which  would  disable  and  prevent  carry- 
ing out  his  purpose.  This  is  usually  not  difficult.  But 
sometimes  the  horse  will  kick  violently  when  this  is  done ; 
if  he  does,  and  there  is  good  control  of  the  mouth,  set  him 


Fig.  138.— As  extremely  bad  kickers  resist  when  touched 
while  pressure  is  on. 

back  hard  against  a  rail  or  pole  so  arranged  that  it  will 
strike  the  quarters  on  a  level  with  the  cross-piece  of  shafts, 
repeating  until  there  is  entire  submission.  (See  Colt  Train- 
ing.) The  point  of  doing  this  is  to  bring  the  quarters  al- 
most up  to  the  pole,  and  then  with  a  sharp,  quick  pull, 
force  him  back  against  it. 

Should  the  horse  resist  the  bit  and  appear  plucky,  he 
will  try  to  pull  far  enough  away  to  kick  against  the  rail, 
which  must  not  be  permitted.  But  if  there  is  sufficient 
control  of  the  mouth,  he  can  be  held  against  it  helplessly, 


K;r; 


KICKING 


Avlien  after  a  few  inefl'ectual  efforts  lie  will  submit.  Repeat 
this  surging  back  against  the  rail  until  there  is  no  resist- 
ance, then  drive  as  before,  being  careful  that  all  sensibility 
around  the  quarters  is  overcome  before  stopping. 

Sometimes  it  is  advisable  to  put  on  the  foot-strap,  and, 
at  the  commencement  of  driving  when  there  is  an  effort  to 
touch  the  quarters,  pull  the  foot  from  under,  which  disables 
the  horse  so  that  he  cannot  kick.     In  my  practice  I  rarely 


Fio.  13P. — Test  often  given  by  the  writer  in  proving  the  horse's 
docility  after  being  subdued. 

use  this  means.  Sometimes  it  works  well  in  the  manage- 
ment of  green,  impulsive  colts,  and  it  will  be  found  a  good 
auxiliary  means  of  control,  but  seldom  necessary  in  the 
management  of  kickers. 

If  it  is  desired  to  be  especially  thorough  and  careful, 
hitch  and  drive  to  poles  as  described  in  Colt  Training. 
Drive  to  the  right  and  left,  and  back  against  the  cross- 
piece.  This  will  accustom  the  horse  in  moving  to  bear  the 
pressure  of  the  shafts  against  the  quarters  and  flanks, — a 
very  important  point, — which  cannot  be  done  with  regular 
sliafts. 


DETAILS   OF   TEEATMKNT. 


167 


No  matter  how  well  the  horse  driA'es  to  poles,  it  is  no 
assurance  that  he  will  be  reliable  before  a  wagon.  The  in- 
creased noise  and  rattle  of  the  wagon  will  be  an  additional 
cause  of  excitement  to  which  he  must  be  accustomed.  Be- 
fore hitching,  repeat  the  touching  around  the  quarters  and 
flanks  with  a  pole.  If  he  has  been  much  frightened  at  the 
wagon,  let  him  feel  and  smell  of  it,  at  the  same  time  rattle 
it  until  he  is  accustomed  to  the  noise,  and  encourage  him 
by  giving  apples,  etc. ;  then  put  in  shafts.     Pull  ihe  wagon 


Fig.  140.  —  As  the  horse  usually  drives  in  harness  after  being  subdued. 

forward  at  first  lightly  against  tlie  quarters,  gradually  re- 
peating until  it  can  be  brought  against  the  parts  quite  hard. 
Now  by  starting  him  a  little  and  pulling  the  wagon  behind 
in  this  way,  it  can  be  ascertained  what  he  w^ll  bear. 

Attach  him  to  the  wagon  without  buckling  the  breech- 
ing-straps,  get  in,  let  him  go  slowly  a  few  steps,  then  pull 
him  back  sharply,  saying,  "  Whoa  !  "  which  will  bring  the 
wagon  as  before  against  the  quarters.  Repeat,  driving  him 
faster  and  faster,  until  he  can  be  put  at  a  moderate  trot, 
and  then  increase  to  a  run.  In  this  way  he  becomes 
thoroughly  reconciled  to  the  noise  and  excitement  of  a 
wagon,  as  well  as  to  the  contact  with  the  shafts.     Of  course 


1(58 


KICKLVG. 


when  it  is  desired  to   drive   in   the   regular   manner,   the 
breeching-straps  must  be  buckled. 

A  A'ery  important  point,  and  one  that  should  not  be  neg- 
lected, is,  tlmt  when  the  horse  behaA^es  well,  he  should  be 
encouraged  by  giving  apples,  talking  to  kindly,  etc.  A 
great  deal  also  depends  upon  the  temperament  of  the  man. 
Some  men,  w^hatever  their  experience  with  horses,  seem  to 
be  almost  poison  to  them.  They  think  that  all  that  is 
necessary  is  to  jerk  a  horse  around,  or  subject  him  to  treat- 


FiG.  141. — A  test  to  which  the  horse  should  be  subjected 
before  beiug  subdued. 

ment  as  if  but  a  mere  machine  ;  then  if  the  horse  acts  badly 
or  resists,  they  attribute  the  entire  trouble  to  the  bad  char- 
acter of  the  horse,  instead  of  their  own  lack  of  skill  and 
care.  If  at  any  point  in  driving  the  horse  he  should  re- 
sist control  and  kick  hard,  he  must  be  subjected  again  to 
the  regular  subjective  course  to  the  point  of  unconditional 
submission. 

It  was  a  matter  of  almost  daily  occurrence  while  travel- 
ing, to  have  young  horses  of  this  character  brought  me  to 
experiment  upon  before  my  classes.     Among  (hem  I  would 


DETAILS   OF   TEEATMENT. 


169 


Fig.  142. — One  of  the  tests  usually  given  by  the  writer  l)efore  the  class, 
proving  the  horse's  entire  submission  in  harness. 


170 


KICKING. 


Fig.  143. — No  life  or  action. 


frequently  find  mares  and  colts  which  showed  such  terror 
when  brought  near  a  wagon  as  to  jump  and  kick  so  desper- 
ately that  the  combined 
strength  of  several  m  e  n 
could  not  bring  them  near, 
or  hold  them  in  shafts.  The 
owner  would  usually  say: 
"  I  would  like  to  see  you 
hitch  up  and  drive  my 
horse,  but  you  must  take 
your  own  chances.  If  you 
let  anything  strike  his  heels 
I'll  warrant  he'll  kick  and 
run  away."  And,  "  They 
never  had  a  horse  before 
this  one  that  they  could  not 
break."  Now  it  was  rare  that  I  was  unable  to  drive  such 
horses  by  the  treatment  explained,  in  from  fifteen  to  thirty 
minutes.  Such  suc- 
cess, in  connection 
with  the  apparent 
ease  with  which  it 
was  done,  would  al- 
ways be  a  cause  of 
the  greatest  surprise 
and  satisfaction. 

Runaway  Kickers. 

The  treatment  for 
runaway   kickers   is 
practically  the  same 
as  for  horses  of  the  previous  habits,  the  difference  being 
simply  in  training  the  mouth,  which  must  be  made   sufli- 


FiG.  144. — Sensibility  and  action. 


DETAILS   OF   TREATMENT. 


171 


ciently  thorough  to  compel  iiiicoiKlitional  siihmissioii  to 
the  restraint  of  the  bit.  (For  full  details  see  "Running 
Away.") 

Confirmed  Kickers. 

Confirmed  kickers  are  usually  exceptionally  bad  cases, 
and  mjiy  be  classed  under  three  heads,  as  follows  :  Nervous, 
Excitable  Kickers, 
Sulky  Kickers,  and 
Switching  Kickers. 
Some  of  the  very  worst 
horses  of  this  kind  I 
have  ever  broken,  and 
which  caused  me  the 
most  trouble,  were  cases 
which,  at  first,  did  not 
seem  very  b  a  d  ,  but 
grew  worse  as  t  h  o  y 
warmed  up.     Some  will 

,  ,  Fig.  145.. —  Norman  Horse.     Naturally  gentle. 

show  the  most  w^onder- 

ful  pluck,  striving  to  kick  in  defiance  of  all  that  can  be  done, 
and  require  not  only  the  most  careful  l)ut  thorougli  course 
of  treatment  to  be  broken.  While  others,  though  kicking 
with  extreme  viciousness,  and  showing  a  great  deal  of  ex- 
citement, may  become  entirely  gentle  l)y  a  short  lesson  of 
subjective  treatment.  So  that  the  act  of  kicking  must  not 
alone  influence  the  treatment  so  much  as  the  peculiarity  of 
disposition. 

If  the  horse  is  large  boned,  with  strong,  dense  texture 
of  body,  not  inclined  to  put  on  flesh,  gray  or  sorrel,  eyes 
large,  rather  dark,  showing  much  white,  and  with  a  sort  of 
sullen  expression,  no  matter  what  the  character  of  the  kick- 
ing, he  will  usually  prove  a  hard  fighter.  Horses  of  this 
character  usually  will  not  bear  any  mistakes  or  fooling  with, 


172 


KICKING. 


Fifi.  1-46.— Sullen,  treacherous  nature. 


They  must  be  taken  in  hand  with  great  care  and  thorough- 
ness. Sometimes  a  very  nervous,  excitable  horse  will  not 
bear  the  Second  Method,  becoming  warmed  up  too  quickly. 

In  such  a  case,  the 
First  and  Third  Meth- 
ods must  be  depended 
u  p  0  n  .  TLsnally  the 
Third  will  be  all  that 
is  rerjuired.  If  so,  the 
pressure  should  be  all 
that  the  h  o  r  s  e  will 
bear,  and  when  suc- 
cessful there  will  be 
entire  submission,  the 
eye  softened  in  expres- 
sion, and  the  whole  system,  as  it  were,  relaxed,  the  horse 
showing  no  fear  of  having  the  pole  brought  against  the 
quarters.  In  a  general  way  I  would  advise  treatment  about 
as  f  0 1 1  o  w  s  :  If 
there  is  not  en- 
tire docility  after 
using  the  Third 
Method,  use  the 
First  to  the  ex- 
tent the  case  will 
bear.  Much  de- 
pends upon  how 
this  is  done,  and 
how  the  horse 
submits.  If  he 
is  rangy,  quick, 
and  active,  it  may  be  necessary  to  be  particularly  careful  to 
avoid  hard,  stony  ground.  Select  a  ploughed  field  free  from 
stones,  or  where  the  sod  is  very  soft.     Throw  the  horse 


Fi.(;.  147. — The  best  type  of  intelligent, 
courageous  nature. 


DETAILS   OF   TKEATMENT. 


173 


Fig.  1-tS.  —  a  noted  vicious  kicker. 


quickly,  and  as  often  as  he  will  get  up ;  then  reverse  the 
rig  and  throw  him  on  the  opposite  side,  and  repeat.  Now 
see  what  the  result  will  be  by  poling  and  handling  around 
the  quarters ;  but  few 
horses  will  resist  it. 
If  there  is  any  incli- 
nation to  kick  after- 
ward, the  next  alter- 
native should  be  the 
Second  Method.  But 
I  repeat :  As  much 
depends  u  p  o  n  the 
way  this  is  done  as 
upon  the  method  it- 
self. The  point  is  to 
throw    the   horse   off 

his  balance  with  sufficient  force,  and  often  enough  to  bear 
being  poled  at  pleasure  around  the  quarters  and  flanks, — a 
task  not  at  all  difficult  to  perform.  If  the  horse  has  a  good 
mouth,  the  after  treatment  will  be  simple  and  easy.  The 
most  difficult  horses  of  this  character  to  break  are  those 
with  mouths  so  tender  that  they  will  not  go  against  the 
bit,  or  will  submit  to  it  too  easily.  Presuming  there  is  a 
good  stiff  mouth,  (for  nearly  all  these  cases  are  of  this  char- 
acter), put  on  the  harness  with  Patent  Bridle  or  Breaking 
Bit,  and  make  the  after  treatment  as  before  explained,  be- 
ing careful  to  be  thorough,  taking  no  chances  that  can  be 
avoided  until  able  to  drive  to  wagon  perfectly  docile. 

Sulky  Kickers. 

It  has  been  explained  in  the  first  chapter  that  horses 
represent  the  different  characteristics  of  the  domestic  ani- 
mals. The  most  marked  and  annoying  is  the  suHen  or  salky 
nature  represented  by  the  bear,  hog,  or  bulldog.     As  kick- 


174 


KICKING. 


ers,  they  are  \ery  persistent  anil  difficult  to  break,  if  not 
managed  just  right.  Yet  when  treated  properly  they  are 
not  at  all  difficult  to  break  of  the  habit.  One  of  their  pe- 
culiarities is  that  when  broken  they  act  as  indifferent,  and 

gentle  to  control,  as  though  they 
had  never  had  the  habit. 

When  a  horse  is  excitable  and 
nervous,  the  treatment  must  be 
such  as  not  to  increase  the  ex- 
citement ;  while  in  managing 
cool,  sulky  fighters,  it  must  be 
quick  and  aggressive.  Some- 
times the  First  Method  will  not 
Fig.  149.— a  vicious  horse  before    work  at  all ;  it  uiay,  however,  be 

subjection.  .    •     i  i     -^    4-1        t,  v 

tried,  and  it  the  horse  can  be 
made  lo  get  up  with  energy,  make  all  the  impression  you 
can  with  it.  Now  follow  quickly  with  Second  Method.  If 
you  let  the  horse  go  his  own  way,  touching  him  around  the 
quarters,  etc.,  he  will  only  Avarm  up  into  increased  resist- 
ance. Motion  with  a  pole  toward 
the  nose ;  if  this  does  not  cause  him 
t(^  move  sufficiently  (|  u  i  c  k  ,  then 
touch  him  with  the  whip  sharply, 
which,  in  addition  to  motioning  to- 
ward the  head,  should  push  him  as 
rnpidly  as  desired.  Reverse  quickly 
and  force  as  before  up  to  the  2:)oint 
of  falling.  Rejoeat  in  this  w^ay  a  few 
times,  keeping  him  as  nearly  help- 
less and  confused  as  possible,  in 
the  meantime  poling  as  before  ex- 
plained. In  extremely  bad  cases,  if  the  treatment  has  not 
been  carried  far  enough  he  will  be  likely  to  kick  with  great 
determination.     If  he  does,  grasp  the  pole  with  the  end 


Fig.  150. — The  same  after 
treatment. 


DETAILS   OF   TREATMENT.  175 

back  under  the  arm,  catch  the  hitching  part  of  the  halter 
np  near  the  head,  and  Pun  around  with  him,  at  the  same 
time  pressing  the  pole  against  the  quarters,  and  hold  until 
submitted  to.  When  successful  on  one  side,  go  to  the  op- 
posite side  and  repeat.  Successful  in  this,  pole  him  while 
standing,  then  untie  and  do  the  same.  A  remarkable  fea- 
ture will  now  be  that  when  he  once  gives  up,  he  will  be 
likely  to  act  as  indifferent  to  the  poling  as  if  he  never  cared 
anything  about  it.  It  will  be  advisable,  however,  to  put 
on  the  War  Bridle — the  most  powerful  form — and  pull  him 
right  and  left  a  few  times,  which  greatly  intensifies  the  im- 
pression of  power  already  made. 

The  Third  Method  does  not  seem  to  work  well  on  these 
cases  because  they  will  not  resist  under  it ;  it  works  well 
only  on  those  cases  which  resist  it  hard  for  a  short  time, 
then  give  up  unconditionally ;  upon  such  it  will  be  found 
very  effective.  While,  as  before  explained,  "throwing," 
or  the  First  Method,  does  not  produce  impression  sufficient 
to  do  much  good  unless  the  horse  will  try  to  resist  it  by 
getting  up.  The  Breaking  Rig  would  work  well  upon  most 
of  these  cases.  Among  this  class  there  is  occasionally  a 
horse  that  will  seem  to  fight  through  all  the  treatment 
when  warmed  up,  either  sulking  when  forced,  or  fighting 
back.  A  point  in  the  management  of  such  cases,  which  I 
have  practiced  with  great  success,  but  which  must  be  done 
with  great  care,  is  to  carry  the  treatment  so  far  that  when 
cool  he  will  be  somewhat  sore,  when  he  will  be  found  not 
much  inclined  to  resist. 

Now  the  point  of  success  is  to  give  him  a  short,  sharp 
les§on,  that  will  compel  submission  before  he  becomes 
warmed  up ;  as  his  warming  up  would  defeat  the  work  by 
destroying  sensibility  and  stimulating  resistance.  Usually 
turning  around  a  few  times  will  be  all  that  is  necessary  to 
force  submission.     A  horse  that  at  first  would  be  likely  to 


17G 


KICKING.  * 


resist  for  hours,  if  pushed,  will  submit  unconditionally  in 
ten  or  fifteen  minutes  after  becoming  cool  and  over  the  ef- 
fects of  the  excitement.  Then  work  up  slowly  and  care- 
fully as  before  explained. 

For  example  :  A  small  mustang 
pony,  eight  or  nine  years  old,  was 
brought  me  to  experiment  upon. 
The  owner  said  he  wished  to  show 
that  he  had  a  first-class  kicker,  and 
wanted  a  little  fun  out  of  him.  At 
first,  he  did  not  seem  to  be  very  bad, 
but  as  he  warmed  up  he  kicked  with 
the  greatest  fury ;  and  after  two 
hours'  effort,  I  was  compelled  to  give 
him  up,  failing  completely.  The 
viLi.  151. -Expression  of  most  ^^^^^j  really  kicked  worse  than  when 

obstinate  cases.  ^  i  •  i 

1  commenced.  Upon  returning  to 
that  place  four  years  afterward,  I  was  surprised  to  learn 
that  this  pony  had  been  used  as  a  pet  by  the  little  boys 
and  girls  of  the  family ;  that  he 
was  driven  and  used  everywhere 
to  a  phieton,  and  was  one  of  the 
finest  and  safest  driving  ponies 
in  that  country.  The  owner  told 
me  that  a  day  or  two  after  his 
having  been  handled  by  me,  they 
thought  they  would  see  what 
they  could  do  with  hiin,  and  to 
their  surprise  they  found  feim  per- 
fectly gentle.  They  put  him  in 
harness,  and  he  drove  off  without  any  trouble.  lie  be- 
haved so  kindly  that  the  children  drove  him,  and  he  was 
highly  valued  for  his  docility. 

I  found  by  experience  that  many  cases  when  w.'irined 


Fig.  1.53.— Will  resist  hard. 


DETAILS   OF   TREAT.MEXT. 


177 


up  would  resist  with  such  desperation  that  it  would  be  very 
difficult  and  dangerous  to  force  them  to  a  point  of  submis- 
sion ;  yet  by  putting  them  away  until  cool,  and  then  re- 
peating the  treatment,  they  would  submit  perfectly  in  a  few 
minutes.  Some  of  my  greatest  feats  in  breaking  extremely 
bad  kickers  have  been  accomplished  in  this  way.  The  ne- 
cessity for  this  repetition  was  fre- 
quently the  cause  of  great  em- 
barrassment. Perhaps  an  ex- 
tremely bad  horse  broughi  iiic 
for  experiment  would  become  so 
warmed  up,  and  resist  with  so 
much  determination,  as  to  make 
the  continuance  of  the  effort  little 
less  than  abuse.  My  only  alter- 
native  would  be    to   induce  the 


ow^ner  to  bring  the  horse  to  the 


Yui.  15;J. — Most  dilliciilt  type  of 
character  to  break. 


next  place  of  appointment,  by 
guaranteeing  to  control  and  drive  him  there  entirely  gentle. 
This  would  excite  so  much  suspicion  and  doubt  in  the  minds 
of  the  class  that  they  would  invariably  follow  to  see  what 
the  result  would  be.  It  then  became  a  necessity  to  suc- 
ceed, as  to  fail  would  l)e  sufficient  reason  for  demandina*  a 
return  of  their  money.  But  1  seldom  found  much  trouble 
in  making  my  point, — usually  a  short,  sharp  lesson  would 
be  sufficient. 

Good  eases  illustrative  of  this  principle  are  the  Gal- 
lopsville  Horse,  Case  No.  2.  Subjection ;  Collins  Horse, 
No.  6,  Fear,  and  the  Gates  Horse,  No.  3,  Fear.  While 
the  last  named  could  not  be  driven  out  of  doors  prudently 
when  first  handled,  vet,  afterward,  when  cool,  the  effect  of 
the  treatment  was  so  marked  that  by  merely  testing  a  few 
mom_ents  two  weeks  afterward,  lie  proved  so  gentle  as  to 
be  driven  without  breeching,  and  down  hill,  through  the 

13 


178 


KICKING. 


Fig.  154. — Ideal  of  bad  character. 


main  street  of  the  village,  controlled  by  word  of  command 
alone  ^vliile  eight  or  ten  rods  distant.  The  Hanky  Horse, 
No.  5,  Kicking,  was  perhaps  the  most  marked  case.  This 
horse  conld  not  have  been  driven  the  first  time  handled, 

yet  by  a  short  repetition  of 
the  lesson  next  day,  he  was 
driven  without  difficulty. 

A   great    many   interesting 
cases    of  this  character  could 
be  referred  to  if  necessary. 
The  important  point  is  not  to 
do  too  much,    yet   enough  to 
make  the  impression  necessary 
to  be   able   to    force    unconditional   submission.     Another 
point :  No  matter  how  well  a  horse  may  work  immediately 
after  being  subdued,  it  should  not  be  accepted  as  a  proof 
that  he  is  broken.     He 
should  be  tested  carefully 
when  cool  and  over  the 
excitement.     If  there  is 
the  least  indication  to  re- 
sistance, the  lesson  must 
be  repeated  until    there 
is  certainty  of  the  horse 
being  safe.     It  is  certain 
that  anything  short  of  do- 
ing enough  to  make  the 
horse    safe,  or   to   over- 
come the  habit,  will  be  likely  to  result  in  disastrous  fail- 
ure;   for  giving  the    horse   liberty  at  any  stage  to  fight 
back,  practically  destroys  all  that  has  been  done,  by  teach- 
ing him  to  become  cunning  and  treacherous.     Hence  the 
importance  of  making  every  step  sure  to  the  point  of  driv- 
ing, and  establishing  the  impression  so  thoroughly  that  no 


Fig.  155. — Sullen  nature. 


DETAILS   OF   TEEATMENT.  179 

matter  what  the  aggravation,  there  will  be  no  inclination  to 
repeat  the  habit. 

Switching  Kickers. 

When  a  horse  is  greatly  excited  and  irritated  by  fear 
or  abuse,  his  nervous  system  is  liable  to  become  so  sensi- 
tive that  he  will  squeal  and  switch.  This  is  more  common 
to  mares  which  are  more  impressible  than  horses ;  conse- 
quently, when  badly  spoiled,  they  are  more  difficult  to 
break.  In  this  form  it  becomes  involuntary  resistance,  or 
a  species  of  insanity,  and  in  extreme  cases  very  difficult  to 
overcome.  The  point  is,  if  possible,  to  make  a  sufficiently 
strong,  counteracting  impression  to  overcome  this.  Very 
much  will  depend  upon  how  much  the  nervous  system  has 
been  shaken,  and  the  peculiarity  of  disposition.  Some  of 
the  worst  kickers  I  have  ever  handled  were  colts  which  had 
been  greatly  frightened  and  abused  in  breaking.  The  course 
I  pursue  with  such  is  about  as  follows  : — 

If  the  case  is  one  that  will  bear  impressing  sufficiently 
to  overcome  the  kicking,  I  subject  to  regular  treatment  as 
advised  for  ordinary  cases,  directing  my  attention  particu- 
larly to  accustoming  the  quarters  to  being  touched.  Fail- 
ing in  this,  I  use  direct  means  of  restraint,  such  as  the 
kicking-s traps  or  over-draw  checks.  The  kicking  will  now 
punish  so  severely  that  there  will  soon  be  fear  to  repeat 
it.  The  straps  should  be  used  in  driving  for  some  little 
time  after  the  inclination  to  kick  is  overcome. 

Kicking-Straps. 

These  straps  should  be  cut  at  least  two  inches  wide ; 
they  should  be  mjide  of  two  thicknesses  of  good  harness 
leather,  sewed  together  and  fitted  so  they  will  come  nicely 
around  the  leg  between  the  fetlock  and  gambrel.  There 
should  be  a  strong  wrought  iron  D  stitched  on  the  front 


180 


KICKING. 


sides.  The  insides  should  be  lined  with  soft,  thin  leather, 
or  buckskin,  to  prevent  chafing  the  leg.  If  no  Patent 
Bridle  is  available,  use  a  strong,  well-fitting  halter,  with 
the  strap  passing  back  between  the  legs  over  the  belly- 
band  ;  or  it  may  be  attached  to  the  belly-band  by  a  piece 
of  rubber.  Next,  take  a  strong  hempen  cord,  not  less  than 
five-eighths  of  an  inch  in  diameter,  firmly  wound,  or  a  good 
piece  of  leather  made  round  like  a  rein,  run  it  through  a 


Fig.  156. — Kicking-Straps  as  arranged  for  use. 

pulley  or  ring  attached  to  the  halter-strap  a  little  back  of 
the  belly-band,  and  extend  to  the  rings  of  the  foot-straps. 
The  point  is  to  have  the  rig  so  regulated  that  the  position 
of  the  horse  will  be  perfectly  natural  in  traveling;  but 
should  he  run  or  kick,  both  legs  coming  back  at  once  brings 
the  whole  force  directly  upon  the  nose.  The  straps  should 
be  kept  on  until  the  pain  caused  by  the  kicking  makes  the 
horse  so  much  afraid  to  kick  that  he  will  not  repeat  it. 

Sometimes  the  straps  are  connected  with  the  bit  so  that 
the  horse  will  kick  directly  against  the  mouth.     But  this 


DETAILS   OF  TREATMENT. 


181 


is  objectionable  because  when  the  kicking  is  severe  against 
the  mouth  it  will  be  cut  and  bruised,  besides  it  is  liable  to 
break  the  jaw.  Even  when  kicking  against  the  nose,  by 
the  restraint  of  the  halter,  there  is  possible  danger  of  in- 
juring the  spinal  cord  at  the  juncture 
of  the  head  with  the  spinal  column. 
I  never  had  an  accident  occur  from 
such  a  cause,  though  I  used  the  treat- 
ment a  great  deal  in  my  early  experi- 
menting. I  have  heard  of  one  case  in 
Maine  of  a  horse  breaking  his  jaw  by 
kicking  against  the  bit,  and  one  in 
Ohio,  killed  by  the  severity  of  the 
shock  upon  the  neck. 

It  will  be  found  that  when  the  horse 
kicks  against  the  mouth  or  nose,  he 


will  soon  learn  to  throw  the  head  down 
to  give  greater  length  between  it  and 
the  legs,  as  this  destroys  the  force  of  the  blow. 


Fig.  157.— Tail  Strap. 

With  the 

use  of  the  Patent  Bridle  the  force  of  the  kicking  throws 
the  head  up,  and  at  the  same  time  punishes  with  such  se- 
verity that  there  will  not  be  much 
inclination  to  repeat  it,  and  the 
habit  will  soon  be  overcome. 

Twenty  years  ago,  a  very  bad 
mare  defied  my  utmost  efforts  to 
stop  her  kicking,  and  as  a  matter 
of  experiment  I  passed  a  rope  from 
the  bit,  to  the  hind  leg  below  the  fetlock,  and  thence  back 
to  the  opposite  side  of  the  bit,  and  held  it  in  my  hand 
while  I  excited  her  to  kick.  After  a  few  repetitions  she 
gave  up  unconditionally.  By  this  means  I  succeeded  in 
breaking  her  of  the  habit,  but  the  rope  chafed  and  tore  the 
skin  so  badly  upon  the  legs  that  I  had  much  trouble  in 


Fig.  158. — Tail  Strap  detached. 


182 


KICKING. 


curing  them.  To  guard  against  this  in  other  cases^  I  put 
on  straps  to  which  I  attached  rings,  and  passing  the  rope 
through  them  as  before,  I  irritated  her  to  kick,  repeating 
until  there  was  submission.  But  as  this  could  not  be  car- 
ried out  in  driving,  the  kicking-straps,  with  the  connection 
made  to  the  bit,  were  devised ;  after  which  the  pulley  ar- 
rangement was  added.  These  straps  are  best  adapted  to 
kickers  with  the  nervous  system  so  weakened  that  the  habit 
is  in  a  great  measure  involuntary. 

Foot- Straps. 


I  found  that  by  tying  up  the  leg,  the  horse  was  not 

only  prevented  from  kick- 
ing, but  so  disabled  that  he 
could  not  go ;  while  giving 
freedom  to  travel,  and  dis- 
abling only  at  the  moment 
of  danger,  made  a  far  more 
powerful  means  of  restraint, 
and  became  a  very  effective 
means  for  the  control  of  run- 
away colts.  It  is  seen  that 
if  the  leg  is  pulled  from  un- 
der just  as  there  is  intention  to  kick,  it  not  only  disables 
the  same  as  if  tied  up,  but  serves  to  divert  the  horse  from 
his  purpose  of  kicking ;  while  at  the  same  time  he  can  be 
given  freedom  to  move  again  when  it  is  desirable.  When 
there  was  danger  of  the  horse  lunging  ahead  I  used  a  foot- 
strap  upon  both  fore  feet.  If  the  horse  attempted  to  lunge 
forward  after  one  leg  was  taken  up,  I  instantly  followed 
by  pulling  the  other  from  under.  In  the  case  of  a  doubt- 
ful horse,  the  foot-strap  will  be  found  a  good  reserve  power. 
During  my  practice  of  late  years,  I  seldom  made  use  of 


Fig.  159.— Foot  Strap. 


DETAILS   OF   TREATMENT. 


183 


such  means,  but  depend  mainly  upon  the  regular  course  of 
subjection  to  force  submission. 

Over-Draw  Check. 

The  over-draw  check  can  be  modified  in  various  ways, 
according  to  the  case.  Sometimes  a  simple  over-draw  check 
is  all  that  is  necessary.  If  more  power  is  desired,  in  ad- 
dition to  the  check,  the  restraint  can  be  carried  to  the  hips, 
thence  to  the  shafts.  (See  cut  161.)  So  that  in  the  act  of 
kicking,  as  the  quarters  are  elevated,  the  restraint  will  be 


Fig.  160. — Simple  method  of  forcing  the  head  up,  and  preventing 
kicking  by  the  elevation  of  the  hips. 

instantly  brought  upon  the  head,  throwing  it  so  high  as  to 
disable.  This  principle  of  control  was  learned  by  the  writer 
under  the  following  circumstances  :  In  1861,  when  in  Hen- 
derson, Jefferson  Co.,  N.  Y.,  a  half-witted  fellow  offered  to 
instruct  me  how  to  drive  any  kicking,  runaway  horse.  He 
said,  "  Bring  the  center  of  a  slender  rope  of  sufficient  length 
to  the  top  of  the  horse's  head,  and  pass  the  ends  down 
through  the  rings  on  each  side  of  the  bit,  and  thence  back 
into  the  wagon  as  reins."  I  afterward  used  this  means  of 
control  and  found  it  would  work  well  in  some  cases,  though 
not  in  all.  I  gave  the  idea  to  a  man  named  Hartman,  in 
Lancaster,  Pa.,  who  modified  it  into  what  was  afterward 
known  as  the  "  Hartman  reins,"  which  he  patented.     A 


184 


KICKING. 


great  improve nient  in  this  for  kickers,  is  to  pass  the  reins 
over  the  hips  to  the  shafts  as  explained. 

Checking  the  head  high  Avill  sometimes  hold  in  restraint 
a  strong-willed,  treacherous  horse,  that  is  liable  to  lunge 
sideways,  or  pull  heavily.  It  will  usually  work  well  when 
a  horse  is  a  little  irritable,  and  simj^ly  needs  a  litile  restraint 
to  keep  him  inside  ilio  ]»oint  of  resistance,  the  same  as 


Fio.  161. — The  horsic  as  disabled  when  there  is  an  effort  to  kick. 

the  tail-strap  acts  in  preventing  the  horse  from  kicking  by 
keeping  the  tail  confined  and  helpless.  The  simplest  and 
best  way  of  checking  the  head  high  is  to  pass  the  check- 
rein  through  gag-runners,  which  sliould  be  attached  to  the 
head  part  of  the  bridle  well  up  near  the  ears,  and  buckle 
into  an  extra  bit,  which  is  to  be  held  up  against  the  roof 
of  the  mouth  by  means  of  a  strap  passing  over  the  nose. 
This  form  of  chock inji-  tlio  head  up  and  back  will  bo  found 
A  ery  effective. 

A  common  method  in  use  years  ago  for  kickers  was  to 


DETAILS   OP   TREATMENT. 


18' 


Fig.  163. — Simple  method  of 
controlling  the  head. 


put  a  triangular  piece  of  iron,  in  form  like  a  V,  between  the 
collar  and  bit.     The  central  point  resting  upon  the  collar, 

and  with  both  ends  attached  to  the 
rings  of  the  bit,  it  held  the  head  up 
in  position  as  desired.  A  strong- 
headed,  doubtful  h  0  r  s  e  will  fre- 
quently drive  with  entire  safety 
when  the  head  is  helplessly  held  up 
in  this  manner ;  but  the  check  be- 
fore referred  to  is  the  simplest  and 
best  means. 

Sometimes  the  h  I)  r  s  e  will  kick 
only  when  the  rein  is  caught  under 
the  tail.  If  he  is  simply  irritable, 
and  hugs  the  rein,  the  easiest  way 
to  prevent  it  is  to  wind  an  ordinary 
crupper  with  cloth,  or  cover  nicely  with  ohamios  skin, 
or  soft  leather,  until  one  half  to  two  inches  in  diameter,  as 
m  a  y  be  neces- 
sary.  (See  cut 
165.)  This  be- 
ing larger  than 
the  rein  belo\\' 
makes  it  impos- 
sible for  the 
horse  to  hug  the 
rein  with  sufh- 
cient   strength 

^      ,     Ti    .,  Fig.  163. — The  .same  as  in  use. 

to  hold  it. 

When  the  tail  becomes  very  sensitive  from  the  continued 
chafing  of  the  parts,  its  action  becomes  involuntary.  In 
such  cases  it  must  be  confined  to  make  the  horse  safe. 
This  can  be  easily  done  by  buckling  a  small  strap  around 
it  under  the  hair  about  two-thirds  down  the  dock,  from 


186 


KICKING. 


which,  on  each  side,  extend  a  small  strap  to  the  hip-straps, 
and  fasten  short  enough  to  prevent  the  tail  from  switching 
around  and  catching  the  reins. 

Hip-Strap. 

If  the  horse  is  irritable  around  the  hips,  but  drives  all 
right  so  long  as  restrained,  or  unable   to  bring  the   hind 


Fig.  164. — A  simple  method  of  keeping  the  head  elevated 
to  prevent  kicking  while  driving. 

parts  up,  simply  strapping  him  down  will  sometimes  be  all 
that  is  necessary  to  do  in  order  to  use  him  with  safety. 
The  best  way  to  do  this  is  as  follows  :  Attach  a  loop  to  the 
harness  between  the  hip  and  tail;  through  this  pass  a 
strong  two-inch  strap  with   ends  attached  firmly  to  the 


DETAILS   OF   TREATMENT.  187 

shafts  on  each  side.  There  should  be  pieces  of  leather  or 
iron  screwed  to  the  under  sides  of  the  shafts  to  keep  the 
ends  in  place. 

Two  points  must  be  kept  in  mind  in  order  to  be  success- 
ful :  1st.  The  shafts  must  be  so  stiff  that  they  will  not 
bend  much.  2nd.  The  strap  over  the  hip  should  be  so 
strong  that  it  will  not  break,  and  just  tight  enough  to  be 
drawn  straight  when  in  place,  but  not  so  long  as  to  give 
any  freedom  to  raise  the  hips. 

Four-ring  Bit. 

The  four-ring  bit  by  its  power  will  sometimes  throw 
the  nose  up,  and  occasionaliy  make  a  doubtful,  headstrong- 
horse  drive  all  right ;  but  it  is  best 
adapted  for  the  management  of 
headstrong  luggers.  Sometimes  a 
strong-headed  puller  that  cannot 
be  held  by  an  ordinary  bit  will 
drive  gentle  with  this.  The  ef- 
fectiveness of  this  bit  is  in  the 
pressure  of  its  center  against  the  fig.  i65.— crupper  as  wound 
roof  of  the  mouth.  As  made  here-  '' '''''''''  ^^*^^*°^  '^^  ^■"'^• 
tofore,  when  pulled  upon  very  hard,  these  rings  would  slide 
in  so  far  as  to  prevent  the  desired  purchase  against  the 
palate.     To  prevent  this,  I  devised  the  slot,  or  obstruction. 

Sometimes  the  Patent  Bridle  will  work  quite  well  in  the 
management  of  kickers. 

For  the  Breaking  Rig,  see  illustration  with  description 
in  first  chapter. 

It  may  be  asked,  "  Is  there  any  medicine  by  which  you 
can  make  a  horse  gentle  ?"  See  "Medicine"  in  ''Subjec- 
tion." 


188  KICKING. 

Kicking  whp:n  Struck  with  the  Whip  in  Driving, 

Some  horses  are  usually  gentle  until  struck  or  touched 
with  a  whip  on  the  back  or  flanks,  which  they  will  resist 
by  kicking.  Or  v/hen  not  going  fast  enough,  if  hit  sharply 
with  a  whip,  the  response  is  a  kick.  There  is  usually  no 
fear  of  the  wagon  or  of  anything  exhibited  ;  it  is  simply  a 
sullen  resistance,  and  unless  treated  properly  is  a  A^ery  ugly 
habit  to  overcome. 

For  a  simple,  ordinary  case  of  this  kind,  put  on  the  War 
Bridle,  and  after  giving  a  few  sharp  pulls  with  it,  touch 
him  over  the  back  with  a  whip,  at  each  repetition  striking 
harder  until  he  can  be  struck  quite  hard  without  resisting. 
Should  he  kick,  punish  sharply^with  the  cord,  and  repeat 
until  there  is  no  resistance.  Now  put  on  the  harness  with 
reins  through  the  shaft-bearers,  and  drive  around,  touching 
gradually  over  hips  and  back.  Should  there  be  resistance, 
punish  sharply  with  War  Bridle,  which  should  be  left  on 
under  the  bridle.  Simply  repeat  until  successful.  This 
should  be  all  that  is  necessary  to  do  to  break  any  young 
horse.  But  if  the  horse  is  very  bad,  it  will  be  likely  to 
fail.  In  such  a  case,  subject  to  either  method,  as  may  be 
found  advisable.  If  tlie  First  Method  be  tried,  touch  with 
the  whip  after  throwing.  If  the  Third,  while  pressure  is 
on,  touch  or  strike  lightly  in  the  same  manner  whenever 
sensitive,  until  there  is  no  resistance.  If  Second  Method 
is  used,  touch  the  part  while  the  horse  is  going  around.  In 
either  case  the  point  must  be  made  thoroughly.  Now  put 
on  the  harness  ;  if  a  Breaking  Bit  or  Patent  Bridle  is  avail- 
able, it  should  be  used.  If  the  horse  will  go  ahead  freely 
at  command,  the  work  will  usually  be  sufficient.  But  if 
he  sulks,  refusing  to  go  against  the  bit,  the  case  will  be 
serious.  In  such  cases  proceed  about  as  follows  : — 
"^       Get  a  good  bow  whip  of  the  best  quality,  from  six  to 


DETAILS  OF  TEEATMENT.  189 

seven  feet  long,  say  in  a  quick  and  sharp  manner,  "  Get 
up  !  "  If  he  does  not  respond  at  once,  catch  both  reins  in 
the  left  hand,  step  a  little  to  left,  at  the  same  time  lift  the 
reins  out  of  the  way  of  the  whip,  and  give  him  one  or  two 
sharp  cuts  around  the  legs  up  near  the  belly.  Then  quickly 
jerk  upon  the  near  rein  to  disconcert  and  throw  the  head 
up.  If  the  horse  springs  ahead  surprised  and  disconcerted, 
a  few  repetitions  will  soon  establish  the  idea  of  going  ahead 
when  commanded.  Should  he,  however,  kick  in  response, 
this  must  at  once  be  abandoned ;  as  in  bad  cases  these  fel- 
lows will  stand  sullenly,  and  fight  every  time  struck. 
Grasp  the  reins  as  before  in  the  left  hand,  and  step  to  the 
right  and  forward  of  the  quarters.  Instantly  after  the 
sharp  '^  Get  up  ! "  give  one  or  two  keen  cuts  with  the  whip 
across  the  tip  of  the  nose.  This  will  so  surprise  him  as  to 
cause  him  to  jump  quickly.  After  a  few  repetitions  he 
will,  at  command,  spring  ahead  without  being  touched,  when 
the  point  is  made.  Now  drive  around  right  and  left  until 
he  will  start  or  stop  as  desired.  When  the  horse  works 
well,  make  friends  with  him  by  giving  apples,  etc.,  which 
tells  him  that  punishment  is  for  resistance,  and  reward  for 
obedience.  No  matter  how  stubborn  these  cases  may  ap- 
pear at  first,  if  treated  sharply  in  this  way  they  will  in- 
variably work  in  well. 

When  I  first  hitched  up  "  Gilford,"  he  seemed  to  have 
his  own  mind  about  going,  and  would  not  start  ahead  when 
commanded.  I  gave  him  a  sharp  touch  of  the  whip,  when 
he  kicked  and  smashed  the  dash  in.  This  was  his  trick, 
of  which  I  knew  nothing.  I  at  once  unhitched  him,  and 
treated  as  just  explained,  until  he  would  start  promptly, 
and  he  never  kicked  afterward. 

Sometimes  in  driving  or  trotting,  a  horse  will  go  oil"  aW 
right  until  struck  with  the  whip  or  pushed  a  little,  when  he 
will  sulk  or  kick.     Such  are  usually  horses  showing  a  large 


190  KICKING. 

undercurrent  of  the  positive  or  sullen  nature,  and  are  very 
provoking  when  irritated.  They  seem  difficult  to  manage 
because  there  is  no  way  of  forcing  that  will  not  react  in 
trouble.  During  my  early  experience  I  used  the  foot-strap 
with  much  success  in  the  management  of  this  habit.  At 
the  instant  of  touching  sharply  with  the  whip,  pull  the 
foot  from  under,  which  not  only  disconcerts  the  horse,  but 
prevents  the  kicking.  Indeed,  this  alone  will  enable  the 
perfect  control  of  most  of  these  cases. 

Kickers  in  Stall. 

In  the  first  place,  for  the  management  of  kickers  in  the 
stall,  a  great  deal  depends  upon  the  size  of  thQ  stall  and 
adroitness  of  the  man  in  approaching  the  horse.  A  very 
narrow  stall  makes  it  somewhat  difficult,  if  not  dangerous, 
to  approach  even  many  gentle  horses.  Such  stalls  are  not 
only  an  abomination  for  the  increased  danger  and  incon- 
venience they  cause  in  going  around  a  horse,  but  for  not 
affording  sufficient  freedom  for  the  horse  to  lie  down  and 
step  around.  It  is  no  reason  for  stalls  being  so  constructed 
because  somebody  who  should  know  better  makes  them  so. 
If  the  stall  is  large,  there  will  be  better  opportunity  to 
keep  out  of  reach,  and,  unless  the  horse  is  very  vicious, 
there  will  be  no  difficulty  in  going  around  him  with  com- 
parative safety. 

Then,  much  depends  upon  the  character  of  the  man. 
A  courageous,  determined  horse  soon  learns  to  become  ag- 
gressive toward  a  naturally  timid  man  who  seems  afraid 
to  approach  him.  If  a  horse  is  very  vicious  in  his  stall, 
he  is  like  any  other  dangerous  brute  upon  which  nothing 
short  of  a  thorough  course  of  subjective  treatment  will  pro- 
duce any  impression.  But  if  irritable  or  cunning,  a  sharp 
lesson  with  the  War  Bridle  until  he  w;ll  follow  promptly 


KICKERS  IN  STALL.  191 

will  nsimlly  be  sufficient ;  after  which  it  may  be  left  on  for 
a  day  or  two. 

The  treatment  for  all  ordinary  cases  should  be  about  as 
follows :  First,  put  on  the  War  Bridle,  Second  Form, 
which  may,  if  the  case  is  stubborn,  be  turned  into  the 
Double  Drmv  Hitch  Form,  and  make  him  feel  its  power 
sufficiently  to  follow  promptly.  Lead  him  into  the  stall, 
and  while  holding  tlie  cord,  step  in  and  out  repeatedly, 
making  him,  during  the  time,  keep  his  hind  parts  turned 
in  the  opposite  direction.  This  treatment  may  be  accom- 
panied by  giving  apples,  etc. 

If  the  case  is  important,  and  it  is  desired  to  be  very 
thorough,  after  putting  on  the  halter,  put  on  the  War 
Bridle,  Si^ond  Form,  with  the  part  going  through  the 
mouth  running  through  the  rings  on  either  side  of  the 
halter  to  keep  it  in  place,  and  the  part  over  the  head  well 
back  upon  the  neck.  Now  pass  the  cord  back  to  the  end 
of  the  stall  and  tie  to  a  ring  or  post,  leaving  it  sufficiently 
long  to  give  the  horse  room  to  step  around  as  usual  when 
tied  by  the  halter.  When  it  is  desired  to  go  in,  if  he  does 
not  step  around  at  command,  untie  the  cord  and  give  a 
sharp  pull  upon  it,  which  will  bring  the  head  around, 
throwing  the  hind  parts  to  the  opposite  side,  when  he  can 
be  approached  with  safety.  This  may  be  repeated  when 
first  put  on  for  a  few  times,  to  teach  the  idea  of  stepping 
around  when  commanded.  After  a  few  repetitions  he  will 
soon  learn,  when  approached  and  commanded,  to  step 
around. 

There  is  a  great  sleight  in  approaching  vicious  horses 
when  in  stalls,  the  disregard  of  which  may  sometimes 
cause  a  naturally  gentle  horse  to  kick  if  approached  or 
touched  unexpectedly.  First,  no  matter  how  gentle  a 
horse  is,  there  should  be  no  effort  to  go  near  or  approach 
before  attracting  his  attention  by  speaking  to  him.     If  at 


192  KICKING. 

all  doubtful,  the  course  should  be  about  as  follows  :  When 
behind,  a  little  to  the  near  side,  look  directly  at  the  horse's 
head  and  say  sharply,  "  Get  around  !  "  repeating  until  the 
eye  is  caught.  A  great  deal  depends  upon  the  expression 
of  confidence  and  authority  shown.  An  intelligent,  cour- 
ageous horse  will  discern  instantly  any  lack  of  confidence 
or  power,  and  become  correspondingly  aggressive. 

At  first  the  horse  may  look  back  and  try  to  measure 
your  strength  and  be  disposed  to  (question  your  advance. 
It  will  be  a  matter  of  will  power  now.  Look  at  him  with 
all  the  firmness  you  can,  and  repeat  the  "  Get  around ! "  with 
the  most  thorough  vim  of  expression.  If  a  man  of  any 
iierve,  but  few  horses  will  disobey.  If  he  steps  around, 
tie  matter  if  the  ears  are  put  back  and  the  eyes  partly 
closed  showing  inclination  to  kick,  there  will  seldom  be 
much  danger.  The  eye  kept  firmly  upon  that  of  the  horse, 
will  discover  any  movement  almost  before  it  is  made ;  so 
reach  the  end  of  the  stall  fronting  the  horse,  with  head 
slightly  turned  to  hold  the  eye,  and  make  a  quick,  gliding 
leap  or  long  step  toward  the  shoulder.  After  getting 
well  forward  of  the  hips  there  will  be  little  danger ;  watch- 
ing the  opportunity  in  this  way,  and  moving  quickly,  will 
permit  getting  beyond  reach  of  danger  before  the  horse 
can  kick. 

This  is  really  the  only  secret  of  getting  around  oj'  into 
the  stall  of  a  doubtful  horse  without  getting  hurt.  (See 
chapter  on  "  Stallions.")  By  observing  closely,  the  inten- 
tions of  the  horse  will  always  be  revealed  by  the  expres- 
sion of  the  eye  and  his  actions.  Danger  is  shown  by  the 
ears  being  thrown  back,  eyes  partly  closed,  lips  drawn 
back,  and  mouth  perhaps  partly  open.  If  the  horse  will 
not  move  when  commanded,  but  holds  his  position  firmly, 
especiall}'  if  one  having  a  dark,  lurking  eye  set  well  into 
the  head,  thick  eyelids,  and  heavy  ears,  the  character  is 


A 


KICKING   WHILE   HAENESSING.  193 

treacherous  and  needless  risks  should  not  be  hazarded. 
What  such  a  horse  does  he  will  do  quickly  without  warn- 
ing. But  if  he  seems  to  yield,  no  matter  how  bad  he  is, 
and  there  is  quickness  in  getting  into  the  stall,  as  explained, 
there  will  be  but  little  danger. 

I  have  frequently  been  able  to  go  into  the  stalls  of 
horses  that  were  very  dangerous,  and  have  never  been 
kicked  or  hurt  while  doing  so.  Many  times  the  horse 
would  kick  the  stall,  but  by  a  sharp,  ringing  command  suf- 
ficient to  disconcert,  and  by  jumping  quickly,  I  could  al- 
ways get  to  the  shoulder  or  head  without  being  touched. 
In  many  cases  I  have  been  compelled  to  take  the  chances 
from  necessity ;  but  by  observing  these  precautions,  and 
calculating  my  chances  carefully,  I  would  be  able  to  get 
by,  though  at  the  instant  of  doing  so  the  horse  would  kick 
the  stall  behind  me. 

When  desiring  to  get  out,  pull  the  head  around  after, 
bringing  the  hind  parts  well  around  to  the  opposite  side. 
The  instant  the  halter  is  let  go,  step  or  spring  beyond  reach. 

While  Harnessing. 

The  habit  of  kicking  while  harnessing  is  always  the  re- 
sult of  carelessness  or  bad  treatment.  Were  the  horse 
treated  kindly  and  the  harness  put  on  gently  until  accus- 
tomed to  it,  there  would  be  no  trouble.  Not  being  accus- 
tomed to  the  breeching  or  the  crupper  under  the  tail,  a 
sensitive  horse  is  liable  to  kick  when  feeling  pressure  upon 
those  parts.  I  have  frequently  found  horses  gentle  after 
the  harness  was  on,  yet  they  would  kick  violently  when  the 
attempt  was  made  to  put  it  on;  while  others  would  kick 
only  after  it  was  on.  All  that  is  necessary  to  do  in  such 
cases,  is  to  put  on  the  War  Bridle,  and,  after  giving  a  few 
sharp  pulls  with  it,  hold  firmly  in  the  left  hand,  and  while 
keeping  it  taut  upon  the  rnouth,  with  the  right  spread  the 

'"    ■•       -  '  13 


194 


KICKING. 


"1 

harness  gently  over  the  back  and  hips.  The  pressure  of 
the  cord  upon  the  mouth  will  hold  the  attention  of  the  horse 
sufficiently  to  allow  putting  the  crupper  under  the  tail  and 
buckling. 

To  break  up  the  habit,  it  may  be  necessary  to  repeat 
this  treatment  two  or  three  times,  punishing  sharply  for 
any  resistance,  and  encouraging  by  kind  treatment  for  al- 
lowing it  to  be  put  on  and  off  as  desired.  After  gaining 
the  attention  by  the  War  Bridle,  it  may  be  drawn  down 
and  tied  as  in  cut  66,  page  67,  but  not  kept  so  more  than 


Fig.  166. — As  a  bad  case  of  this  character  will  usually  resist 
before  treatment. 

thirty  seconds  to  a  minute  ;  after  which  the  harness  can  be 
put  on  or  off  as  desired.  It  is  very  important  in  these 
cases  to  associate  kindness  with  the  treatment  by  giving 
apples,  etc. 

Resistance  to  having  the  collar  put  on,  or  the  neck 
touched  in  consequence  of  having  been  made  sore,  is  some- 
times a  formidable  diffi(;ulty,  as  the  horse  may  show  great 
viciousness,  striking  or  kicking  violently.  If  the  treat- 
ment named  is   not  sufficient,  then   more  force  must  be 


KICKING   WHILE   HAENESSING. 


195 


used;  but  with  care,  the  War  Bridle  will  be  found  suf- 
ficient. In  such  cases,  attention  must  be  given  to  having 
the  collar  large  enough  to  permit  putting  easily  over  the 
head.  Or  if  an  open  collar,  it  should  be  unbuckled  and 
put  on  quietly  over  the  neck.  In  addition,  particular  at- 
tention should  be  given  to  curing  the  parts  if  sore.  A 
great  point  also  in  the  management  of  such  cases  is  in  win- 
ning the  confidence  of  the  horse  to  bear  having  the  sensi- 
tive parts  touched  by  scratching  the  mane  and  other  parts, 


Fig.  167. — As  the  horse  will  stand  quietly  to  be  harnessed 
after  treatment. 

and  imperceptibly  approaching  the  sensitive  parts  until  it 
is  borne ;  then  follow  by  caressing,  giving  apples,  etc. 

There  may  be  cases  also  where  resistance  to  the  har- 
ness upon  the  hips,  or  crupper- under  the  tail,  will  be  very 
violent.  In  such  cases  a  regular  course  of  subjection  may 
be  necessary.  One  of  the  worst  horses  the  writer  ever 
handled  was  of  this  character,  compelling  to  resort  to  the 
First,  Second,  and  Third  Methods,  which  were  in  part 
repeated  to  break  him  of  the  habit. 


196  KICKING. 

Kicking  and  Biting   While  Grooming. 

The  habit  of  kicking  and  biting  while  grooming,  is  in 
all  cases  the  result  of  bad  treatment.  A  sharp  currycomb 
or  card  is  usually  raked  recklessly  over  the  legs  and  belly, 
regardless  of  cutting  into  the  skin.  The  horse  may  snap, 
kick,  and  almost  lie  down  upon  the  ground  in  the  effort  to 
avoid  or  relieve  the  pain ;  but  no  more  attention  is  given 
to  this  than  to  kick  and  pound  as  a  means  of  compelling  to 
stand  quietly.  Sharp  currycombs,  or  any  instrument  that 
will  hurt,  should  not  be  used  upon  such  horses.  Should 
the  horse  be  over-sensitive,  the  result  of  former  bad  treat- 
ment, restrain  a  little  with  the  War  Bridle  until  he  will 
submit  to  being  cleaned  as  directed.  In  such  cases,  it  is 
always  advisable  to  commence  at  an  insensible  part,  and 
work  gradually  to  the  part  at  wdiich  the  grooming  is  re- 
sisted. 

Bad  to  Bridle.  ^ 

Most  horses  will  submit  readily  to  be  bridled  by  giving 
a  short  lesson  with  the  War  Bridle,  and  tying  down  as  ex- 
plained, when  the  bridle  can  be  put  on  or  off  as  desired. 
Care  should  be  taken  to  have  the  bridle  large  and  easy-fit- 
ting. As  there  is  submission,  give  more  freedom  until 
there  is  no  resistance.  Should  the  horse  show  viciousness, 
and  resist  this  treatment,  then  subject  to  Second  Method, 
and  while  tied,  handle  the  head  and  put  on  the  bridle. 
When  untied,  restrain  with  the  cord,  being  careful  in  such 
cases  to  work  gently,  rewarding  liberally  for  obedience. 
Able  once  to  take  off  or  put  on  the  bridle  without  force, 
repeat  for  some  time,  holding  the  attention  by  giving  ap- 
ples, etc.  Such  a  horse  should  be  bridled  with  care  for 
some  time  to  outgrow  the  sensibility. 


THE   PUTNEY  HOESE,  197 

Case  1. — Putney  Horse. 

This  was  an  eight-year  old  bay,  of  close,  compact  struct- 
ure, weighing  about   950  pounds,  and    owned    by  J.  B. 
Blanchard,  of  Putney,  Vt.     He  was  a  runaway  kicker  of 
the  worst  stamp,  having  defied  every  effort  to  break  him. 
In  a  passive  condition  he  appeared  to  be  a  horse  of  ordinarily 
good  character,  with  eyes  rather  dark,  of  medium  size,  and 
with  a  sullen  expression.     His  ears  were  rather  long,  and 
set  on  well  apart,  quite  long  from  eyes  to  ears,  and  with 
good,  broad  forehead, — all  indicating  endurance,  courage, 
and  pluck,  of  the  most  decided  character.     When  brought 
forward  to  be.  experimented  upon,  no  intimation  was  given 
of  his  character.     It  was  simply  claimed  that  he  was  un- 
broken.    Upon  trial  he  developed  the  most  desperate  re- 
sistance. 

Not  having  a  suitable  place  in  which  to  handle  him,  the 
First  Method,  which  was  exactly  adapted  to  his  tempera- 
ment, could  not  be  used.  Resisting  the  Second  Method, 
he  was  subjected  to  the  Third,  which  was  carried  to  its  ut- 
most hniit  before  he  yielded. 

Upon  testing  the  mouth  he  developed  the  most  deter- 
mined opposition.    With  the  Breaking  Bit  he  pulled  ten  men 
— five  to  each  rein — on  a  w^alk  across  the  barn,  resisting; 
even  to  being  pulled  down  upon  his  knees,  but  submitted 
in  about  forty  minutes.      The  whole  treatment  required 
about  an  hour.     Next  day  he  was  brought  to  Westmore- 
land, N.  H.,  where  I  was  advertised,  and  upon  testing  him 
he  proved  perfectly  gentle.      On  the   following  day  the 
owner  drove  him  to  a  sleigh  twenty  miles  to  Keene,  where 
the  horse  was  well  known,  and  also  drove  him  in  the  streets 
while  there  without  breeching,  proving  him  perfectly  gen- 
tle.    The  horsemen  declared  they  knew  such  a  horse  could 
not  be  broken,  but  here  was  the  undoubted  proof  of  his  do- 
ciHty.     This  incident  enabled  me  to  make  a  large  class. 


198 


K ICKING.— ILLUSTKATl  VR   CASES. 


Case  2. — Malone  Horse. 


This  was  probably  one  of  the  most  notable  kicking,  run- 
away horses  ever  known  in  the  State  of  Ohio,  special 
reference  to  which  is  made  in  "Personal  Experience."  He 
was  a  fine,  blooded  trotter,  eight  years  old,  about  16  hands 
high,  and  weighed  about  1050  pounds.  In  appearance  he 
was  quiet,  and  perfectly  gentle  to  ride  and  handle.     The 

greatest  effort  had 
been  made  for  years 
to  break  this  horse, 
but  without  success. 
At  the  time  of  my 
visit  to  the  place,  all 
hope  of  ever  being 
able  to  subdue  him 
had  been  abandoned. 
I  subjected  him  to 
the  First  Method, 
which  he  at  first  vio- 
lently resisted,  but 
after  being  thrown  about  a  dozen  times  he  submitted  un- 
conditionally. It  was  not  sufiicient,  however,  to  produce 
the  degree  of  submission  desired,  and  he  was  next  subjected 
to  the  Second  Method,  which  he  also  resisted  with  great 
courage,  requiring  in  all  about  twenty  minutes.  The  foun- 
dation was  now  laid  for  the  next  step, — that  of  obtaining 
control  of  the  mouth.  This  was,  if  anything,  his  strong 
point,  having  resisted  all  kinds  of  bits  and  rigging. 

When  tested  with  the  Breaking  Bit,  he  plunged  against 
it,  fighting  so  hard  that  at  one  time  he  wxnt  over  the  rope 
upon  the  seats.  By  careful  management,  however,  he  was 
in  about  twenty  minutes  brought  under  perfect  control. 
Next  morning  I  tested  him  hard  in  the  ring,  and  found  him 


Fig.  168.— The  Malone  Horse. 


THE   ]\I ALONE   HORSE.  199 

manageable.  I  now  took  him  outside  tiie  city  to  know 
definitely  what  he  would  bear  in  the  street.  Upon  careful 
trial  he  proved  entirely  manageable,  when  I  drove  him  back. 
I  now  trained  him  to  stop,  turn  right  and  left,  to  the  mo- 
tion of  the  whip,  continuing  the  lesson  about  ten  minutes, 
resting  as  long,  then  repeating  until  he  would  turn  right 
and  left  as  desired.  I  employed  every  spare  moment  in 
this  way  up  to  12  o'clock,  when  I  hitched  him  up  without 
reins,  letting  shafts  go  against  the  quarters,  etc.,  and  drove 
to  the  square,  where  there  was  a  large  crowd,  and  proved 


7Tvij_^  WIILEY.ENS. 

Fig.  169.— An  incident  of  the  Malone  Horse.     Result  of  an  effort 
by  a  horse-breaker  to  drive  hini. 

him  perfectly  gentle.  For  several  days,  each  time,  before 
hitching  up,  I  tested  him  by  running  the  shafts  against  his 
quarters,  to  remind  him  of  his  lesson ;  otherwise  he  was 
treated  with  great  care  and  kindness,  being  quieted  down 
by  petting,  giving  apples,  etc.  I  explained  to  the  class 
that,  in  the  management  of  this  and  all  other  cases  of  like 
character,  it  would  be  necessary,  after  a  spell  of  idleness, 
to  remind  of  the  lesson  by  a  slight  repetition  of  treatment. 
I  sold  the  horse  to  a  leading  horseman,  A.  S.  Robins, 
who  had  been  a  member  of  the  class,  and  who  had  wit- 
nessed all  the  details  of  the  treatment.  I  especially  ex- 
plained to  him  the  necessity  for  this  case.     Upon  my  leav- 


200 


KICKING.— ILLUSTRATIVE   CASES. 


ing  the  city  he  desked  me  to  take  the  horse  with  me  for  a 
few  weeks,  which  I  did.  Finding  his  constitution  had  been 
seriously  injured  by  the  severity  of  the  treatment  to  which 
he  had  been  previously  subjected  in  the  effort  to  break 
him,  and  that  the  least  use  of  him  got  him  off  his  feed, 
to  improve  his  condition  I  had  him  carefully  fed,  and  kept 
quiet  during  the  time  in  my  care,  over  a  month,  intending, 
as  a  matter  of  safety,  before  allowing  him  to  be  taken  away, 
to  give  him  another  short  lesson ;  but  while  I  was  absent 
the  owner  sent  for  him.      After  letting  him  rest  a  short 


Fig.  170. — The  Malone  Horse  as  driveD,  next  day  after  treatment,  on  the 
Square,  without  bridle,  reins,  or  breeching. 

time,  he  hitched  him  to  a  buggy,  took  in  a  friend,  and  drove 
around  the  city  all  right.  But  when  near  home,  on  driv- 
ing sharply  round  a  corner  at  the  Kenard  House,  perceiv- 
ing the  horse  wiggle  his  tail  as  if  to  kick,  he  jumped  out  on 
one  side,  and  his  friend  on  the  other.  The  horse,  finding 
himself  free,  ran  away,  and  tore  the  wagon  to  pieces.  Some 
said  he  kicked  ;  others  that  he  did  not.  Happening  in  the 
city  the  next  day,  and  hearing  that  the  famous  Malone 
horse  had  run  away,  I  called  upon  Mr.  R.  for  an  explana- 
tion.    The  moment  he  saw  me  he  said  : — 


THE   WATSON   HORSE.  201 

"  Do  n't  say  a  word.  I  am  entirely  to  blame  ;  not  the 
horse.  I  drove  him  all  over  the  city,  and  never  had  a 
horse  drive  nicer.  But  somehow  I  got  the  idea  he  was  go- 
ing to  kick,  and  before  I  knew  what  I  was  about,  I  jumped 
out  and  let  him  go.     He  did  n't  try  to  kick." 

I  said,  "  Let  me  take  him,  I  will  soon  make  him  so  he 
will  drive  with  perfect  safety." 

"  No,"  he  replied,  "  I  am  afraid  of  him,  and  shall  never 
ride  behind  him  again." 

I  give  these -details,  mainly,  to  show  how  liable  good 
horsemen,  of  even  much  intelligence,  are  to  fail  on  account 
of  not  carrying  out  the  instructions  properly. 

Case  3. — Watson  Horse. 

This  was  a  kicking,  runaway  horse  of  the  worst  char- 
acter, owned  by  a  coal-dealer  named  Watson,  in  Memphis, 
Tenn.  He  was  a  rather  heavy-boned,  light  gray  gelding, 
nine  years  old,  and  Aveighed  about  1030  pounds.  There 
were  so  many  incidents  of  interest  connected  with  this 
horse  that  I  give  some  of  the  details  :  He  was  in  appear- 
ance and  color  very  much  like  the  last  one  referred  to, 
simply  a  little  heavier  boned  and  shorter  legged,  but  a 
horse  of  wonderful  pluck  and  endurance.  He  was  ac- 
knowledged to  be  the  worst  runaway  kicker  in  the  State 
of  Tennessee.  Over  a  year  before,  a  horse-drover  from 
Kentucky,  hearing  of  him,  claimed  he  could  drive  him  or 
any  other  living  horse.  Upon  trial  the  horse  ran  away, 
clearing  himself  from  the  wagon,  throwing  the  man  out  so 
violently  as  to  cause  an  arm  to  be  broken,  and  otherwise 
seriously  injuring  him.  Afterward,  a  mule-drover  from  the 
eastern  part  of  the  State  claimed  to  be  able  to  drive  him, 
betting  largely  upon  the  results.  As  before,  the  horse  ran 
away,  threw  the  man  out,  nearly  killing  him,  and  plunged 
into  the  Mississippi  River,  from  which  he  was  with  diffi- 


^202  KICKING.— illustrative:   CASES. 

culty  rescued.  Upon  my  arrival  there,  this  man  was  still 
confined  in  the  city,  helpless  from  the  eiTects  of  the  injury. 

It  was  considered  a  good  joke  to  test  me  with  this 
horse ;  and  to  do  anything  there,  I  found  it  necessary  to 
break  him.  I  took  him  outside  the  city  for  treatment,  and 
subjected  him  to  First  Method.  Not  proving  sufhcient,  I 
followed  it  quickly  with  Second,  alternating  with  First, 
then  again  with  the  Second  with  great  rapidity,  when  he 
submitted  to  being  touched  around  the  quarters  without 
offering  to  kick. 

Upon  trying  his  mouth  I  found  it  entirely  unmanage- 
able ;  but  after  about  an  hour's  effort,  succeeded  in  making 
him  drive  perfectly  gentle.  The  same  afternoon  I  drove 
him,  without  breeching,  down  the  principal  street  of  the 
city  by  word  of  command,  while  distant  from  him  eight  or 
ten  rods,  letting  him  go  fast  or  slow,  stopping  and  starting 
him  as  I  desired.  It  was  believed,  however,  that  he  must 
have  been  under  the  influence  of  medicine.  To  test  this,  he 
was  shut  up  for  a  week,  after  which  I  was  requested  by  Gen- 
erals Forest,  Rucker,  and  other  leading  citizens,  to  drive 
him  to  a  carriage.  Upon  arriving,  I  found  the  horse  hitched 
ready  to  be  driven,  and  the  demand,  "  We  want  to  see  you 
get  in  and  drive  this  horse  now."  This  was  decidedly 
risky,  as  it  is  rarely  that  sufficient  impression  can  be  made 
upon  the  brain  by  one  lesson  to  mako  a  horse  safe  eight 
days  afterward.  To  fail,  as  they  predicted,  would  of  course 
be  equivalent  to  exposing  me  as  a  humbug.  Pretending  to 
be  under  the  influence  of  liquor,  I  staggered  toward  the 
horse's  head,  and  with  the  apparent  effort  of  steadying  my- 
self, with  the  right  hand  I  grasped  both  reins  back  of  the 
jaw,  and  gave  a  sudden  pull  down  and  back,  at  the  same 
time  saying  sharply,  "  Whoa  !  "  The  horse  yielded  per- 
ceptibly to  this,  which  Avas  sufficient  to  show  me  that  the 
mouth  was  entirely  manageable.     I  immediately  got  in, 


THE   HETTRICK   HORSE. 


203 


drove  the  horse  about  ten  rods,  turned  him  quickly  around, 
and  drove  back  down  hill  on  a  ftist  trot.  Upon  reaching 
them  I  threw  the  lines  out  over  his  head  and  yelled, 
"'  Wlioa ! "  He  stopped  so  quickly  as  to  slide  fully  ten 
feet.  All  were  convinced  there  was  no  humbug  about  that, 
and  joined  in  voting  me  all  right. 

Case  4. — Hettrick  Horse. 

For  a  domestic  horse,  this  was  one  of  the  most  vicious, 
striking,  kicking,  runaway  brutes  the  writer  ever  saw. 
He  was  a  large  sorrel, 
weighing  about  1150  lbs., 
and  was  owned  by  a  man 
name  d  Hettrick,  who 
kept  a  hack-stable  on 
Thirtieth-st.,  near  Sixth 
Avenue.  Mr.  Hettrick 
first  saw  the  horse  hitched 
up  in  Twenty-fourth-st., 
to  a  big  cart,  with  both 
wheels  blocked.  Two  men 
were  holding  him  by  the 
head,  and  the  third  in  the 
cart  holding  by  the  reins. 
The  horse  was  sold  for  $275,  on  condition  that  he  could  be 
driven.  Notwithstanding  the  precautions  taken,  at  the  first 
jump  he  ran  away,  tearing  the  cart  to  pieces.  Mr.  Het- 
trick left  his  card,  stating  that  he  would  give  $50  for  the 
horse,  and  he  was  accordingly  sent  to  him  for  that  price. 
As  he  expressed  himself  to  me  that  evening,  he  was  will- 
ing to  give  $50  for  a  good  subject  with  which  to  test  me. 

The  moment  I  saw  the  horse  I  knew  I  had  an  unusually 
dangerous  fellow  to  deal  with.  I  told  the  owner  I  did  not 
consider  it  prudent  to  take  such  a  horse  before  a  class  un- 


FiG.  171.— The  Hettrick  Horse  after 
being  subdued. 


204 


KICKING.— ILLUSTRATIVE   CASES. 


THE   HETTEICK   HOESE. 


201 


til  I  knew  what  he  would  bear,  as  it  might  cause  me  con- 
siderable trouble  to  get  to  him,  and  besides  expose  the 
class  to  accident.  As  he  could  be  led  safely  by  keeping 
well  out  to  the  end  of  the  halter,  I  had  him  taken  over  to 
my  place,  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  street,  and  tied  to  the 
center-pole.  I  found  I  could  not  go  near  him  to  touch  any 
part  of  his  body  without  getting  struck  or  kicked.  His  re- 
sistance was  so  remarkable  in  this  respect  that  I  give  an  il- 
lustration of  it.  But  once  getting  my  hands  upon  him, 
which  took  me  nearly  an  hour  to  do,  I  was  so  provoked 


Fig.  173  —The  Hettrick  Horse  as  driven  in  the  street  next  day. 

that  I  did  not  stop  until  I  had  completely  subdued  him.  I 
subjected  him  to  Second  Method,  which  he  resisted,  acting 
more  like  a  wild,  untlimable  animal  than  a  horse.  At  one 
time  he  jumped  over  the  rope  upon  the  seats,  breaking 
down  several  of  them, — just  such  an  accident  as  I  had  an- 
ticipated. I  next  subjected  him  to  First  Method,  then 
again  to  Second,  which  completely  subdued  him.  The  rest 
was  easy ;  he  was  simply  tested  with  the  Breaking  Bit  un- 
til compelled  to  submit  to  it.  He  was  hitched  up  the  next 
day,  driven  to  Central  Park,  and  proA^ed  entirely  gen- 
tle, in  single  or  double  harness.  He  had  so  much  of  the 
wild,  mustang  nature  that,  notwithstanding  his  entire  do- 
cility in  harness,  it  would  have  been  a  dangerous  experi^ 


20G  KICKING.— ILLUSTRATIVE   CASES. 

merit,  even  after  being  thus  subdued,  excepting  when  done 
very  cautiously,  to  put  the  hand  upon  his  nose,  as  it  would 
cause  him  to  snort  and  strike. 

This  case  was  so  interesting  that  I  had  an  accurate 
drawing  made  of  his  head,  which  I  had  engraved  with 
others,  and  which  is  given  at  the  heading  of  this  case. 
Notwithstanding  it  was  an  accurate  drawing  of  the  head 
after  being  subdued,  and  shows  a  very  bad  expression  of 
character,  it  scarcely  gives  an  idea  of  the  striking  expres- 
sion of  viciousness  before  being  subdued. 

Case  5. — Hankey  Mare. 

This  was  a  seven-year-old  mare,  owned  by  Mr.  F.  A. 
Hankey,  of  Gettysburg,  Pennsylvania.  She  was  a  bright 
bay,  weighing  about  1000  pounds,  of  remarkably  strong, 
firm  texture  of  body.  She  had  a  good  intelligent  head, 
showing  the  indications  of  great  activity  and  pluck.  The 
eyes  were  rather  small,  showing  much  white,  eyelids  rather 
heavy,  quite  long  from  eyes  to  ears,  and  ears  long. 

She  was  raised  by  the  owner,  Mr.  Hankey,  who  tried 
to  break  her  when  she  was  three  years  old,  but,  notwith- 
standing he  resorted  to  every  possible  expedient,  completely 
failed.  She  not  only  resisted  the  control  of  several  men, 
but  ran  away,  carrying  with  her  a  heavy  four-horse  wagon 
loaded  with  manure.  The  following  letter  to  a  cousin  of 
his,  Wm.  Motter,  of  Emmetsburg,  will  explain  itself: — 

''Dear  Sir: — 

"  I  was  a  member  of  Mr.  Magner's  class  yesterday  in  Gettysburg.  He 
had  a  class  of  over  forty  scholars.  I  took  in  my  mare  for  him  to  handle, 
which  I  had  been  trying  to  break  from  the  time  she  was  three  years  old,  and 
could  do  nothing  with  her.  She  was  the  womt  runaway  kicking  mare  I  ever 
saw,  and  I  had  given  up  all  hopes  of  ever  being  able  to  break  her.  After 
trying  every  way  I  could  to  break  her  and  failing,  I  made  up  my  mind  I 
would  fix  her  for  once  so  she  couldn't  run  away;  so  I  filled  my  large,  four- 
horse  wagon  with  manure,  and  hitched  her  to  it,  with  three  other  horses. 
Notwithstanding  there  were  three  men  holding  her  in  addition,  she  carried 
wagon,  horses,  and  men,  right  away  with  her  mouth,  and  tore  everything  to 
pieces.     It  took  two  hours  yesterday  to  control  her.     To-day  I  took  her  to 


THE   GOODMAN   HOESE.  207 

Fairfield,  where  she  was  hitched  up,  before  the  class,  perfectly  gentle,  not 
minding  the  cross-piece  running  against  her  quarters,  or  showing  the  least 
inclination  to  kick.  I  write  this  to  say  to  you,  and  all  my  friends,  to  join 
his  class  and  learn  his  system.  He  is  no  humbug.  The  knowledge  to  be 
gained  is  that  which  farmers  and  horse-owners  cannot  afford  to  be  without. 
"Yours  Truly,  F.  A,  Hankey." 

The  facts  of  her  running  away  with  a  four-horse  wagon, 
I  was  positively  assured  to  be  in  every  particular  true. 
Mr.  Hankey  joined  the  class  on  condition  that  the  mare 
should  be  driven  gentle.  Being  compelled  to  handle  her 
in  the  midst  of  a  large  crowd  in  an  ordinary  sized  carriage- 
house,  with  hard  ground  floor,  the  difhculty  of  her  subjec- 
tion was  greatly  increased.  She  was  subjected  first  to 
Third  Method,  which  was  carried  to  the  fullest  extreme 
for  about  fifteen  minutes,  then  to  the  Second,  after  which 
again  to  the  Third,  when  she  submitted  to  have  the  quar- 
ters touched  without  kicking. 

Her  resistance  to  the  bit  was  extreme,  and  it  required 
over  an  hour  to  make  her  yield  at  all  to  its  restraint.  Not 
considering  it  safe  to  drive  her  while  warm,  I  told  the 
owner  if  he  would  take  her  to  Fairfield  next  day  that,  with 
a  little  additional  treatment,  she  could  be  driven  with  en- 
tire satisfaction.  He  and  a  large  number  of  the  class  fol- 
lowed me  there,  where,  as  promised,  she  was  driven  with 
entire  success.  As  explained  in  chapter  on  "  Kicking," 
though  many  of  these  extremely  desperate  cases  cannot 
be  driven  while  warm,  because  liable  to  fight  back,  which 
would  be  equivalent  to  failure,  by  putting  away  until  cool 
and  over  the  excitement,  they  can  be  driven  with  but  little 
difficulty.  If  the  horse  cannot  then  be  driven  with  entire 
safety,  the  safest  and  best  way  is  to  repeat  the  lesson, 
when  the  driving  Avill  be  made  easy. 

Case  6. — Goodman  Horse. 

This  case  is  included  not  only  to  show  some  of  the  dif- 
ficulties the  writer  encountered  during  his  early  experience, 


208  KICKING.- ILLUSTKATIVE   CASES. 

but  to  call  attention  to  a  type  of  character  that  will  often 
be  met. 

In  Goodman,  Mississippi,  I  had  a  large  class.  The  only 
subject  offered  for  experiment  was  an  ordinary  looking  sor- 
rel, medium  sized,  and  to  all  appearance,  perfectly  docile. 
This  was  all  the  more  puzzling  to  me,  as  I  noticed  a  gen- 
eral expression  of  interest  to  see  the  horse  driven.  To  il- 
lustrate the  First  Method,  the  "  throwing  rig  "  was  put  on, 
when,  with  scarcely  an  effort  of  resistance,  he  dropped 
down  upon  his  side  without  appearing  to  haA^e  energy 
enough  to  get  up.  He  was  equally  indifferent  to  the  Sec- 
ond Method.  No  matter  how  confined  or  pushed,  he  could 
not  be  made  to  go  around  rapidly  enough  to  cause  the  least 
dizziness ;  also  out  of  harness  he  was  as  indifferent  as  an 
ox  while  having  a  pole  brought  against  his  quarters  or  legs. 
While  attempting  to  drive  in  harness,  there  was  no  resist- 
ance to  being  hitched  up ;  but  the  moment  started,  he  com- 
menced such  a  volley  of  kicking  as  I  never  saw  a  horse  do 
before.  If  confined  too  closely  he  would  drop  sullenly 
upon  his  belly,  not  attempting  to  resist  until  again  upon 
his  feet  and  an  effort  was  made  to  move  him,  when  he 
would  repeat  the  kicking. 

I  told  the  class  I  never  saw  such  a  kicker  before,  that 
the  simplest  way  of  satisfying  them  would  be  to  give  them 
their  money  back.     Their  answer  was  : — 

"  No,  sir  ',  you  advertised  to  drive  any  horse.  We  have 
furnished  you  with  one,  and  we  want  to  see  you  drive  him. 
If  you  can't  do  it,  we  will  see  that  you  stop  traveling 
through  the  State  swindling  the  people." 

This  implied  that  if  I  could  not  do  it  my  career  would 
be  short.  It  was  not  a  matter  of  teaching  the  class  any 
more,  but  of  driving  the  horse.  Aided  by  a  number  of  the 
plass,  who  really  did  all  they  could  to  help  me,  I  worked 
upon  the  horse  from  four  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  till  ten  at 


THE   GOODMAN   HOESE.  209 

night,  without  making  the  least  apparent  headway  in  his 
subjection.  The  horse  was  now  put  in  the  stable,  when  he 
went  to  eating  as  unconcernedly  as  though  nothing  had 
happened.  Next  morning  I  again  took  him  in  hand,  put- 
ting him  before  a  cart,  and  working  him  until  dark  with- 
out, so  far  :as  I  could  see,  making  any  progress  whatever  in 
his  control.  I  went  to  bed  thoroughly  tired,  but  deter- 
mined to  go  through  the  matter  at  any  hazard. 

Next  morning,  after  breakfast,  I  went  out  to  look  at 
him.  He  stood  eating,  apparently  as  quiet  and  unconcerned 
as  though  he  had  not  been  touched.  I  stepped  into  his 
stall  to  study  him  a  little  closer,  and  found  his  mouth  simply 
a  little  sore  from  the  effects  of  the  bit  which  had  been  used. 
In  attempting  to  back  him  out  of  the  stall  he  resisted. 
This  so  provoked  me  that  I  determined  for  once  to  have 
the  best  of  him.  I  put  the  hitching  part  of  the  halter, 
which  was  of  ordinary  rope,  through  his  mouth,  and  sent 
him  back  on  a  run  to  the  middle  of  the  floor.  At  this 
point  he  collected  himself  for  a  desperate  fight,  but  my  tem- 
per being  up,  I  sent  him  back  out  of  the  barn  into  the  mid- 
dle of  the  yard,  against  the  reach  of  an  old  lumber  wagon 
which  happened  to  be  there.  Now  commenced  a  most  des- 
perate struggle,  which  lasted  fully  a  minute,  he  making 
an  effort  to  kick  up,  and  I  to  hold  him  so  closely  against 
the  reach  that  he  could  not  do  it.  He  finally  gave  up  the 
contest,  quivering  all  over.  His  whole  nature  seemed  now 
to  be  changed.  I  knew  I  had  him  safe,  and  at  once  hitched 
him  up  without  breeching,  and  drove  him  through  the 
streets  perfectly  gentle.  All  expressed  themselves  per- 
fectly satisfied,  saying,  "  You  are  a  good  fellow,"  etc.  Cer- 
tainly I  felt  happy  in  being  able  to  feel  myself  out  of  the 
scrape.  At  my  request  the  owner  took  him  to  Carrolton, 
about  thirty  miles  distant,  where,  to  the  surprise  of  the 
people  who  knew  his  former  bad  character,  I  drove  him 


210  KICKING.— ILLUSTRATIVE   CASES. 

hitched  to  a  wagon  without  breeching,  starting  and  stop- 
ping him  by  word  of  command  while  ten  rods  distant.  This 
was  the  means  of  making  me  a  large  class  there. 

This  horse  was  nine  years  old,  half  mustang  and  half 
thoroughbred.  He  was  of  medium  size,  strong  and  com- 
pact in  form.  His  owner,  who  had  the  reputation  of  being 
one  of  the  best  horsemen  in  that  part  of  the  State,  told  me 
he  never  had  a  horse  before  that  he  could  not  break,  but 
this  one  defied  his  utmost  effort, — in  fact,  he  never  saw 
such  a  horse  before. 

The  Third  Method  would  have  enabled  the  easy  man- 
agement of  this  case.  The  method  of  treatment  should 
have  been  about  as  follows  :  When  subjected  to  pressure 
he  should  have  been  put  in  shafts  or  poles  and  made  to  move, 
letting  the  cross-piece  strike  the  quarters;  as  he  submitted, 
the  pressure  should  have  been  removed  until  he  could  be 
driven  without  restraint.  If  properly  carried  out,  I  am 
confident  this  course  would,  as  proved  in  the  management 
of  a  great  many  cases  of  like  character,  have  enabled  his 
easy  control  in  fifteen  to  thirty  or  forty  minutes. 

The  Breaking  Rig  would  also  have  enabled  his  easy 
management. 

I  give  the  particulars  of  this  case  mainly  to  show 
through  what  effort  much  of  my  success  was  obtained,  as 
well  as  to  impress  more  clearly  the  course  of  treatment  to  be 
pursued.  Much  of  my  trouble  really  arose  from  ignorance, 
or  in  not  knowing  what  to  do.  In  this  connection  I  think 
it  advisable  for  future  reference  to  make  the  following  ex- 
planation :  I  have  reminded  in  the  treatment  of  this  case 
chat  the  Second  Method  would  not  work,  because  the  horse 
would  not  turn.  I  refer  to  it  to  show  how  little  I  knew 
about  the  true  principle  of  carrying  out  this  valuable  method 
of  treatment  at  that  time,  notwithstanding  I  invented  it,  and 
had  practiced  it  for  over  ten  years  with  great  success.  The 
treatment  by  this  method  should  have  beei;  as  follows  ;— < 


THE   GOODMAN  HOESE.  211 

First,  tie  just  short  enough  to  move  him.  If  tied  too 
shoi't  there  is  danger  of  his  rearing  up,  mustang  style,  and 
falling  over  backward,  or  of  going  round  so  quickly  as  to 
fall  down  before  the  nervous  system  can  be  sufficiently 
impressed  to  prevent  his  lunging  or  throwing  himself.  The 
aim  should  be  to  move  the  horse  moderately  at  first,  grad- 
ually forcing  up  quicker,  but  not  to  the  point  of  falling. 
After  tying,  have  ready  a  good  bow  whip,  stand  upon  the 
outside,  and  give  him  a  good  sharp  touch  across  the  nose. 
After  two  or  three  times  the  horse  will  usually  stop,  and 
throw  the  head  down  and  forward,  pulling  upon  the  halter 
with  great  severity.  Now  tie  a  little  shorter,  and  force 
more  quickly  with  the  whip.  If  inclined  to  pull  sullenly, 
force  up  quicker.  The  more  sullen  the  temperament,  the 
more  necessity  for  compelling  more  activity  with  the  whip. 
The  greatest  alertness  and  judgment  are  required  to  do  this 
well.  First,  the  instant  the  horse  is  about  to  fall,  he  should 
be  quickly  untied  and  tied  in  the  opposite  direction  before 
he  regains  his  balance,  repeating  in  this  way  perhaps  two 
or  three  times.  All  this  should  not  ordinarily  require  more 
than  five  or  eight  minutes,  though  in  some  cases  it  may  re- 
quire longer  time.  When  properly  done,  the  effect  of  this 
treatment  is  sometimes  quite  surprising.  Next,  put  on  the 
harness  with  the  Breaking  Bit,  under  which  the  War  Bridle 
may  be  put  for  reserve.  Drive  the  horse  around,  frighten- 
ing him  to  jump  ahead,  and  disconcerting  by  an  occasional 
sharp  cut  of  the  whip  across  the  nose.  The  horse  will  not 
usually  resist  until  put  in  harness,  when  he  is  apt  to  fight 
back  quite  hard.  When  this  is  attempted,  fight  it  through, 
or  rush  him  over  it,  which  can  be  done  by  the  War  Bridle, 
the  Double  Draw  Hitch  Form  is  best.  This  enables  lifting 
him  right  and  left  out  of  his  tracks,  as  desired,  which  has 
a  powerful  influence  in  discouraging  these  sullen  cases  at 
this  point.     But  with  the  Third  Method,  as  explained,  the 


212  KICKING.— ILLUSTKATIYE    CASES. 

management  of  these  cases  becomes  still  easier  and  sim- 
j^ler. 

Case  7. — McVay  Horse. 

This  case  was  very  nearly  like  the  last  one  referred  to, 
with  the  exception  of  a  large  blending  of  the  nervous  tem- 
perament with  that  of  the  sullen  or  sulky  nature,  and,  of 
course,  was  more  intense  in  resistance.  She  had  kicked 
from  the  time  she  was  a  colt,  and  had  become  so  fixed  in 
the  habit  that  she  would  kick  and  squeal  as  soon  as  the 
door  of  her  stable  was  opened.  As  this  is  a  very  remark- 
able case  I  will  give  its  history  : — 

The  firm  of  Mc  Vay  &  Allison  bought  of  L.  L.  Dorsey, 
of  Kentucky,  the  well-known  breeder  of  "  Gold  Dust "  trot- 
ting stock,  three  young  mares  and  a  staUion.  One  of  these 
mares  w^as  a  most  desperate  kicker,  and  considered  a  hope- 
less case.  She  was  sold  at  an  exceedingly  low  price  to  get 
rid  of  her.  The  buyers  supposed  they  had  an  especially 
good  bargain,  not  anticipating  any  trouble  in  breaking  her. 
Upon  getting  the  horses  home,  the  most  persistent  effort 
was  made  to  break  this  mare,  employing  for  the  pur- 
pose, at  different  times,  the  most  successful  horse-breakers 
to  be  found  m  that  part  of  the  State.  Every  effort  only 
left  her  worse  than  before.  At  the  time  of  my  visit  there 
she  was  seven  years  old,  and  regarded  by  her  owners  as 
worthless. 

In  spite  of  the  most  liberal  advertising  in  this  town,  I 
found  it  impossible  to  excite  the  least  interest  in  my  efforts ; 
and  as  a  last  resort  offered  to  forfeit  $500,  if  I  could  not 
subdue  and  drive  without  breeching,  in  forty  minutes,  any 
horse  that  could  be  produced.  I  was  entirely  ignorant  of 
this  mare,  which,  as  can  be  seen,  was  an  unusually  difficult 
case,  or  I  would  not  have  ventured  taking  such  a  risk. 
The  owners^  supposing  they  had  a  sure  thin^  on  this  mar§ 


THE  McVAY  HOESE.  213 

to  break  me  down,  told  their  superintendent  to  join  the 
class,  and  take  her  in ;  that  they  did  not  care  if  she  was 
killed ;  for  as  they  could  not  break  her  they  did  not  wish 
to  breed  from  her,  and  she  was,  consequently,  good  for 
nothing.  A  few  who  were  let  into  the  secret  came  for- 
ward and  bought  tickets,  feeling  sure  that  they  could  get 
their  money  back,  not  having  the  most  remote  idea  that 
the  mare  could  be  driven  in  the  time  specified.  Upon  see- 
ing her,  I  saw  at  once  that  she  was  one  of  the  worst  kick- 
ers I  ever  had  brought  me  to  experiment  upon  before  a 
class ;  and  that  to  succeed  at  all,  it  must  be  by  a  well-di- 
rected and  supreme  effort, — a  sort  of  rush  that  would  break 
up  her  confidence  before  she  warmed  up. 

She  was  subjected  to  First  Method,  as  a  matter  of  trial, 
which  she  did  not  resist,  and  it  was,  in  consequence,  use- 
less in  her  case.  The  Third  Method  was  next  used,  and 
carried  to  the  utmost  of  what  could  be  done  with  it,  and 
followed  quickly  with  the  Second.  The  important  point 
to  which  I  wish  to  call  attention  in  the  management  of  this 
case  is,  that  it  was  made  effective  only  by  forcing  her  rap- 
idly with  a  whip  (as  explained  in  the  application  of  the 
treatment  at  the  close  of  the  last  case),  after  which  she  was 
harnessed  quickly,  and  rushed  around  the  ring  rapidly  with- 
out kicking  back  once  successfully.  A  little  time  was  now 
taken  in  testing  her,  to  which  she  submitted  uncondition- 
ally, when  the  doors  were  thrown  open,  and  she  was  driven 
up  and  down  the  street  to  the  surprise  of  all  who  knew  her. 
All  was  done  within  forty  minutes.  It  was  yet  believed 
by  the  owners,  and  all  who  knew  her,  that  she  would  be 
as  bad  as  ever  the  next  day.  I  cautioned  the  man  who 
brought  her  in  (who  was  claimed  to  be  one  of  the  best 
horsemen  in  the  country)  to  test  her  very  carefully,  by 
partly  repeating  the  treatment  for  several  days  ;  and  doing 
this  I  thought  he  would  be  able  to  hold  her  gentle. 


214  KICKING.— ILLUSTEATIVE   CASES. 

Next  morning,  after  breakfast,  this  man  called  upon  me 
at  the  hotel,  and  requested  me  to  go  into  the  street  with 
him.  After  going  a  few  rods,  he  pointed  to  a  horse  har- 
nessed to  a  buggy,  and  hitched  to  a  post.  "  There  she  is," 
said  he.  And  sure  enough,  there  was  the  mare.  I  felt  in- 
dignant that  he  should  disregard  my  instructions.  But  he 
said  he  had  tried  her  in  every  way  that  morning,  that  she 
could  not  be  made  to  kick,  so  he  concluded  to  hitch  her  up 
and  drive  her  down  (two  miles),  and  that  she  had  driven 
all  right. 

About  six  weeks  later,  when  at  Newark,  Ohio,  Mr. 
McVay  came  to  me,  and  stated  that  his  mare  was  perfectly 
gentle,  and  the  most  promising  and  valuable  mare  in  Rich- 
land County ;  that  he  used  her  for  family  driving,  and  one 
day  while  driving  her  rapidly  before  a  sleigh,  in  company 
with  his  children,  the  breeching  broke,  letting  the  sleigh 
run  against  her  heels.  He  expected,  of  course,  she  would 
kick  and  run  away,  but,  to  his  surprise,  the  instant  he  said, 
"  Whoa  !  "  she  stopped  quietly,  not  showing  the  least  fear, 
or  offering  to  kick.  He  added  that  if  I  would  come 
back  to  Mansfield  I  could  get  as  large  a  class  as  I  would 
want.  I  felt  so  indignant  at  the  contemptible  opposition 
and  prejudice  to  which  I  had  been  subjected  there,  that  I 
said  I  would  not  go  back  and  teach  a  class  there  under 
any  condition. 

It  is  proper  to  explain  that  the  mare's  not  kicking  that 
morning  was  very  much  a  matter  of  chance.  Had  she 
kicked,  the  effect  of  the  treatment  the  day  before  would 
have  been  entirely  undone.  This  is  referred  to,  to  show 
the  importance,  at  this  stage,  of  being  careful  to  make 
every  step  sure  in  the  management  of  such  cases,  and  leave 
no  chance  for  failui*e. 


THE   STEVENS   HOESE. 


211 


Case  8. — General  Knox  Stallion. 


This  was  a  four-year-old  black  stallion,  owned  by  Mr. 
Stevens,  of  Lancaster,  N.  H.,  and  is  a  case  of  so  much  in- 
terest that  I  will  give  the  details. 

When  at  a  small  town  in  Vermont,  forty  miles  from 
this  point,  a  horse-breaker,  who  attended  my  lectures, 
wished  to  know  whether  I  intended  visiting  Lancaster. 
Answering  "  Yes,"  he  said,  "  You 
will  get  the  worst  horse  there  to 
handle  you  ever  saw  in  your  life. 
He  will  do  everything  mean  a 
horse  can  do.  The  owner  is  a 
good  horseman,  but  wishing  to 
take  no  chances,  he  sent  him  here 
for  me  to  break.  I  had  him  here 
six  weeks,  and  succeeded  in  driv- 
ing him  in  harness,  but  could  really 
do  nothing  at  all  with  him.  If  he 
could  do  nothing  else    he    would 


kick,  lunge  into  the  fence,  or  throw 


Fig.  174.— The  Stevens  Horse 
after  being  subdued. 


arrested 

I  could  have  broken  him,  but  did 

You  will  find 


himself    down.      I    was 

twice  for  cruelty  to  him. 

not  have  the  time,  so  I    sent  him  home 

him  there,  and  I  tell  you  he  is  a  bad  one." 

When  I  went  to  Lancaster  the  owner  of  this  colt  was 
pointed  out  to  me.  I  walked  up  and  invited  him  to  join 
the  class.  He  replied  that  he  had  no  confidence  whatever 
in  me  ;  that  he  had  seen  any  number  of  horse-breakers, 
etc.,  and  knew  all  he  wanted  to  know  about  horse-taming. 
I  said  to  him  : — 

"  I  believe,  sir,  you  have  a  horse  you  cannot  manage, 
and  I  can  put  you  in  the  way  of  breaking  him." 


216  KICKING.— ILLUSTRATIVE   CASES. 

"  You  cannot  break  him,"  said  he ;  "  I  can  break  any 
horse  you  can." 

"  You  cannot  break  your  colt,"  said  I. 

''  No,"  he  answered,  "  nor  can  any  one  else  do  it." 

'* Bring  him  here,"  said  I.  "If  I  have  a  correct  im- 
pression of  the  case,  I  belioA^e  I  can  drive  him  gentle  in 
twenty  or  thirty  minutes."  Finally  yielding,  the  colt  was 
sent  for,  and  led  forward  for  my  inspection.  I  stated  at 
once,  that  I  could  drive  him  without  breeching  in  fifteen 
minutes. 

"  It  is  utterly  impossible,"  said  Mr.  Stevens.  "  You 
don't  know  anything  about  him." 

I  told  him  to  come  into  the  class,  and  if  I  did  not  hitch 
up  and  driA^e  the  colt  in  fifteen  minutes  and  convince  him 
there  was  no  hunibug  about  my  treatment,  that  I  would 
not  only  give  him  his  money  back,  but  $25,  in  addition, 
also  guaranteeing  to  give  him  $500,  if  I  injured  the  horse 
in  any  Avay. 

He  looked  at  me  sharj^l}^,  saying,  "  I  do  not  know 
Avhat  to  think  of  it.  Either  you  are  one  of  the  worst  hum- 
bugs in  the  world,  or  else  you  know  more  about  horses  than 
any  other  living  man ;  I  do  not  knoAV  which."  He  finally 
concluded  to  join  the  class,  with  the  understanding  that  if 
I  failed  in  the  least  he  should  hold  me  strictly  responsible 
for  any  damage  done  to  the  horse.  On  this  condition  I 
took  his  name  and  money. 

I  saw  at  once  where  the  trouble  was.  The  colt  was  in- 
tensely sensitive,  but  intelligent,  and  any  treatment  which 
would  excite  him  in  the  least  Avould  make  him  a  most  dif- 
ficult subject  to  manage.  I  knew  also  just  the  treatment 
he  would  bear.  He  Avas  so  nervous  that  when  the  bedding 
Avas  being  scraped  up,  or  moved  behind  him,  he  Avould  al- 
most jump  into  the  manger  from  fear.  He  Avas  subjected 
Avith  care  to  the  Third  Method,  using  only  ordinary  press- 


THE   STETENS   HOI^SE.  2l7 

ure,  when  he  submitted  readily  to  treatment,  and,  as  prom- 
ised, was  hitched  up  and  driven  gentle.  The  owner  had 
to  admit  that  he  was  astonished  at  the  result.  On  the  fol- 
lowing day  the  horse  was  taken  to  the  next  town,  where  I 
was  advertised,  hitched  up  and  driven,  without  breeching, 
in  the  street.  A  week  later  Mr.  Stevens  informed  me  that 
the  colt  was  just  as  gentle  as  when  I  left  him,  his  character 
bei*Qg  completely  changed.  The  whole  trouble  in  this  case 
was  bad  management.  I  include  the  case  mainly  to  show 
the  importance  of  knowing  what  to  do,  and  how  to  apply 
the  treatment  properly. 

The  horse-breaker  previously  referred  to  had  been  a 
member  of  my  class  many  years  before,  and  supposed  he 
knew  all  that  could  be  learned  about  the  management  of 
such  cases,  and  was,  in  fact,  considered  an  extra  good  horse- 
breaker,  yet,  as  seen,  he  was  entirely  incompetent  to  man- 
age this  case. 

Any  careful,  patient  man,  wdio  knew  nothing  about  my 
methods  of  subjection,  could,  by  taking  time,  have  managed 
this  case,  without  serious  difficulty,  by  proceeding  about  as 
follows  :  First,  fill  the  pockets  with  good  apples ;  next, 
take  a  pole  something  like  a  rakestale,  and  while  holding 
the  horse  by  the  halter  bring  the  end  slowly  over  the  back 
and  hips,  rubbing  gently  down  the  quarters  and  legs,  back 
and  forth.  In  the  meantime  give  a  little  apple,  and  caress. 
This  lesson  repeated  a  few  times  would  have  made  him  en- 
tirely fearless  of  being  touched  and  handled.  Next,  the 
gradual  process  of  driving  around  in  harness,  and  poles,  as 
explained  in  Colt  Training,  would  have  made  him  entirely 
fearless  of  being  touched  around  the  quarters  by  shafts, 
etc.,  and  would  have  taught  him  to  be  guided  and  controlled 
by  the  reins,  and  driven  to  a  light  sulky.  In  this  way  he 
could  have  been  grown  in  slowly,  within  one-half  to  a  day's 
time,  and  not  have  learned  anything  about  resistance. 


218 


KICKING.— ILLUSTEATIVE   CASES. 


Case  9. — Wild  Ravenna  Colt. 

In  conclusion  I  will  refer  to  a  case  which  caused  me  a 
great  deal  of  anxiety  on  account  of  the  danger  of  bringing 
him  under  canvas,  and  treating  before  a  class.  I  introduce 
it  mainly  as  a  good  representative  of  a  certain  class  of  wild 
colts,  and  to  show  the  wonderful  change  that  can  be  pro- 
duced in  a  horse  by  i:)roper  treatment. 

While  at  Ravenna,  Ohio,  during  the  County  Fair,  I  had 
a  canvas  on  the  ground  for  my  special  use.     A  colt  was  led 

in  from  a  distance  of 
some  five  or  s  i  x 
miles,  between  two 
men,  who  controlled 
him  by  a  long  rope 
attached  to  either 
side  of  the  halter 
The  colt  was  six 
years  old,  weighing 
from  1050  to  1100 
pounds,  of  so  wild 
and  impulsive  a 
character  that  nothing  could  be  done  in  the  way  of  break- 
ing him.  He  seemed  quiet  enough  when  not  approached, 
touched,  or  in  any  way  excited  ;  but  would  rush  or  jump 
impulsively  around  more  like  a  wild  steer  or  mule  than  a 
horse,  the  moment  any  one  came  in  sight,  or  near,  as 
though  to  lay  hands  upon  him.  When  led  on  the  ground, 
there  was  a  wide  scattering  of  the  people  for  some  dis- 
tance around  him,  as  it  was  evident  that  should  the  least 
thing  occur  to  get  him  started  he  would  be  liable  to  pre- 
cipitate himself  into  their  midst,  and  perhaps  kill  some 
one.  The  question  became,  "  Was  it  w^orth  while,  for 
what  I  could  make,  to  take  the  chances  of  getting  him  un- 


FiG.  175.— The  Ravenna  Colt. 


THE  EAVENNA  COLT.  219 

der  canvas,  and,  with  a  crowd  of  people  around,  try  to 
subdue  him  there?"  I  finally  concluded  that  if  the  chances 
were  great  I  must  make  them  proportionately  advanta- 
geous ;  that  the  very  danger  and  risk  implied  corresponding 
success.  I  accordingly  announced  that  if  a  class  of  a  cer- 
tain number  could  be  raised  I  would  guarantee  to  make 
the  colt  as  gentle  in  twenty  minutes  as  any  horse,  and 
should  I  fail  would  refund  the  money.  The  number  being 
quickly  made  uj),  I  raised  the  canvas  on  one  side,  and  by 
using  great  care  got  the  colt  under  without  much  difficulty. 
But  if  he  was  nervous  and  afraid  outside,  he  was  very 
much  more  so  inside.  I  however  succeeded  in  getting 
near  enough  to  attach  a  strap  to  his  halter  and  tie  to  the 
tail.  This  done,  the  case  was  practically  simple  and  safe ; 
for,  notwithstanding  he  made  a  heroic  struggle,  I  had  him 
so  completely  in  my  power  that  he  was  helpless  so  far  as 
doing  harm.  In  a  short  time  I  was  able  to  take  off  the 
ropes  and  force  complete  submission.  This  w\as  done 
wholly  by  the  "  Second  Method."  In  ten  minutes  I 
hitched  and  drove  him  around  without  breeching,  now  en- 
tirely quiet  and  submissive.  I  directed  the  owner  to  at 
once  put  him  in  the  team  and  drive  home,  and  he  drove 
off  without  the  least  trouble. 

I  knew  there  would  be  no  difficulty  in  making  the  colt 
gentle,  and  stated  so  positively.  The  danger  and  real  diffi- 
culty lay  in  taking  him  among  the  people,  in  a  public 
place,  for  should  he  get  excited  he  would  be  liable  to  tear 
through  the  canvas  with  such  Avild  fury  that  the  most 
serious  consequences  might  result.  Could  the  case  have 
been  treated  at  home,  all  this  would  have  been  simple  and 
easy.  The  greatest  point  of  interest  about  the  case  was 
the  ease  and  quickness  with  wdiich  he  was  made  com- 
pletely gentle,  becoming  as  indifferent  to  excitepient  or 
contact  with  the  wagon  as  an  ordinary  cart  horse ;    and 


220  KICKING.— ILLUSTRATIVE   CASES. 

the  simplicity  of  the  treatment  by  which  such  a  surprising 
change  was  accomplished  made  it  seem  easy  for  any  ordi- 
nary man  to  do  the  same. 

The  greatest  average  of  cases  offered  for  experiment 
were  colts  that  had  become  vicious,  runaway  kickers  by 
bad  management,  and  young  stallions  that  had  become  so 
headstrong  and  impulsive  that  they  could  not  be  con- 
trolled. Such  were  the  best  subjects  upon  which  to  illus- 
trate treatment,  rarely  requiring  more  than  half  to  three- 
quarters  of  an  hour  to  make  them  gentle.  The  treatment 
for  the  first-named  cases  has  been  so  carefully  explained 
under  different  heads  that  it  need  not  be  referred  to  far- 
ther here.  But  so  little  reference  has  been  made  to  this 
class  of  stallions  that  I  will,  in  conclusion,  refer  to  two  rep- 
resentative cases. 

Case  10. — Lima  Stallion. 

When  at  Lima,  Indiana,  a  gentleman  informed  me  that 
he  had  a  finely-bred  stallion,  seven  years  old,  that  continu- 
ally got  the  better  of  him,  and  he  did  not  know  what  to 
do  with  him.  The  horse  was  intelligent  and  of  beautiful 
form,  but  for  want  of  exercise  and  proper  treatment  had 
become  so  headstrong  and  impulsive  that  the  owner  could 
do  nothing  Avith  him.  "  Now,"  said  he,  "  I  do  not  consider 
myself  a  fool  with  horses.  I  have  handled  them  all  my 
life  and  can  drive  any  common  horse  as  well  as  the  aver- 
age of  men ;  but  I  cannot  see  how  it  is  possible  by  any 
reasonable  treatment  to  control  such  a  horse  as  mine  in 
the  short  time  of  twenty  or  thirty  minutes,  so  that  he  can 
be  led  by  the  halter,  driven  to  harness,  and  near  other 
horses  and  mares  without  kicking  or  running  away.  It  is 
contrary  to  all  reason.  I  would  be  afraid  to  undertake  to 
lead  him  out,  for  I  know  I  could  not  hold  him.  Why,  he 
has  never  been  harnessed  or  put  in  shafts  in  his  life.     I 


THE  LIMA  STALLION.  221 

can  see  how  it  might  be  possible  to  accomplish  this  in  a 
day  or  two,  but  to  do  so  much  in  so  short  a  time  is  what 
I  cannot  understand." 

I  give  these  remarks  because  they  are  simply  the  ex- 
pression of  what  I  almost  daily  heard  from  those  interested 
in  special  cases.  It  seemed  difficult  to  them  because  they 
did  not  understand  how  it  could  be  done.  The  case  was 
simply  subjected  to  Second  Method,  to  which  it  yielded 
readily.  He  was  then  taught  to  follow  with  the  War 
Bridle,  after  which  he  was  easily  driven  as  promised. 


CHAPTER     Y. 


BAD  TO  SHOE. 

Like  most  other  habits  to  which  horses  are  subject,  that 
of  resisting  to  have  the  feet  taken  up  and  submitted  to  re- 
straint for  shoeing,  is  caused  by  carelessness,  or  ignorant, 
bad  treatment.  By  the  use  of  a  Httle  patience  and  tact,  it 
is  rarely  that  even  very  sensitive  colts  cannot  be  made  to 


Fig.  1~6. — As  a  vicious  liorse  will  sometimes  act  while  being  shod. 

submit  the  feet  to  be  handled  and  pounded  upon  as  de- 
sired ;  and  once  done,  unless  there  is  some  special  cause 
for  disturbance,  it  can  always  be  done.  It  is  true  there  is 
occasionally  a  young  horse  that  is  naturally  so  wild  and 
vicious  as  to  resist  all  ordmary  good  management  in  the 
effort  to  take  up  and  handle  the  feet ;  but  with  our  present 
methods  of  treatment,  even  these  cases  submit  readily  to 
control  in  a  short  time,  so  that  the  management  of  even 
the  worst  of  these  cases  is  not  at  all  really  difficult. 


PALLIATIVE  TREATMENT. 


223 


If  a  colt  of  ordinaiy  good  character,  give  a  short  lesson 
with  the  First  Form  of  War  Bridle,  when  the  feet  can  be 
taken  up  without  difi&culty.  The  efficiency  of  this  simple 
method  of  control,  in  making  colts  submit  to  be  rode,  led, 
or  handled,  is  very  remarkable ;  and  in  no  respect  is  it  greater 
than  in  allowing  the  feet  to  be  taken  up  and  handled.  Pull 
right  and  left  sharply  a  few  times  with  the  War  Bridle,  or 
sufficiently  to  make  the  colt  come  around  without  being 
pulled  upon ;  then  step  back,  holding  the  cord  rather  tight, 
pass  the  right  hand  lightly  down  the  hip  and  leg  to  the  fet- 
lock, and  lift  the  foot  gently ;  at  the  same  time,  with  the 


Fig.  177. — As  the  horse  will  stand  after  treatment. 

left  hand,  press  hard  against  the  hip,  so  as  to  throw  ,the 
weight  of  the  body  upon  the  opposite  leg,  which  will  enable 
taking  up  the  foot  more  easily.  If  sensitive,  lift  it  but  a 
few  inches  at  first,  and  then  let  it  rest  again  upon  the 
ground ;  then  again  slide  the  hand  lightly  down  the  limb, 
and  lift  a  little  higher  than  before,  repeating  until  in  a  po- 
sition to  rest  upon  the  knees  with  the  gambrel  under  the 
arm.  With  the  right  hand  hammer  the  foot  lightly,  put  it 
down  and  take  it  up  a  few  times,  then  stop  and  caress. 

This  point  made,  bring  the  foot  gently  forward,  in  po- 
sition as  if  to  clinch  down  the  nails.  Should  the  colt  at 
any  time  jerk  or  pull  the  foot  away,  let  go  and  give  a  few 


224  BAD  TO  SHOE. 

sharp  j)ulls  with  the  cord,  and  go  on  as  before  until  the  foot 
can  be  taken  up  and  hammered  upon  as  desired.  The  op- 
posite foot  must  be  treated  in  the  same  way ;  then  take 
the  fore  feet.  Rest  the  left  hand  upon  the  shoulder, 
pass  the  right  lightly  down  the  limb  to  the  fetlock,  nnd  at 
the  instant  of  lifting  the  foot,  as  before  explained,  with  the 
other  hand  press  upon  the  shoulder  to  throw  the  weight 
upon  the  opposite  leg,  which  will  relax  the  near  one,  and 
make  it  easy  to  be  taken  up.  Take  up  and  let  down  a 
few  times,  tapping  it  lightly,  and  repeat  until  it  can  be 
pounded  upon  quite  hard ;  then  bring  forward  upon  the 
knees,  and  proceed  the  same  as  before.  The  foot  should 
not  be  held  at  any  time  so  long,  or  grasped  so  awkwardly, 
as  to  produce  fatigue,  or  frighten  so  that  it  would  excite 
inclination  to  pull  away.  By  being  careful  at  first,  but  lit- 
tle difficulty  will  be  experienced  in  making  any  ordinary 
colt  submit  the  feet  to  be  taken  up  and  hammered  upon  as 
desired.  Should  the  colt  be  so  wild  or  vicious  as  to  resist 
the  War  Bridle,  subject  to  Second  Method  until  so  dizzy 
and  helpless  that  he  stops  turning. 

While  the  head  is  still  tied  around,  as  before,  rest  one 
hand  upon  the  hip,  pass  the  other  quickly  from  the  gam- 
brel  down  to  the  fetlock,  and  lift  the  foot  forward.  If  sub- 
mitted to,  but  little  more  need  be  done ;  but  if  resisted, 
send  around  again  until  helpless,  when  the  effort  should  be 
repeated.  If  submitted  to,  untie  the  halter  and  repeat  the 
handling.  Sometimes,  after  the  head  is  given  freedom  and 
the  dizziness  passes  off,  the  horse  may,  unexpectedly,  kick 
violently.  To  avoid  being  struck,  stand  well  forward,  and 
far  enough  out  from  the  hip  to  be  out  of  range  of  the  foot, 
and,  as  before,  while  balancing  the  body  by  resting  the  left 
hand  upon  the  hip,  with  the  right  cautiously,  but  firmly, 
lift  the  foot  forward.  Should  the  horse  kick,  the  hand  will 
gimply  be  carried  back  with  the  foot  without  doing  harm, 


PALLIATIVE  TEEATMENT. 


225 


When  the  foot  is  freely  submitted,  step  forward  to  the 
usual  position,  so  as  to  come  well  under  the  hip,  bringing 
the  foot  upon  the  knees.  If  in  this  position  he  kicks,  the 
foot  will  be  simply  thrown  out  and  back  from  the  knees,  so 
that  there  will  be  no  danger  of  accident.  If  the  case  is 
still  unmanageable  or  doubtful,  put  on  the  Double  Draw 
Hitch  Form  of  War  Bridle.  While  an  assistant  is  holding 
the  cord  (see  cut  178),  buckle  a  rein,  or  tie  a  cord  around 
the  foot  below  the  fetlock.     Get  directly  behind,  out  of 


Fig  178.— FuUiug  the  foot  back  while  controllea  with  the  War  Bridle. 

reach,  and  pull  the  foot  back.  This  will  usually  be  re- 
sponded to  by  a  sharp  kick,  or  the  foot  pulled  forward  with 
energy.  If  so,  let  the  War  Bridle  be  jerked  upon  once  or 
twice,  as  punishment.  Repeat  the  pulling  at  short  inter- 
vals until  the  foot  will  finally  be  given  back  freely,  and  when 
given  freedom,  it  will  be  rested  upon  the  toe  with  the  mus- 
cles relaxed.  Now  step  forward  to  a  point  a  little  back  of 
the  shoulder,  with  one  hand  take  a  short  hold  of  the  strap, 
at  the  same  time  resting  the  other  upon  the  horse's  back, 
and  pull  the  foot  forward  repeatedly.  Usually  this  will  be 
submitted  to  ;  if  so,  catch  the  foot  and  bring  it  forward  and 

15 


220 


BAD   TO   SHOE. 


back,  to  test  its  flexibility  or  submission  to  control.  If, 
however,  it  is  resisted,  or  the  control  is  still  doubtful,  pass 
the  strajD  over  the  neck,  back  between  the  fore  legs,  and 
up  under  the  part  over  the  back.  Pull  short  enough  to 
bring  the  leg  well  forward  under  the  body,  and  tie  into  a 
half-hitch.  This  will  bring  the  weight  and  pulling  of  the 
leg  directly  across  the  back  and  neck  in  a  way  that  disables 
greatly. 

Next,  touch  or  lightly  slap  the  leg  until  it  is  submitted 


Fig.  179.— The  colt  as  he  will  stand  after  treatment. 

to  freely,  when  more  freedom  should  be  given  by  giving 
loose  a  little.  When  freely  given  to  the  hand,  untie,  carry 
the  leg  back  and  forward  to  test  it,  when  take  in  both 
hands  and  pound  upon  it,  as  before  explained.  After  the 
foot  is  submitted  unconditionally,  keep  on  handling  for 
some  time,  giving  apples,  etc.  The  opposite  foot  must,  prac- 
tically, be  treated  in  the  same  manner,  and  more  or  less, 
according  to  the  degree  of  resistance. 

The  blacksmith  shop  is  no  place  in  which  to  handle 
colts.  The  fire  and  hammering  add  to  the  general  excite- 
ment,  and   greatly  increase  the  difficulty  of  making  the 


4 


PALLIATIVE   THEATiMENT. 


227 


Fig.  180. — Simplest  method  of  making  a 
nervous  horse  stand  to  be  shod. 


horse  submit  the  feet.  In  .addition,  it  is  not  the  bhxck- 
smith's  duty  to  expose  himself  to  be  injured  or  hurt,  or  to 
lose  time  in  trying  to  shoe  a  wild,  unbroken  colt.  Such 
colts  should  always  be  han- 
dled at  home  until  proved 
gentle,  which,  by  following 
out  the  instructions  given, 
will  not  be  found  a  difficult 
task.  I  have  often  found 
horses  that,  in  consequence 
of  fear  or  abuse  in  a  black- 
smith's shop,  could  not  be 
shod  there.  I  will  refer 
here  to  but  one  of  many 
cases  in  point. 

During  my  early  experi- 
ence, while  at  a  town  in  Southern  Pennsylvania  a  horse 
was  broudit  forward  for  treatment  that  could  not  be  shod, 
his  particular  cause  of  resistance  being  fear  of  the  black- 
smith's leather  apron. 
When  first  taken  to  the 
shop  for  the  purpose  of 
being  shod,  the  hammer- 
ing and  flying  sparks 
greatly  excited  him,  and 
as  the  smith  came  forward 
to  take  up  his  foot,  the  ap- 
pearance of  his  leather 
apron  became  an  object  of 
intense  fear.  In  a  short 
time  he  became  so  violent 
that  he  would  not  allow 
any  man  with  one  on  to  approach  him. 

The  owner  and  smith  concluded  they  had  a  sure  thing 


'^/'^■■4/ 


Fig.  181. — Blindfolding  a  nervous  horse 
to  be  shod. 


228 


EAD   TO   SHOE. 


ill  this  case  with  which  to  beat  me,  and  came  twelve  miles 
for  the  purpose,  leading  the  horse.  They  said  they  would 
both  join  the  class  provided  I  would  make  the  horse  suffi- 
ciently gentle  to  allow  a  man  with  a  leather  apron  on  to  go 
near  enough  to  handle  him.  At  the  same  time  they  told 
their  friends  secretly  that  I  could  do  nothing  with  the  horse, 
and  that  they  came  there  for  the  express  purpose  of  show- 
ing me  up  as  a  humbug.  All  felt  so  sure  that  the  horse 
would  beat  me  that  a  large  number  joined  the  class  to  see 


Fig.  182. — As  the  cord  may  be  adjusted  for  control  of  simple  cases. 

the  fun,  expecting  of  course  they  would  get  their  money 
back.  I  subjected  the  horse  quickly  to  the  Second  Method 
and  War  Bridle,  not  requiring  in  all  more  than  six  or  eight 
minutes,  when  he  could  be  handled  without  the  least  diffi- 
culty, being  perfectly  regardless  of  the  apron.  I  ordered 
the  horse  taken  to  the  shop,  and  accustomed  to  the  sparks 
and  hammering  ;  to  be  treated  kindly,  giving  apples,  etc. ; 
also  to  be  shod  a  few  times  outside  the  shop  to  make  sure 
of  his  docility. 


PA LLI ATI VE   TREATMENT. 


220 


Fit..  i'So. — Simple  method  of  using  the 

cord  for  the  control  of  horses 

bad  to  shoe,  harness,  etc. 


To  show  the  simplicity  of  what  may  appear  difficult,  it 
is  worthy  of  mention  that  at  the  same  place,  a  party  of  three 
men — a  father  and  two  sons — were  employed  over  three 
hours  in  trying  to  lead  a 
six-year-old  colt,  pulling, 
pushing,  and  backing  him 
by  main  force,  to  the  place 
of  exhibition,  a  distance  of 
not  over  one-fourth  of  a 
mile.  The  conditions  were 
that  I  must  make  him  fol- 
low me  freely  across  the 
barn  floor.  A  few  sharp 
pulls  with  the  War  Bridle 
were  sufficient  to  make  the 
horse  run  after  me,  not  re- 
quiring in  all  more  than 
two  minutes,  proving  so  conclusively  the  ignorance  and  bad 
management  of  the  parties  that  they  were  laughed  at  and 

ridiculed  by  the  entire 
class.  (See  cut  106  ;  also 
Case  4,  in  "  Subjection.") 

Confirmed  in  the  Habit. 

As  the  main  object  in 
the  management  of  most 


cases  is  to  make  them 
submit  to  be  shod  with 
the  least  trouble,  I  will 
fi  r  s  t  give  the  simplest 
treatment  for  doing  so. 
Indeed,  this  simple  treat- 
ment, with  a  little  care,  will  often  be  sufficient  for  the  con- 
trol of  even  very  bad  cases. 


Fig.  184. — Method  of  putting  on  the  cord 
when  the  horse  proves  very  stubborn. 


230 


BAD   TO   SHOE. 


If  the  horse  is  very  sensitive  and  excitable,  but  natur- 
ally gentle  if  given  his  own  way  (they  are  usually  rangy, 
good-tempered  animals  until  excited  or  irritated,  when  they 

become  exceedingly  obsti- 
nate in  their  resistance, 
perhaps  simply  i)ulling  the 
foot  away  at  an  unguarded 
or  critical  moment,  kicking 
or  throwing  the  poor  smith 
across  the  shop),  a  great 
deal,  of  course,  depends 
upon  the  good  management 
of  the  shoer,  but  as  much 
on  the  aid  of   the  owner. 

Fig.  ISu.     SliowiDg  the  manner  of  letting     Try  the    followiug    COUrSC  : 
up  on  the  cord  as  the  horse  submits.  ^^^^  ^^^  ^^^^.^j^  .^  -^^  ^^^g._ 

tion,  and  ready,  his  left  hand  resting  on  the  horse's  hip,  let 
the  owner,  or  some  good,  quiet  man,  catch  the  horse's  ear 
with  one  hand,  squeezing  or  twisting  it  a  little,  wdth  the 
other  stroke  the  nose,  or 
grasp  the  muzzle,  and  hold 
firmly  but  gently,  at  the 
same  time  talking  to  the 
horse  kindly.  If  there  is 
resistance  to  this,  try  blind- 
folding. Tie  a  blanket,  or 
something  convenient,  over 
the  eyes,  at  the  same  time 
rubbing  the  nose,  etc. 
With  care  on  the  part  of 
the  shoer,  cases  that  have 
proved  very  difficult  to 
shoe  will  submit  at  once  to  be  shod  as  desired.  If  these 
expedients  fail,  put  on  the  cord,  the  First,  or  Double  Draw 


Fig.  186.— Four-ring  Bit.     Method 
of  pulling  down  on  the  cord. 


PALIJATIVE   TEEATMENT.  231 

Hitch  Form,  and  make  the  horse  feel  its  jDower  by  giving  a 
few  sharp  pulls  right  and  left.  Then  step  back  to  the 
hips,  pull  the  head  around  a  little,  keeping  the  cord  taut, 
and  take  up  the  foot,  punishing  instantly  for  any  resistance. 
Or,  stand  to  the  head,  and  keep  the  cord  drawn  rather 
tight  to  hold  the  attention  of  the  horse  while  an  assistant 
takes  up  the  foot.  If  the  horse  is  very  stubborn,  bring  the 
second  turn  of  the  cord  over  the  upper  jaw,  under  the  lip. 
This  part  being  very  sensitive,  a  slight  pressure  hurts  so 
severely  as  to  disconcert  the  horse  sufficiently  to  make  him 
submit.  Or  the  cord.  Second  Form,  can  be  put  on,  with 
the  loop  brought  over  the  upper  jaw,  and  pulled  suffi- 
ciently taut  to  force  submission.  In  either  case,  gradually 
let  up  as  the  horse  submits.  In  no  case  should  the  cord 
be  held  tight  more  than  half  a  minute  at  a  time. 

The  four-ring  bit  properly  used  will  sometimes  work 
extremely  well  in  making  a  horse  submit  to  be  shod.  The 
bit  is  put  into  the  mouth  with  an  ordinary  head-piece,  and 
the  strap  closely  adjusted  across  the  nose.  Now  tie  the 
end  of  the  cord  to  the  near  ring,  pass  it  around  and  tie  to 
the  opposite  one  back  of  the  jaw ;  then  pass  over  the  neck, 
well  back,  and  down  behind  the  jaw,  as  for  Second  Form 
of  War  Bridle.  Now  by  pulling  down  upon  the  cord  the 
joint  of  the  bit  will  be  forced  up  against  the  roof  of  the 
mouth,  which  hurts  so  severely  that  the  horse  is  at  once 
disconcerted,  or  disabled  sufficiently  to  permit  the  foot  to 
be  taken  up.  The  amount  of  pressure,  or  force  of  the  pull- 
ing, must  be  regulated  according  to  the  resistance.  If  there 
is  submission  in  a  short  time,  the  lightest  pressure  will  be 
sufficient  to  make  the  horse  stand  quietly  to  be  shod. 
There  is  this  to  be  said  about  this  method  of  treatment, 
as  well  as  that  of  the  War  Bridle  :  if  it  works  at  all,  it 
seems  to  work  so  well  as  to  leave  nothing  to  be  desired. 
But  if  it  fails,  the  failure  will  be  equally  marked.     It  is, 


232  BAD   TO   SHOE. 

however,  but  just  to  add  that  though  in  many  cases  fail- 
ing, the  power  of  the  War  Bridle  or  four-ring  bit,  when 
properly  used,  is  sometimes  wonderful,  the  horse  at  once 
submitting  unconditionally. 

Tying  the  head  to  the  tail  so  as  to  keep  the  head  bent 
around  pretty  well,  will  sometimes  make  a  horse  submit  to 
be  shod,  but  not  often.  (See  cut  42.)  This  means,  with 
that  of  putting  the  cord  under  the  upper  lip,  which  I  copy 
below,  has  been  of  late  so  extensively  published  as  an  infal- 
lible means  of  making  the  most  vicious  horses  stand  to  be 
shod,  ridden,  etc.,  that  I  think  it  necessary  to  give  some 
explanation  of  them  here  : — 

"  Mastering  Vicious  Horses. 

"Recently  an  exhibition  was  given  at  the  corner  of  Ninth  and  Howard 
Streets  of  a  new  and  very  simple  method  of  taming  vicious  horses,  which  is 
claimed  to  be  superior  to  any  in  use.  The  first  trial  was  with  a  kicking  and 
bucking  mare,  which,  her  owner  says,  has  allowed  no  rider  on  her  back  for 
five  years.  She  became  tame  and  gentle  in  as  many  minutes,  and  allowed 
hei'self  to  be  ridden  about  without  a  sign  of  her  fi^rmer  wildness.  The  means 
by  which  this  result  was  accomplished  consisted  of  a  piece  of  light  rope,  which 
was  passed  around  the  front  jaw  of  the  mare,  just  above  the  upper  teeth, 
crossed  in  her  mouth,  and  then  secured  back  of  her  neck.  It  is  claimed  that 
no  horse  will  kick  or  jump  when  thus  secured,  and  that  a  bucking  horse, 
after  receiving  this  treatment  a  few  times  will  abandon  his  vicious  ways  for- 
ever. A  very  simple  method  was  also  shown  by  which  a  kicking  horse  can 
be  shod.  It  consisted  in  connecting  the  animal's  head  and  tail  by  means  of  a 
rope  fastened  to  the  tail  and  then  to  the  bit,  and  drawn  tightly  enough  to 
incline  the  horse's  head  to  one  side.  It  is  claimed  that  it  is  absolutely  im- 
possible for  a  horse  to  kick  on  the  side  of  the  rope.  At  the  same  exhibition 
a  horse  which  for  many  years  had  to  be  bound  on  the  ground  to  be  shod,  suf- 
fered the  blacksmith  to  operate  on  him  without  attempting  to  kick,  while 
secured  in  the  manner  described. " 

This  is  from  the  same  piece  as  the  Maine  man's  method 
of  breaking  a  balking  horse.  (See  "  Balking.")  As  I  brought 
both  these  methods  of  treatment  into  use,  and  have  had  al- 
most unlimited  experience  with  them,  I  am  able  to  deter- 
mine their  value  with  more  accuracy  than  it  is  possible  for 
inexperienced  persons  to  do.  While  they  will  secure  the 
control  of  many,  even  quite  bad  cases,  as  explained,  they 
cannot  by  any  means  be  depended  upon  for  the  control  of 


PALLIATIVE   TEKATMENT.  233 

really  difficult  cases.  They  \\eve  used  by  me  almost  daily 
under  circumstances  like  the  following : — 

After  subjecting  a  horse  to  the  Second  Method,  while 
still  tied,  the  effort  would  be  made  to  take  up  the  foot ;  but 
it  was  rarely,  unless  thoroughly  subdued,  that  the  foot 
would  be  submitted.  The  same  is  true  of  the  cord  or  War 
Bridle.  It  was  often  a  matter  of  considerable  importance, 
to  be  able  to  control  some  cases  quickly,  and  I  would,  as  an 
experiment,  try  the  most  simple  and  direct  methods  of 
management.  I  have  experimented  in  this  way  thou- 
sands of  times  before,  after  regular  subjective  treatment 
with  the  War  Bridle,  and  cannot  regard  it  as  more  than  pal- 
liative, since  it  would,  in  a  great  many  cases,  prove  entirely 
inefficient.  Even  with  the  Double  Draw  Hitch,  its  most 
powerful  and  effective  form,  which,  until  recently,  we  kept 
a  secret,  and  used  only  as  a  reserve,  we  could  not  de- 
pend upon  it.  Fifteen  years  ago  the  War  Bridle  was  my 
principal  resource  for  controlling  colts  and  bucking  horses 
to  ride.  But  it  is  entirely  inferior  to  the  Second  Method 
for  the  control  of  bad  cases.  Simply  tying  the  head  to  the 
tail,  and  sending  around  until  dizzy,  then  mounting  from 
the  outside,  so  as  not  to  get  entangled  by  the  strap,  the 
horse  will  be  found  so  helpless  that  he  cannot  buck ;  should 
he  attempt  it  he  would  simply  be  carried  around  the  more 
rapidly  until  submissive. 

The  matter  of  breaking  bucking  colts  and  horses  was  a 
common,  and,  sometimes,  a  very  formidable  difficulty  to 
meet.  One  of  the  worst  cases  I  ever  came  across  was  a  ten- 
year-old  mule  in  Central  Mississippi.  It  was  proved  ab- 
solutely impossible,  even  by  the  restraint  of  any  kind  of 
rigging,  to  mount  or  keep  upon  this  brute's  back.  In  fact, 
the  case  was  so  bad,  and  the  people  felt  so  sure  that  I  could 
not  ride  her,  that  they  made  up  a  large  class  for  me,  know- 
ing they  would  get  their  money  back  if  I  failed  to  do  so. 


234  BAD   TO   SHOE. 

I  simply  subjected  her  to  the  Second  Method  sharply,  and 
in  less  than  fifteen  minutes  rode  her  as  I  pleased.  This 
would  have  been  impossible  by  the  palliative  means  re- 
ferred to.  She  was  a  good  representative  of  the  mustang 
nature.  This  is  the  only  method  of  treatment  by  which  a 
strong,  determined  bucker  can  be  safely  and  easily  mastered. 

It  was  quite  frequently  the  case  that  we  would  have 
for  our  main  subject  a  horse  that  was  particularly  bad  in 
shoeing.  As  a  test  of  success,  it  would  be  often  required 
that  the  horse  be  shod  in  a  blacksmith  shop.  Now  after  be- 
ing subjected  to  regular  treatment  there  would  usually  be 
but  little  trouble  in  taking  up  and  hammering  upon  the  feet 
as  much  as  desired  at  the  place  of  treatment ;  while  we 
would  sometimes  have  all  we  could  do,  even  by  the  most 
severe  use  of  the  War  Bridle,  to  handle  such  in  the  shop. 
I  will  refer  here  to  one  case  in  point  out  of  many  hundreds 
that  could  be  mentioned  : — 

When  at  Taunton,  Mass.,  the  only  subject  for  treatment 
was  a  very  bad  horse  to  shoe.  The  case  submitted  readily 
to  the  Third  Method.  The  class  insisted,  as  a  condition  of 
being  satisfied,  that  the  horse  should  be  shod  next  day  at 
the  blacksmith  shop.  I  had  a  very  large  class  at  this  place, 
and  a  failure  m  doing  this  would  have  given  them  sufficient 
reason  to  demand  a  return  of  their  money.  There  was  no 
opportunity  for  me  to  handle  the  horse  in  private,  as  the 
class  took  particular  care  that  I  should  not  have  access  to 
him  in  the  meantime.  Notwithstanding  the  Double  Draw 
Hitch  was  used  upon  him  to  the  utmost  of  what  could  be 
done  with  it,  we  barely  succeeded  in  making  him  submit  to 
be  shod  there. 

Before  leaving  New  York,  (referred  to  in  "Personal  Ex- 
perience") Mr.  Wilkins,  the  owner  of  the  horse  subdued  as 
a  special  test,  called  upon  me  and  requested  me  to  assist 
him  in  having  the  horse  shod,  stating  that  he  had  become  en- 


PALLIATIVE   TEEATMENT.  235 

tirely  unmanageable  in  this  respect.  The  special  point  of 
this  horse's  peculiarity  was  in  his  obstinacy  of  resistance. 
When  he  once  found  he  could  resist  his  foot's  being  taken 
up,  he  would  afterward  fight  at  every  attempt  to  take  it 
up,  kicking  back,  and  striking  the  ground  with  all  the  force 
of  a  sledge  hammer. 

I  depended  upon  the  Second  and  Third  Methods  for 
the  subjection  of  this  case,  which  required  a  little  more  than 
half  an  hour  to  effect  his  entire  submission.  I  told  the 
owner,  who  was  a  good  horseman,  that  he  ought  to  be  able 
to  make  him  stand  to  be  shod  by  the  aid  of  the  War  Bridle, 
as  the  horse,  after  being  treated  by  me,  had  remained  per- 
fectly gentle  up  to  this  time. 

Said  he,  "I  tried  it,  and  failed  ;  I  would  like  to  see  you 
do  it."  Upon  trial,  though  I  used  the  cord  to  the  utmost 
limit  of  its  power,  I  was  barely  able  to  make  him  stand  to 
be  shod, — a  point  not  at  all  difficult  by  the  regular  subject- 
ive treatment.  It  was,  in  fact,  a  very  common  occurrence 
for  me  to  find  old  scholars,  and  others  who  had  indirectly 
learned,  and  become  practiced  in,  the  use  of  some  special 
method  of  control  long  practiced  and  taught  by  me,  claim- 
ing to  be  able  to  control  any  living  horse  by  it,  whether 
balky,  a  kicker,  or  bad  to  shoe,  etc. 

Shoers  who  had  used  the  War  Bridle  with  success  were 
the  most  common.  In  proof  of  their  ability  to  do  this,  ref_ 
erence  would  be  made  to  some  special  case  which  they  had 
easily  shod  that  had  before  proved  unmanageable.  This 
success  would  inspire  such  confidence  in  the  method  that 
they  would  honestly  think  themselves  able  to  control  any 
horse,  however  bad  he  might  be. 

I  will  refer  to  an  incident  in  point :  When  in  Buffalo, 
N.  Y.,  in  1869,  where  I  had  been  detained  for  some  time 
on  business,  a  well  known  veterinary  surgeon,  Dr.  Wm. 
Somerville^  27  Erie  street,  informed  me  that  there  was  a 


230  BAI)   TO   SHOE. 

young  horsc-shocr  near  there  who  chiimed  to  have  a  secret 
by  which  he  could  make  any  horse,  no  matter  how  vicious, 
stand  gently  to  be  shod.  I  stated  that  it  could  not  be  done ; 
that  the  man  had  undoubtedly  learned  some  simple  method 
of  control  which  gave  him  power  to  shoe  many  quite  bad 
cases ;  but  that  really  bad  eases  could  not  be  controlled  by 
any  such  treatment.  It  was  arranged  that  I  should  be  ad- 
vised when  the  man  had  a  bad  case  to  shoe.  Upon  being 
notified,  I  called,  and  stated  to  the  man  that  if  he  had  any 
point  which  I  did  not  understand,  by  which  he  could  make 
a  horse  stand  to  be  shod  better  and  easier  than  I  was  able 
to  do,  I  would  give  him  $100  for  the  secret.  His  control 
was  obtained  by  the  four-ring  bit,  which  was  nothing  new 
to  me.  I  told  him  that  his  over-confidence  would  cause 
him  trouble  when  he  chanced  to  get  a  really  bad  case  to 
shoe,  and  was  not  surprised  when  soon  afterward  informed 
by  the  Dr.  that  in  trying  to  shoe  a  bad  horse  the  man  got 
kicked  across  the  shop,  and  was  seriously  hurt.  It  was  con- 
sidered a  good  joke  upon  the  man,  as  the  result  was  just  as 
I  2:)redicted. 

A  great  many  other  palliative  means  might  be  men- 
tioned ;  such  as  tying  a  rope  or  rein  to  the  foot  and  passing 
it  back  through  a  ring  attached  to  the  tail,  so  that 
the  foot  can  be  pulled  back  and  held  up.  But  should 
the  horse  resist  very  hard,  there  is  danger  by  this 
method  of  the  horse's  being  seriously  strained  or  injured. 
Another  method  is  to  buckle  a  strap  around  the  foot  be- 
low the  fetlock,  and  around  the  leg  above  the  gambrel, 
which  keeps  it  flexed.  This  is  also  objectionable  because 
of  the  severe  struggle  to  resist  restraint,  and  the  danger  of 
falling. 


SUBJECTIVE   TEEATMENT.  237 

Regular  Subjective  Treatment. 

In  breaking  up  the  habit,  very  much  depends  upon  the 
disposition  of  the  horse,  and  the  treatment  pursued.  In 
most  .cases  the  following  will  be  found  easy  and  effectual: 
Subject  to  the  Third  Method,  using  more  or  less  pressure, 
according  to  the  case.  While  the  cord  is  on,  attach  a 
strap  or  rein  to  the  hind  foot,  and  pull  back  as  previously 
explained.  At  first  there  will  usually  be  great  resistance, 
the  horse  kicking  with  great  spitefulness,  or  pulling  the 
foot  forward  energetically.  But  however  much  he  may 
resist  at  first,  it  is  no  indication  of  failure.  Simply  keep 
pulling  the  foot  back  at  short  intervals  until  there  is  no  re- 
sistance. When  given  freedom,  it  will  be  rested  upon  the 
toe,  then  pull  forward  and  back  as  before  explained.  In 
some  cases  it  may  be  necessary  to  tie  forward  by  bringing 
the  strap  over  the  neck,  back  between  the  legs,  and  making 
fast  to  hold  the  foot  firmly  until  all  resistance  is  overcome. 
Treat  the  opposite  foot  in  the  same  manner. 

All  this  should  not  require  more  than  ten  or  twenty 
minutes.  Should  the  horse  warm  up  and  resist  it  deter- 
minedly, increase  the  pressure  and  repeat.  In  some  very 
rare  cases  I  have  been  compelled  to  use  the  pressure  of  a 
hundred  feet  of  cord  before  succeeding.  It  is  well  to  state 
that  some  of  these  cases  were  among  the  most  desperately 
vicious  horses  to  be  found.  It  was  not  unusual  for  the 
writer  to  find  horses  that  it  was  iuipossible  to  shoe  except 
by  tying  down  or  fastening  in  a  frame.  If  in  traveling- 
there  were  any  such  cases  anywhere  within  the  radius  of 
his  visit,  they  were  almost  sure  to  be  brought  forward  with 
the  hope  of  beating ;  but  it  was  rarely  .they  would  not  sub- 
mit unconditionally  in  from  twenty  to  thirty  minutes  by 
the  treatment  given. 

To  give  an  idea  of  the  power  of  this  treatment  when 


238 


BAD   TO   SHOE. 


properly  applied,  I  will   refer  to  its    effects    upon  a  few 
special  cases. 

At  Bellows  Falls,  Vt.,  a  paper-maker  owned  a  fine 
horse,  which,  though  otherwise  very  gentle,  was  extremely 
hard  to  shoe.  A  traveling  horseman  of  much  experience 
and  a  great  deal  of  pretension,  visited  the  place  and  made 
a  small  class.  The  owner,  wishing  to  have  his  horse 
broken,  brought  him  in  to  be  experimented  upon.  Ac- 
cording to  the    gentleman's    statement   to    me,    this   man 


»r7 


Fig.  187. — Pulling  the  foot  back  to  test  the  horse's  submission. 

worked  with  the  horse  about  half  a  day,  injuring  him 
very  severely, — in  the  owner's  language,  "  almost  killed 
him."  The  result  of  it  all  was  that  the  horse  beat  the 
man  completely,  and  was  more  reckless  and  determined  in 
his  opjDOsition  than  before.  I  requested  the  gentleman  to 
let  me  see  the  horse.  Upon  examination,  I  found  him  to  be 
finely  bred,  naturally  gentle,  but  if  excited  or  badly  man- 
aged he  would  be  extremely  difficult  to  control.  I  told 
the  owner  we  Avould  have  no  difficulty  at  all  with  the 
horse,  and  succeeded  in  rendering  him  perfectly  gentle  in 
about  fifteen  minutes. 


SUBJECTIVE    TREATMENT. 


239 


The  day  following,  at  the  next  point  we  found  an 
eight-year  old  mare,  considered  impossible  to  shoe.  The 
temperament  being  suitable,  we  subjected  her  to  Second 
Method  and  War  Bridle,  which  made  her  entirely  submis- 
sive in  about  ten  minutes.  The  next  day,  at  Putney, 
Vt.,  the  kicking,  runaway  horse  referred  to  as  Case  No.  1, 
in  chapter  on  "Kicking,"  Illustrative  Cases,  was  presented. 
Reference  is  made  to  these  consecutive  cases  to  show  the 
frequency  with  which  exceptionally  vicious    horses  were 


Fig.  188. — As  the  foot  will  be  rested  upon  the  ground  after  submitting. 

brought  for  experiment  and  the  success  in  their  subjection. 
In  the  management  of  many  cases,  either  or  both  the 
First  and  Second  Methods  may  be  used  with  advantage  in 
connection  with  the  Third  Method,  but  it  should  always 
be  done  at  home  where  there  is  time  and  priA^acy  to  apply 
and  carry  out  the  treatment   properly. 


Leaning  Over. 

There  are  occasionally  horses  that  will  allow  the   foot 
to  be  taken  up,  but  wiU  lie  down  or  lean  over  upon  the 


240  BAD   TO   SHOE. 

blacksmith  while  it  is  held.  Usually  a  sharp  lesson  with 
the  War  Bridle,  repeating  it  for  each  recurrence  of  ly- 
ing over,  until  he  learns  to  stand  without  leaning,  will  be 
sufficient.  If  this  is  resisted,  subject  to  Second  Method. 
While  the  head  is  tied  around,  take  up  the  foot  and  test 
until  he  will  stand  squarely.  If  there  is  any  inclination 
to  lean  over  after  the  head  is  given  freedom,  punish  with 
the  cord,  which  should  be  sufficient.  Sometimes  it  is  ad- 
visable to  stand  at  the  head  ready  to  punish,  while  an  as- 
sistant takes  up  and  holds  the  foot  as  if  to  shoe.  Though 
a  horse  may  for  some  time  be  sullen  and  persistent  in  lean- 
ing over,  it  is  not  usually  a  difficult  habit  to  overcome. 
Once  compelled  to  stand,  it  is  seldom  necessary  to  repeat 
the  lesson. 

It  should  have  been  stated  in  the  proper  place  that  there 
must  be  no  effort  to  push  against  the  quarters ;  but  the 
moment  there  is  an  effort  to  lean  over,  the  foot  should  be 
instantly  dropped,  and  the  punishment  with  the  War  Bri- 
dle made  somewhat  severe,  which  is  to  be  repeated  until 
there  is  submission,  or  subject  to  Second  Method,  as  ex- 
plained, which  should  in  all  cases  result  in  breaking  up  the 
habit. 


CHAPTER     VI. 


BALKING. 

If  a  naturally  gentle  horse  be  hitched  to  a  tree  or  other 
immovable  object  and  commanded  to  pull,  he  would  at  first 
pull  all  he  could  ;  the  second  time  he  would  not  pull  with 
quite  so  much  confidence  as  at  first ;    while  the  third  or 


Fig.  189. — As  the  horse  will  sometimes  stand,  regardless  of  the 
most  severe  whipping. 

fourth  time  he  would  pull  but  little,  or  perhaps  not  at  all. 
To  whip  and  urge  him  now  to  pull  would  only  start  him  in 
the  habit  of  balking.  Or,  if  a  horse  is  overloaded  or  so 
exhausted  he  cannot  pull  the  load,  and  in  this  condition  is 
whipped  and  urged  to  go,  he  will  balk.  Or,  if  he  starts 
too  quickly,  and  is  pulled  back  violently  and  whipped  till 

16  (341) 


242  BALKING. 

confused  and  excited,  tlie  habit  of  balking  is  begun. 
Hence  we  see  that  this  habit  is  purely  acquired,  the  same 
as  kicking  and  other  habits,  for  which  there  can  hardly  be 
a  reasonable  excuse. 

Balkincr  horses  are  of  two  kinds  :  Double  balkers  and 
single  balkers.  Balkers  in  single  harness  are  divided  into 
two  classes  :  First,  horses  that  sulkily  refuse  to  go  at  all ; 
second,  those  that  will  not  jjull  unless  given  their  own 
way.  The  mule  and  ox,  and  horses  having  similarly  pa- 
tient, cold-blooded  natures,  have  little  inclination  to  this 
habit,  while  nervous,  warm-blooded,  fine-grained  horses  are 
easily  taught  the  habit. 

In  teaching  a  colt  to  drive  without  balking,  let  him  go 
slowly  at  first  and  as  he  pleases.  There  should  be  suffi- 
cient room  so  as  not  to  require  short  turns ;  as  pulling 
short  around  before  learning  to  rein  is  liable  to  confuse  and 
irritate  him  to  balk.  If  there  appears  any  inclination  to 
stop,  or  if  he  refuses  to  go,  the  driver  should  sit  quietly  in 
the  wagon,  fix  the  harness,  or  do  anything  to  take  up  time 
until  the  horse  gets  over  his  fret.  If  he  does  not  feel  sure 
of  his  going,  let  him  get  out  and  move  the  colt  a  little  to 
the  right  or  left,  speak  to  him  kindly,  and  it  is  rarely  that 
he  will  not  ftiove  off  without  knowing  that  he  has  balked. 
If  he  has  an  irritable  disposition,  and  appears  uuAvilling  to 
stand,  particular  care  should  be  taken  to  teach  him  thor- 
oughly the  lesson  of  stopping  and  starting,  as  described 
under  the  head  of  Colt  Training.  If  the  habit  is  only  par- 
tially learned,  and  especially  if  the  colt  is  of  a  warm- 
blooded nature,  it  is  by  all  means  advisable  to  win  him  out 
of  the  habit  by  kind  treatment,  if  possible.  I  will  illus- 
trate by  referring  to  a  peculiar  case  in  my  early  expe- 
rience : — 

When  in  Myersburg,  Pa.,  referred  to  in  "  Personal  Ex- 
perience," I  often  traded  horses,  and  not  unfrequently  got 


BALKING    SINGLE.  243 

very  bad  ones.  Among  them  was  a  small  pony  mare,  nine 
years  old, — a  confirmed  balker.  This  I  did  not  know  until 
after  I  had  traded  for  her.  I  harnessed  her  carefully  in 
shafts,  but  she  stood  stubbornly.  Upon  touching  her  with 
a  whip,  she  threw  herself  down.  I  saw  at  once  that  she 
was  one  of  the  very  worst  of  balkers,  and  that  in  the  effort 
to  break  her  she  had  been  subjected  to  a  great  deal  of 
whipping  and  abuse.  I  unhitched  her,  got  lier  up,  tied  up 
the  harness  and  reins,  went  into  an  orchard  close  by  and 
filletl  my  pockets  with  apples.  I  then  led  her  to  a  back 
road  not  much  used,  and  standing  near  her  head  with  a 
switch  in  my  hand,  touched  her  lightly  over  the  hips,  say- 
ing, "  Get  up  !  "  This  caused  her  to  start.  After  going  a 
few  steps,  I  called,  "Whoa  !  "  at  the  same  time  pulled  upon 
the  reins,  when  she  stopped,  for  which  I  gave  her  a  piece 
of  apple,  and  stroked  her  nose  and  head.  This  I  repeated 
until  she  would  start  and  stop  at  command. 

This  point  gained,  I  next  untied  the  reins,  and  while 
standing  at  the  shoulder  and  holding  the  reins  slack  in  my 
hands,  I  repeated  the  command  for  starting,  touching  her 
for  a  few  times  lightly  over  the  hips.  At  each  repetition 
I  stood  a  little  farther  back  until  able  to  get  directly  be- 
hind her,  and  make  her  go  or  stop  at  command.  I  then 
took  her  to  the  top  of  the  hill  and  hitched  her  up.  This 
was  the  critical  point  of  the  experiment,  and  I  did  not  pro- 
pose to  take  any  chances  of  failure.  I  commenced  again 
at  her  head,  rewarding  as  before,  until  I  was  able  to  get 
on  the  step,  and  finally  into  the  wagon ;  at  each  repetition 
being  careful  to  reward  her,  even  getting  out  of  the  wagon 
to  do  so.  It  was  soon  quite  amusing  to  see  how  eagerly 
she  would  reach  round  her  head  in  anticipation  of  her  re- 
ward. Now  I  required  her  to  go  a  little  farther  at  each 
time  of  starting  until  able  to  drive  fifteen  or  twenty  rods ; 
then  I  took  her  out  of  harness,  and  put  her  in  the  stable. 


244 


BALKING. 


The  next  day  I  hitched  her  up  auain,  and  commenced 
cautiously  as  before,  spending  only  a  few  minutes,  but  re- 
quiring her  to  go  farther  and  faster  until  on  a  sharp  trot 
or  run.  I  repeated  this  lesson  again  next  day  until  she 
could  be  driven  as  desired.  The  point  of  success  was  that 
I  made  the  lessons  short,  and  was  careful  not  to  do  more  at 
a  time  than  she  would  bear.     I  could  even  make  her  stop 

in  a  mud-hole  and  stand  as 
long  as  I  wished  her  to,  and 
then  at  command  she  would 
pull  out  gently.  Those  who 
knew  the  mare  were  quite 
surprised  to  see  me  drive 
her,  and  regarded  it  a  great 
feat.  In  reality  it  was  no 
feat  at  all,  but  merely  the 
result  of  a  little  patient 
management,  which  it  is  not 
difficult  for  any  one  to  prac- 
tice. This  mode  of  treat- 
ment is  especially  adajjted  to  nervous  horses  that  will  not 
bear  pushing. 

There  is  nothing  that  so  tries  a  man's  temper  and  pa- 
tience as  a  sullen  balker.  One  may  resolve  to  be  patieiit, 
but  after  reasonable  efforts  with  kind  treatment,  and  fail- 
ing, he  determines  to  see  what  a  whip  will  do.  Some  men 
in  anger  will  strike  a  horse  over  the  ears,  twist  and  pull 
his  tongue  severely,  and  yet  not  be  able  to  make  the  ani- 
mal flinch.  A  balking  horse  of  spirit,  thoroughly  maddened 
by  such  treatment,  may  resist  the  most  severe  punishment. 
Horses  have  been  known,  when  excited  in  this  way,  to 
sullenly  stand  even  the  burning  of  straw  under  them. 
The  skin  on  the  legs  and  body  is  so  thick,  and  has  so  little 
sensibility,  th^t  when  the  blood  is  thoroughly  warmed  up. 


Fig.  I'.H). — Slow,  pati(;nt  nature — not 
disposed  to  balk. 


PALLIATIVE   TEEATMENT.  245 

the  severest  whipping  or  pounding  can  be  scarcely  felt,  and 
it  becomes  only  a  means  of  intensifying  the  habit.  The 
usual  method  of  whipping,  kicking  the  belly,  hitting  back 
of  the  head  with  a  club,  etc.,  while  often  liable  to  kill  or 
seriously  injure  the  horse,  has  no  beneficial  effect. 

Sometimes  very  simple  treatment  will  start  a  balky 
horse ;  as,  kicking  the  leg  lightly  below  the  knee  until  he 
lifts  his  foot ;  passing  a  string  over  one  of  his  ears,  and  ty- 
ing it  down;  letting  the  horse  inhale  a  little  ammonia  or  red 
pepper.  These  are  very  common  tricks,  and  will  some- 
times disconcert  a  horse  sufficiently  to  cause  him  to  start. 
The  following  has  been  considered  a  great  secret  in  the 
treatment  of  balkers,  and  will  in  some  cases  work  with 
considerable  success  :  Take  the  oslets  or  warts  growing  in- 
side a  horse's  leg,  dry  and  grate  them  fine  and  keep  in  a 
tightly-corked  bottle,  as  they  lose  their  strength  quickly 
and  evaporate  on  being  exposed  to  the  air.  About  three- 
quarters  of  an  hour  before  the  horse  is  to  be  driven,  blow  a 
thimbleful  from  a  quill  into  his  nostrils.  This  has  a 
soothing  effect,  and  will  cause  the  horse  to  go  off  all  right. 

An  old  mail  who  had  been  a  successful  horse-breaker, 
told  me  that  he  had  used  it  forty  years,  arid  never  failed 
to  make  a  horse  go  as  he  desired  with  it ;  that  he  seldom 
repeated  it  more  than  two  or  three  times.  When  a  horse 
takes  a  dislike  to  other  horses  and  kicks  at  them,  the  os- 
lets from  a  vigorous  horse,  or  from  the  one  objected  to, 
used  as  above,  will  in  most  cases  overcome  such  aversion. 
(See  Medicine  in  "  Subjection,") 

Sometimes  stepping  before  a  horse  and  moving  him  to 
the  right  or  left  a  little,  and  stroking  his  nose,  or  pulling 
his  ears  gently,  etc.,  will  cause  him  to  start.  Grasping 
both  nostrils  with  the  hand  to  prevent  his  breathing  until 
he  struggles  for  freedom,  and  turning  him  a  little  sideways 
at  the  instant  of  letting  go,  will  frequently  start  quite  a. 


24G  BALKING. 

bad  horse.  Tying  the  tail  to  the  cross-piece  will  fre- 
quently start  him,  as  a  horse  will  always  pull  by  the  tail. 
Blindfolding  is  one  of  the  simplest  and  best  methods  of 
starting  a  stubborn  balker.  After  being  blindfolded,  he 
should  be  allowed  to  stand  a  few  minutes,  then  move  him 
right  and  left  a  few  times,  say,  encouragingly.  Get  up,  and 
the  horse  Avill  usually  pull  steadily  against  the  collar  and 
move  off  all  right.  Tying  up  the  fore  leg,  and  compelling 
him  to  stand  on  three  legs  till  tired,  will  usually  be  a  very 
effectual  means  of  starting  a  balker,  and  frequently  after  a 
few  repetitions  it  will  break  up  the  habit.  This  method 
works  best  on  nervous,  impulsive  horses. 

A  Maine  Man's  Method. 

"  When  a  horse  balks,  take  him  out  of  the  shafts,  tie 
the  bridle  rein  into  the  tail  short  enough  to  bring  his  body 
into  a  half  circle,  and  make  him  go  around  four  or  five 
times.  This  will  make  him  dizzy ;  then  put  him  in  shafts 
and  he  will  go  off  all  right.  If  one  lesson  will'  not  break 
him,  repeating  it  will  be  sure  to  do  so." 

This  is  not  so ;  it  is  nothing  more  than  merely  pallia- 
tive, which  will,  it  is  true,  frequently  enable  starting  a  balk- 
ing horse,  but  is  not  by  any  means  adequate  for  breaking  up 
the  habit.  It  will  be  seen  farther  on  that  it  is  part  of  my 
>  regular  treatment  for  this  habit.  I  invented  it  and  taught 
it  in  that  State  nearly  twenty  years  ago ;'  and  the  idea  of 
managing  balky  horses  in  this  way  was  given  by  me  as  a 
simple  method  of  starting  the  horse,  not  of  breaking  up  the 
habit. 

A  mare  in  the  habit  of  balking,  although  occasionally 
driving  well  for  weeks  at  a  time,  one  day  got  into  one  of 
her  balking  tantrums.  Her  owner,  becoming  angiy,  de- 
termined to  kill  her.  Taking  a  gun  from  the  hands  of  a 
sportsman  who  happened  to  be  standing  near,  he  fired  the 


PALLIATIVE   TEEATMENT.  247 

charge  of  shot  into  the  body.  It  did  not  kill  her,  and  on 
recovering,  she  was  put  to  work  as  usual.  It  was  found 
afterward  that  whenever  she  balked,  simply  pointing  a 
stick  at  her  was  sufficient  to  make  her  start  at  once. 

A  horse  employed  in  drawing  limestone  to  a  kiln  from 
a  quarry  close  by,  w^s  in  the  habit  of  balking.  One  day 
he  refused  to  pull,  and,  in  defiance  of  the  strength  of 
several  men  who  caught  and  held  the  wheels  to  prevent  the 
accident,  backed  over  the  precipice,  falling  about  thirty 
feet.  The  cart  was  broken  to  pieces,  but  the  horse  escaped 
with  slight  injury.  He  was  put  to  work  as  usual,  but  was 
never  known  to  balk  there  afterward. 

About  ten  years  ago  a  member  of  my  class  gave  me 
the  following  particulars  of  a  case  :  He  had  a  mare  that 
would  sometimes  work  well  for  a  week,  and  then,  perhaps, 
at  a  critical  time  would  stand  stubbornly,  resisting  all 
effort  to  move  her.  One  day  while  drawing  in  oats  she 
balked.  After  working  with  her  a  long  while,  he  resolved 
that  she  should  0:0  or  starve.  He  drove  a  stake  down  in 
the  ground,  and  tied  her  to  it ;  then  putting  a  sheaf  of 
oats  a  few  rods  distant  he  went  off.  This  was  at  ten 
o'clock  in  the  morning.  About  five  o'clock,  he  returned 
and  tried  to  start  her,  but  she  would  not  go.  He  tied  her 
again  to  the  post,  and  let  her  stand  until  morning.  Then 
he  unhitched  her,  took  the  reins  and  tried  to  start  her,  but 
she  would  not  pull.  During  the  afternoon,  he  tried  her 
again,  when  she  went.  Upon  reaching  the  sheaf  of  oats,  he 
let  her  eat  it.  He  now  drove  her  home,  unharnessed  and 
fed  her,  then  put  her  to  work.  She  worked  all  right  for  a 
few  days,  and  then  balked  again.  This  time  he  let  her 
stand  forty-eight  hours,  then  fed  her,  when  upon  trial, 
she  went  all  right,  and  he  kept  her  at  work.  She  never 
balked  afterward. 

Another  man  of  much  tact  with  horses  informed    me 


248  BALKING. 

that  he  always  succeeded  with  balkers  by  the  following 
treatment :  When  n  horse  balked,  he  unhitched  and  put 
liim  in  the  stall,  and  stationed  a  man  behind  him  with  a 
whip.  Every  minute  or  two  the  man  tapped  the  horse 
on  the  quarters  with  the  whip,  just  enough  to  annoy  him. 
This  was  kept  up  for  twenty-four  hours,  the  regular  feed 
and  water  being  given.  If  he  refused  to  go  upon  being 
tried,  he  was  put  back,  and  the  same  treatment  kept  up  to 
prevent  his  going  to  sleep,  until  he  would  go  as  desired. 
It  was  rarely,  after  one  or  two  lessons  of  this  treatment, 
that  a  horse  would  not  work  in  all  right.  Innumerable  in- 
stances of  breaking  very  bad  horses  in  this  way  have  been 
brought  to  my  notice  by  horsemen  who  have  been  members 
of  my  classes. 

It  does  no  good,  practically,  to  subject  a  horse  to  treat- 
ment in  a  barn,  or  where  not  accustomed  to  balk.  It  should 
be  carried  out  as  nearly  as  possible  where  in  the  habit  of 
resisting.  Any  means  that  will  disconcert  a  horse  when 
he  balks  is  a  step  in  the  right  direction.  But  if  we  have 
in  addition  power  to  move  him  as  we  wish,  we  have  the 
key  of  compelling  the  entire  submission  of  balkers  that  have 
defied  the  greatest  efforts  to  break  or  drive  them.  This 
we  can  obtain  by  the  Second  Method,  and  other  treatment 
here  given. 

Regular  Treatment. 

The  course  I  usually  pursue,  and  which  I  advise,  is 
about  as  follows  :  Put  into  the  wagon,  ready  for  use,  a 
good  strap  halter,  a  War  Bridle,  a  light  bow  whip  that  will 
not  break,  and  some  good  apples.  Hitch  up  the  horse  as 
if  to  make  a  journey,  and  let  him  go  as  he  pleases  until  a 
level,  isolated  piece  of  road  is  reached.  Now  if  he  does 
not  balk,  provoke  him  to  do  so.  Get  out  quietly,  unhitch 
him,  tie  up  the  reins  and  tugs,  put  on  the  halter,  over  the 


EEGULAE  TREATMENT.  249 

bridle,  and  subject  him  to  Second  Method  both  ways  until 
off  his  balance.  If  hitched  up  now,  he  will  be  likely  to  go 
off  all  right,  but  will  be  apt  to  balk  at  some  future  time. 
As  the  object  should  be  to  effectually  break  up  the  habit, 
it  is  necessary  to  make  the  lesson  very  thorough. 

This  treatment  makes  a  f)owerful  impression  upon  him 
in  two  ways  :  First,  to  convince  him  that  there  is  poAver  to 
make  him  move  any  way  desired,  which  is  the  point  to  be 
established,  as  he  does  not  know  the  difference  between 
going  sideways  and  straight  ahead.  Second,  it  disconcerts 
him  in  the  most  powerful  manner,  and  thus  prevents  or 
overcomes  the  inclination  to  resistance.  But  it  is  also  nec- 
essary to  create  sufficient  reserve  power  to  force  him  to 
move  should  he  again  refuse  to  go.  To  do  this,  put  on  the 
War  Bridle  (First,  or  Double  Draw  Hitch  Form),  and  lift 
him  right  and  left.  When  he  follows  promptly,  change  to 
Second  Form.  Now  pull  upon  him  sideways  and  ahead. 
As  he  yields,  gradually  pull  more  on  a  line  with  the  body 
until  he  will  come  ahead  promptly. 

Next,  tie  up  the  cord  loosely  in  the  terret,  take  down 
the  reins,  run  them  through  the  shaft-lugs,  and  get  directly 
behind.     Say,  "  Get  up  !  "  pulling  one  rein  a  little,  and,  if 
necessary,  touch  the  quarters  sharply  with  the  whip.     Af- 
ter going  a  short  distance,  call,  "  Whoa  !  "     If  he  does  not 
stop,  force  him  to  do  so  by  a  sharp  jerk  of  the  reins.     Re- 
peat this  until  he  will  stop  and  start  at  command,  then  re- 
ward by  giving  some  apple.     Repeat  the  driving,  stopping, 
and  starting,  until  he  works  in  all  right  and  is  over  the  ex- 
citement of  the  treatment,  then  hitch  to  a  wagon,  when  will 
come  the  real  test.     Stand  near,  and  in  a  low,  gentle  tone, 
say,  ''  Get  up  !  "  and  repeat  the  starting,  stopping  and  re- 
warding, as  before,  until  he  will  go  as  desired.     If  a  very 
bad  case,  it  is  necessary  to  make  the  impression  as  thorough 
and  complete  as  possible,  and  it  would  be  best  to  put  him 


250  BALKING. 

away  until  the  next  day,  when  he  should  be  tried,  and,  so 
far  as  found  necessary,  the  treatment  repeated  until  under 
good  control. 

Although  the  horse  may  go  a  few  times  as  commanded, 
yet,  after  hitching  to  a  wagon,  he  may  balk  again.  If  so, 
take  down  the  cord,  stand  in  front  of  him — a  little  to  the 
right  or  left — and  give  a  sharp  jerk,  repeating  until  he  wall 
go  at  command.  Should  this  be  resisted,  which  is  not  at 
all  improbable,  repeat  the  previous  course  of  treatment, 
which,  in  some  cases,  may  be  supplemented  by  the  other 
methods  of  treatment.  It  is  advisable  to  test  the  horse 
hard  before  putting  to  regular  work.  A  great  point  after 
the  coercive  treatment,  is  to  win  his  confidence  by  giving 
apples,  etc. 

Restless  Balkers. 

If,  when  a  young  horse  is  hitched  to  a  wagon,  he  is  al- 
low^ed  to  start  as  he  pleases  a  few  times,  he  is  liable  to  ac- 
quire the  habit  of  becoming  impatient,  so  that  as  soon  as 
hitched  up,  if  not  allowed  to  go  his  own  way,  he  may  get 
mad  and  balk.  Or  if  whipped  to  start  quickly,  and  then 
pulled  back  upon,  or  if  made  to  stand  too  long  w^hile  getting 
into  or  out  of  a  wagon,  he  Avill  acquire  the  habit  of  balking. 
A  short  lesson  in  teaching  to  start  and  stop,  as  directed  in 
"  Colt  Training,"  would  prevent  this.  As  it  is  a  very  com- 
mon as  well  as  annoying  form  of  balking,  I  will  include  the 
details  of  a  simple  treatment,  which  can  be  easily  f)racticed 
by  any  one  : — 

First,  teach  the  horse  to  stand  with  the  harness  on,  as 
explained  to  stand  with  the  Breaking  Bit ;  then  tie  up  the 
reins,  give  a  good  sharp  lesson  with  the  War  Bridle,  and 
put  him  in  shafts.  If  he  balks,  overcome  it  with  the  War 
Bridle.  If  of  a  quick,  nervous  disposition,  this  treatment 
should  be  sufficient ;  but  if  of  a  decidedly  resolute,  plucky 


EESTLESS    BALKEES.  251 

character,  regular  coercive  treatment  by  Second  Method, 
etc.,  may  be  necessary.  But  as  there  is  usually  little  in- 
clination among  owners  to  resort  to  coercive  treatment,  for 
the  benefit  of  such  I  include  the  details  of  simple,  winning 
treatment : — 

Before  putting  the  horse  into  shafts,  adjust  the  harness. 
Get  directly  behind,  with  an  ordinary  carriage  whip  touch 
the  hips  lightly,  and  say,  sharply,  "  Get  up  !  "  After  going 
a  short  distance,  call,  "  Whoa  !  "  and  pull  lightly  upon  the 
reins  to  make  him  stop.  When  there  is  prompt  obedience, 
give  a  little  apple,  etc.  Continue  driving  and  stopping  un- 
til a  good  foundation  is  made  for  the  next  step.  Next, 
turn  the  carriage  to  face  a  barn  or  high  fence,  and  quietly 
hitch  the  horse  in ;  then  go  to  his  head,  caress,  talk  to  him, 
and  give  some  apple.  Be  in  no  hurry,  but  hold  his  atten- 
tion in  this  w^ay  several  minutes.  When  you  want  him  to 
move,  walk  ahead  a  little  and  say,  "  Get  up  !  "  or  "  Come!" 
After  going  a  few  steps,  stop  and  repeat  the  reward- 
ing. 

There  will  be  less  inclination  to  rush  ahead  when  a  barn 
or  high  fence  is  in  front,  and  you  are  standing  directly  be. 
fore  him.  In  addition  to  this,  his  attention  is  attracted  by 
the  apples.  In  this  way  repeat  until  the  obstruction  is 
reached,  when  it  will  be  easy  to  turn  or  back  short  around. 
Gradually  get  back  opposite  his  head  and  shoulders,  with 
each  repetition  going  farther  back  till  the  wheel  is  reached, 
when  mount  the  step  and  get  into  the  wagon.  Repeat  this 
until  the  horse  is  obedient  to  wait  for  the  driver  to  get  in, 
stopping  and  starting  as  desired.  Now  drive  farther,  and 
take  some  one  in  with  you  as  if  to  make  a  journey.  First, 
drive  where  the  horse  is  least  likely  to  resist,  but  finally  in 
front  of  the  house,  or  other  place,  where  there  has  been 
most  trouble.  The  hitching  and  unhitching  should  be  re- 
peated, and  his  attention  held  as  before  with  apples,  etc., 


252  BALKING. 

in  the  meantime  talking,  walking  around,  and  rattling  the 
wagon.  A  little  care  should  be  used,  especially  after  idle 
spells,  to  hold  the  attention  ])y  giving  apples,  etc.,  or  have 
some  one  stand  at  his  head  and  talk  to  him,  but  not  to  take 
up  the  reins  until  able  to  start.  If  in  a  barn,  keep  the  door 
shut  until  ready  to  start. 

Balking   Double. 

When  a  horse  throws  himself  in  the  breeching  sullenly, 
with  his  head  over  the  other  horse's  neck,  as  if  to  say, 
"  Make  me  go  if  you  can  !  "  it  will  try  a  man's  patience  very 
much,  and  unless  he  knows  how  to  overcome  the  difficulty, 
he  will  be  likely  to  retaliate  by  kicking,  pounding,  etc., 
which  is  likely  to  do  more  harm  than  good.  Many 
horses  are  led  into  this  habit  by  badly  fitting  collars,  that 
either  choke  or  make  the  shoulders  so  sore  that  it  becomes 
painful  to  push  steadily  or  firndy. 

When  hitched  to  a  load,  care  should  be  used  to  prevent 
pulling  so  hard  and  long  at  a  time  as  to  get  out  of  breath. 
Neither  should  a  stop  be  made  in  a  soft  place,  or  where  a 
steady,  heavy  pull  to  start  will  be  required.  The  team 
should  be  kept  fresh,  and  encouraged  by  stopping  often  and 
giving  the  horses  a  chance  to  recover  breath.  In  pulling 
up  hill  or  very  steep  places,  a  good  rest  should  be  given  be- 
fore starting.  If  one  or  both  horses  become  confused,  and 
balk,  let  them  stand  until  they  recover  fully.  Then  stand 
in  front,  take  both  by  the  head,  and  move  them  to  the  right 
or  left.  It  is  sometimes  advisable  to  turn  them  both  ways. 
When  you  get  them  to  move  together,  say  gently  and  en- 
courngingly,  "  Come,  boys  !  "  or  any  word  to  Avhich  they  are 
accustomed.  Much  depends  upon  the  skill  of  the  driver 
in  bringing  them  up  against  the  collar  with  assurance,  and 
in  helping  them  to  break  the  force  of  the  dead  pull  in  start- 
ing, by  moving  partly  sideways.     If  the  wheels  are  sunk 


BALKING    DOUBLE. 


253 


254  BALKING. 

in  the  mud,  and  the  power  and  willingness  of  the  horses 
to  pull  out  is  doubtful,  a  part  of  the  load  should  be  thrown 
off;  better  do  this  than  run  the  risk  of  spoiling  the  team. 

Horses  compelled  to  pull  hard  should  not  be  checked 
up.  Let  the  head  have  full  freedom.  Sometimes  a  horse 
is  so  stubborn  that  he  will  not  go,  even  when  not  required 
to  pull  any  load.  Always  be  governed  by  circumstances, 
such  as  the  horse's  disj^osition  and  the  difficulty  to  be  en- 
countered. If  of  a  sensitive,  nervous  disposition,  try  either 
of  the  following  tricks,  which  in  many  cases  will  work  very 
nicely :  First,  tie  a  strap  or  cord  to  the  end  of  the  tail, 
bring  it  forward  between  the  legs  and  attach  it  to  the  hame 
ring  of  the  gentle  horse,  or  to  the  end  of  the  pole.  Tie  it 
so  short  that  unless  the  horse  will  come  forward  promptly 
to  his  place,  he  will  be  pulled  upon  sharply.  Or  double  a 
piece  of  cord  (that  used  for  War  Bridle  is  best),  pass  the 
tail  through  the  center,  and  twist  the  ends  of  the  cord 
three  or  four  times  and  tie  to  the  hame  ring  of  the  gentle 
horse,  or  to  the  end  of  the  pole.  Or,  again,  a  noose  may 
be  formed  of  a  small  chain  or  rope  around  the  body  back  of 
the  shoulders,  and  tied  to  the  end  of  the  wagon  tongue. 
Now  when  the  gentle  horse  is  made  to  start,  the  pull  be- 
comes so  severe  that  it  startles  and  disconcerts  the  balky 
horse  from  his  purpose,  and  compels  him  to  go  ahead. 

After  adjusting  either  of  these  rigs,  start  the  gentle 
harse  quickly  so  as  to  make  a  sharp  pull  upon  the  balker, 
which  will  surprise  and  force  him  to  jump  ahead.  After  a 
few  repetitions,  he  will  jump  ahead  to  avoid  being  hurt. 
If  the  cord  under  the  tail  causes  the  horse  to  kick,  it  should 
not  be  used. 

Best   Treatment. 

First,  put  on  (under  the  ordinary  bridle)  the  Second 
Form  of  War  Bridle,  bring  it  under  the  head-piece,  and,  as 


BEST    TEEATMENT.  255 

in  the  case  of  balkers  in  single  harness,  pull  sideways  and 
ahead,  slowly  repeating  until  the  horse  comes  freely  with- 
out restraint.     This  lesson  should  be  made  very  thorough. 

To  prevent  chafing  or  cutting  the  hands,  gloves  should 
be  worn,  or  the  cord  may  be  wound  around  a  piece  of 
broom  handle  or  other  stick  with  which  to  pull  upon.  This 
done,  get  a. .stiff  pole  or  sapling  about  three  or  four  inches 
in  diameter,  and  about  ten  feet  in  length,  or  so  long  that  it 
will  extend  about  thirty  inches  beyond  the  horse's  nose. 
Bore  a  hole  about  two  inches  from  each  end,  and  fasten  the 
large  end  of  the  pole  to  the  inside  end  of  the  gentle  horse's 
singletree.  When  the  horses  are  hitched  up,  pass  the  War 
Bridle  through  the  hole  at  the  other  end  of  the  pole,  and 
draw  it  short  enough  so  that  when  the  horse  is  up  in  his 
place  there  will  be  little,  if  any,  restraint  upon  him,  and 
make  fast.  Next,  pass  a  cord  under  the  pole  from  one 
hame  ring  to  the  other,  making  both  ends  fast,  and  leaving 
it  just  long  enough  so  that  when  both  horses  are  in  their 
natural  positions,  there  will  be  no  slack.  Then  pass  another 
cord  around  the  pole  and  tie  both  ends  into  the  gentle  horse's 
hame  ring,  regulating  the  length  so  it  will  hold  the  pole  , 
over  the  wagon  tongue  in  position.  Or  have  a  ring  made 
about  one-half  to  three-fourths  of  an  inch  larger  than  the 
pole.  Attach  a  cord  or  strap  to  connect  this  ring  with  the 
hame  rings  on  each  side.  This  holds  the  pole  in  position 
over  the  wagon-tongue,  and  is  a  better  way  than  the  first, 
but  more  troublesome  to  make. 

If  there  are  stay  chains  on  the  doubletree,  they  should 
be  removed,  so  as  to  give  it  free  play.  Get  into  the  wagon 
(there  should  be  no  load)  and  start  the  gentle  horse  quickly. 
The  balker  of  course  refuses  to  go.  The  instant  the  gentle 
horse  starts  ahead,  if  the  adjustment  is  properly  arranged, 
his  whole  power  is  brought  directly  upon  the  balky  horse's 
head,  compelling  him  to  start.     Finding  he  must  go,  it  will 


25  G  BALKING. 

usually  be  but  a  yery  few  minutes'  work  to  make  him  so 
afraid  of  being  pulled  upon  and  hurt,  that  he  will  be  the 
first  to  start  at  the  command.  This  accomplished,  put  on 
a  little  loading,  gradually  increasing  it  until  he  learns  to 
use  his  strength  reliably.  To  fix  the  impression  thoroughly, 
it  may  be  necessary  to  keep  the  pole  on  a  few  days. 

The  Patent  Bridle  will  be  found  to  work,  very  nicely  in 
the  management  of  these  cases.  The  reins  are  simply  re- 
versed, so  as  to  pull  ahead  instead  of  back,  and  tied  to  the 
end  of  the  pole. 

Overloading. 

There  is  a  general  inclination  among  teamsters  to  over- 
load. This  is  very  common  in  large  cities.  While  engaged 
in  making  illustrations  for  this  work  in  New  York  City,  I 
daily  passed  through  Fulton  and  other  streets,  and  fre- 
quently took  a  side  street  to  avoid  witnessing  the  abuse 
to  which  horses  were  subjected  in  consequence  of  being 
overloaded.  It  was  no  unusual  thing  to  see  a  team 
whipped  severely  while  pulling  to  their  utmost  power,  and 
finally  compelled  to  stop  for  want  of  strength  to  go  farther. 
The  team  never  should  be  compelled  to  draw  more  than  it 
is  able  to  pull  easily  over  the  worst  parts  of  the  road.  This 
should  be  the  rule.  The  strain,  and  pulling  in  this  way, 
will  sometimes  injure  a  horse  more  in  a  few  minutes  than 
working  reasonably  hard  all  day. 

When  a  horse  is  unaccustomed  to  work  before  a  wagon 
or  plow,  is  unsteady  and  easily  irritated,  especially  in  plow- 
ing, it  is  advisable  to  let  him  go  around  a  few  times  before 
putting  the  plow  into  the  ground.  A  little  patience  at  the 
beginning,  in  this  way,  will  frequently  enable  working  a 
horse  in  gentle  that  would  otherwise  be  easily  spoiled. 
The  following  advice  is  so  good,  and  so  much  in  point,  that 
I  include  it  here  : — 


OVEELOADING.  257 

"Advice  to  Teamsters. 

"  The  'Friends  of  the  Horse  '  in  Boston  have  issued  a  circular  in  re- 
gard to  the  treatment  of  that  animal,  which  is  indorsed  by  many  of  the  most 
prominent  veterinary  surgeons  of  New  York  and  Boston.  The  following 
hints  should  be  heeded  by  drivers  everywhere  : — 

' '  First,  a  man  should  see  that  good  care  is  taken  of  his  horse  in  the  stable 
by  being  well  fed  with  wholesome  food,  of  cracked  corn  and  oats,  with  plenty 
of  good  hay.  Potatoes  or  carrots  may  be  given  once  or  twice  a  week  to  good 
advantage.  See  that  he  is  kept  clean,  warm,  and  comfortable,  with  plenty 
of  bedding.     A  piece  of  rock  salt  should  always  be  left  in  the  manger. 

"Second,  he  should  see  that  his  harness  is  kept  soft  and  clean,  particu- 
larly the  inside  of  the  collar,  which  ought  always  to  be  smooth,  as  the  per- 
spiration, Avhen  dry,  causes  ii-ritation,  and  is  liable  to  produce  galls  on  the 
shoulder.  The  collar  should  fit  closely,  with  space  enough  at  the  bottom  to 
admit  a  man's  hand.  If  too  large,  it  has  the  bad  efl'ect  of  drawing  the  shoul- 
ders together.  On  no  consideration  should  a  team,  or  any  work-horse,  be 
compelled  to  wear  a  martingale,  as  it  draws  the  head  down,  and  prevents  him 
from  getting  into  an  easy  and  natural  position.  The  check  rein  may  be  used, 
but  only  tight  enough  to  keep  the  head  in  a  natural  position,  and  it  should 
never  be  wound  around  the  hames.  See  that  the  hames  are  buckled  tight 
enough  at  the  top  to  bring  the  draught  irons  near  the  center  of  the  collar. 
If  too  low,  it  not  only  interferes  with  the  action  of  the  shoulder,  but  gives  the 
collar  an  uneven  bearing.  Caution  should  be  taken  that  the  girth  is  not 
buckled  too  tight,  particularly  on  string  teams,  for  when  the  traces  are 
straightening  it  has  the  tendency  to  draw  the  girth  against  the  belly  and  dis- 
tress the  horse. 

"Third,  see  that  the  horse  is  well  shod  with  a  good  stilf  shoe,  always 
calked  at  toe  and  heel  on  the  hind  feet,  as  it  is  there  where  all  the  propell- 
ing power  comes  from  when  heavily  loaded.  Keep  the  feet  good  and  strong 
by  not  allowing  them  to  be  cut  away  too  much  by  the  blacksmith. 

"Fourth,  the  best  of  judgment  should  be  used  in  loading,  taking  into 
consideration  the  condition  of  the  street  and  the  distance  to  be  traveled. 
Never  overload,  for  by  so  doing  you  only  distress,  strain,  and  discourage 
your  horse,  and  do  him  more  injury  than  you  can  possibly  gain  by  carrying 
the  extra  load.  When  your  load  is  hard  to  pull,  stop  often  and  give  your 
horses  a  chance  to  breathe.  No  good  driver  will  ever  resort  to  the  cruel 
practice  of  whipping  or  beating  his  horse.  A  light  whip  may  be  carried,  but 
there  is  seldom  use  for  it.  Much  more  can  be  accomplished  by  kind  treat- 
ment and  good  judgment.  Remember  the  horse  is  a  very  intelligent,  proud, 
sensitive,  noble  animal,  the  mo.st  useful  known  to  men,  and  is  deserving  of 
the  greatest  kindness.  As  many  horses  have  suffered  from  bad  example  and 
inexperienced  drivers^  the  above  advice  is  offered." 

This  method  of  treatment  makes  the  breaking  of  double 
balkers  a  very  simple  and  easy  thing  to  do.  It  gives 
power  to  force  the  horse  into  obedience  without  danger  or 
cruelty.  I  will  refer  to  a  few  cases,  showing  the  ease  with 
which  horses  of  this  character  can  be  broken  by  the  treat- 
ment given.  17 


258  BA  T;KING. 

Case  No.  1. — At  Great  Barrington,  Mass.,  an  Irishman 
proposed  to  join  my  class  and  pay  a  double  tuition  fee,  if 
I  would  break  his  horse  of  balking.  I  told  him  if  he  would 
join  the  class  I  Avould  teach  him  the  principle,  and  if  he 
could  not  make  his  horse  work  perfectly  gentle  when  he 
went  home  that  evening,  he  could  so  report  next  day  at 
West  Stockbridge,  where  I  was  engaged  to  lecture,  and  I 
would  return  his  money.  He  was  extremely  suspicious 
and  incredulous  as  to  my  terms,  but  finally  joined  the  class. 
The  following  day  he  was  at  the  next  town,  so  well  pleased 
that  he  stated  publicly  to  his  friends,  that  in  ten  minutes 
he  was  able  to  make  the  balky  horse  work  as  well  as  the 
gentle  one,  and  that  he  could  indorse  all  my  statements. 

Case  No.  2, — At  Brunswick,  Maine,  a  man  introduced 
himself  to  me,  and  stated  that  he  teamed  for  a  living; 
that  his  whole  property  was  in  his  horses  ;  that  one  of  them 
balked,  making  his  team  worthless ;  that  his  only  object 
in  going  into  the  class  was  to  break  this  horse  of  the 
habit. 

I  assured  him  that  I  would  put  him  in  the  way  of  break- 
ing his  horse  without  difficulty ;  and  that  if  he  could  not 
make  his  horse  work  and  pull  as  desired  when  he  went 
home  in  the  afternoon,  on  the  following  morning  he  could 
come  to  me  and  get  his  money  back.  Next  day  he  stated 
that  in  less  than  ten  minutes  he  was  able  to  make  this 
horse  work  just  as  well  as  the  other. 

Case  No.  3. — When  in  Northern  New  York,  in  1876,  a 
man  introduced  himself  to  me  as  an  old  scholar,  who  had 
attended  my  lectures  a  few  years  before,  and  desired  to 
come  into  my  class  again.  He  said  that  he  had  not  had  occa- 
sion to  make  any  use  of  the  instructions  until  about  a  year 
before,  when,  in  plowing,  one  of  his  horses  balked.  He 
was  for  some  time  puzzled  to  know  what  to  do,  when  it 
occurred  to  him  to  try  this  method  of  treatment.     He  had 


ILLUSTEATIVE    CASES.  259 

forgotten  the  details,  but  remembered  the  general  plan. 
He  took  a  three-fourths  inch  rope,  and  put  it  on  the  Second 
Form  of  War  Bridle,  as  described  for  balking.  He  next 
took  a  rail  from  the  fence,  and  tied  one  end  to  the  gentle 
horse's  singletree ;  to  the  other  end  he  attached  the  rope. 
He  then  started  the  gentle  horse,  and  jerked  the  balky 
horse  out  of  his  tracks  two  or  three  times.  Using  his  own 
language,  "  That  'ere  horse  did  n't  wait  to  be  pulled  upon 
the  second  time,  but  pulled  as  if  for  life,  and  never  offered 
to  balk  afterward,  though  I  put  the  plow  down  to  the 
beam." 

It  was  by  mere  good  luck  that  this  man  succeeded,  con- 
sidering the  crude,  imperfect  manner  in  which  the  treat- 
ment was  applied.  It  is  hardly  safe  to  risk  attempting  to 
make  a  bad  horse  go  directly  in  this  way.  He  should  be 
made  to  yield  first  to  the  War  Bridle  until  very  sensitive 
to  its  restraint,  then  the  pole  should  be  adjusted  very  care- 
fully. If  too  short,  or  so  limber  that  it  will  bend  much, 
the  experiment  will  be  liable  to  fail. 

Case  No.  4. — A  great  many  cases  illustrative  of  the  ef- 
fect of  the  treatment  could  be  referred  to,  but  to  saA^e  space 
I  wiU  add  but  one  more,  selecting  as  a  representative  case, 
one  among  single  balkers,  an  eight-year-old  pony  owned  in 
Linesville,  Pa.  This  horse  was  brought  in  to  be  treated 
before  the  class.  He  attracted  my  attention  at  once  from 
the  fact  that  when  irritated  he  would  resist  every  effort  to 
make  him  follow  by  the  War  Bridle,  by  bracing  his  fore 
legs  with  all  the  stubbornness  of  a  sullen  mule.  He  would 
balk,  riding  or  driving,  and  was  entirely  unmanageable. 
To  test  him  a  little,  I  put  on  the  War  Bridle  and  tried  to 
move  him.  He  spread  his  fore  legs,  and  gave  his  head 
around  to  the  shoulder  on  either-  side,  but  I  could  not  move 
him.  To  undertake  to  handle  him  before  a  class  in  the 
small  space  at  my  disposal,  and  with  a  large  crowd  of  men 


260 


BALKING. 


around,  would  have  been  a  difficult  and  embarrassing  task. 
I  had  a  clear  intuition  of  his  exceptionally  stubborn  nat- 
ure, and  determined  not  to  handle  him  before  a  class.  I 
took  him  outside  the  town  the  next  morning,  and  subjected 
him  to  Second  Method.  This  treatment  he  resisted  with 
great  determination,  and  I  was  obliged  to  carry  it  to  its 
fullest  extent,  and  follow  with  the  War  Bridle,  requiring 
in  all  about  thirty  minutes.  Though  he  was  now  aj^par- 
ently  quite  gentle  and  manageable,  he  made  a  bold  stand, 
resisting  the  power  of  the  War  Bridle  with  such  determin- 


FiG.  192. — Patent  Bridle  as  used  for  breaking  double  balkers. 

(See  page  252.) 

ation  that  it  became  necessary  to  repeat  the  previous  treat- 
ment, when  he  drove  in  all  right.  The  same  day  he  was 
driven  to  the  county  fair  at  Conneatsville,  twelve  miles  dis- 
tant, drawing  a  heavy  load.  We  had  ordinary  cases  offered 
daily,  which  seldom  required  more  than  ten  or  fifteen  min- 
utes to  drive  perfectly  gentle. 


CHAPTER    VII. 


RUNNING  AWAY. 

Though  the  treatment  for  this  habit  is,  to  a  great  ex- 
tent, given  under  the  heads  of  "  Kicking,"  and  "  Fear,"  yet 
in  bad  cases  it  is  liable  to  be  so  troublesome  to  manage  that 
I  deem  it  necessary  to  consider  it  more  definitely.  The 
main  point  is  to  make  the  mouth  manageable  to  the  re- 
straint of  the  bit.  But  if  there  is  much  viciousness  or  re- 
sistance, it  is  necessary  to  tone  it  down  or  overcome  it  by 
a  general  course  of  subjection,  when  the  control  by  the 
mouth  can  be  made  more  easy  and  certain.  For  example  : 
A  nervous,  excitable  colt,  so  unmanageable  as  to  be  both 
difficult  and  dangerous  to  put  in  shafts  by  an}'^  control  that 
can  be  brought  upon  the  mouth,  after  a  proper  course  of 
subjective  treatment  which  would  overcome  his  fear  and 
excitement,  would  be  found  to  offer  but  little  resistance 
to  the  control  of  even  a  common  bit.  The  effect  is  the 
same  in  the  management  of  headstrong,  runaway  horses, 
moved  by  some  special  cause  of  excitement,  such  as  the  rat- 
tling of  a  wagon  or  other  object. 

There  are  three  principles  of  controlling  the  mouth:  1. 
By  training,  as  done  wdth  the  Breaking  Bit  ;  2.  By  a 
form  of  bit  that  will  prevent  the  horse  from  pulling  against 
it,  on  account  of  the  pain  it  causes  ;  3.  By  obtaining 
such  power  upon  the  mouth  and  head  as  will  prevent  the 
horse  from  pulling. 

Of  course  these  conditions  run  more  or  less  into  each 

(201) 


202 


EUNNING    AWAY. 


other  in  the  different  forms  of  bits  given,  the  point  in  all 
cases  being  to  use  such  a  form  of  bit  or  method  of  treat- 
ment as  will  safely  and  easily  effect  the  control.  The 
Breaking  Bit  is  undoubtedly  the  best  for  making  a  hard 
mouth  flexible.     The  Half-moon  Bit,  with  check  to  restrain 

a  dull,  stiff  mouth,  also  w^orks 
well.  By  pulling  upon  it,  its 
thin,  bearing  surface  presses 
against  the  jaw,  and  hurts  so 
keenly  that  but  few  horses  can 
pull  very  strongly  against  it. 
The  Spoon  Bit  also,  in  many 
cases,  works  excellently  by  the 
pressure  it  throws  upon  the  jaws 
laterally,  thereby  making  it  a 
good  form  of  bit  for  cases  that 
will  not  rein  easily,  or  that  will 
pull  on  one  side.  Next,  comes 
the  Four-ring  Bit,  which,  with 
its  improvement,  is  a  very  sim- 
ple but  powerful  means  of  con- 
trolling doubtful,  head-strong, 
It  is  particularly  well  adapted  for  the  easy 
The  fourth  and  last  is  the  Patent 
Bridle,  which  has  been  designed  especially  for  the  direct 
control  of  head-strong,  runaway  horses. 

The  Power  of  the  Patent  Bridle  is  so  great  that  when 
properly  adjusted  it  is  very  difficult  for  a  horse  to  make 
any  prolonged  resistance  to  it.  It  acts  in  three  important 
ways  :  First,  in  its  most  severe  form  it  produces  such  in- 
tense pain  in  connection  with  its  great  power  upon  the 
mouth,  that  it  is  very  difficult  for  any  horse  to  resist  its  re- 
straint ;  second,  in  proportion  to  the  resistance,  if  any, 
it  brings  such  a  pressure  upon  the  spinal  cord  that  it  be- 


FiG.  193  .—The  Patent  Bridle. 


lugging  horses, 
driving  of  side-reiners 


THE    PATENT    BEIDLE. 


263 


264  EUNNING    AWAY. 

comes  impossible  to  bear  up  against  it  for  any  length  of 
time  ;  third,  its  impression  upon  the  nervous  system  is 
so  great  that  when  the  struggle  is  ended  the  subjection  of 
the  horse  is  complete. 

It  is  proper  to  add  that  these  combinations  and  forms 
of  bits  may  be  varied  in  different  ways  to  an  almost  unlim- 
ited degree.  I  give  what  I  believe  to  be  the  simplest  and 
the  best. 

'  A  cool,  determined  man  can  perform  wonderful  feats 
with  the  Breaking  Bit,  simple  as  it  is.  It  requires  more 
work,  but  is  the  only  bit  I  have  found  that  works  satisfac- 
torily in  making  the  mouth  sensitive  to  the  control  of  an  or- 
dinary snaffle  bit.  It  was  with  this  bit  I  performed  my 
greatest  feats,  and  it  cost  me  a  good  many  years  of  experi- 
menting to  develop  its  resources.  If  the  mouth  is  stiff  and 
hard,  and  it  is  desired  to  make  it  flexible,  put  on  the  har 
ness  with  this  bit  in  the  bridle,  run  the  reins  through  the 
shaft-bearers,  and  get  directly  behind.  Now  commence ; 
slowly  move  the  horse  on  a  moderate  walk,  and  suddenly 
call,  "  Whoa  !  "  following  instantly  with  a  quick,  raking  jerk 
upon  the  reins.  Repeat  at  short  intervals,  until  at  the  mo- 
ment the  command  is  given,  the  horse  will  stop  instantly 
to  avoid  the  hurt  of  being  pulled  upon.  Then  gradually 
increase  the  gait  to  a  fast  trot  or  run,  making  him  stop  as 
before. 

In  most  cases  the  horse  will  submit  in  from  ten  to  fif- 
teen minutes ;  but  if  badly  set  in  the  habit,  and  plucky, 
the  resistance  may  be  so  strong  that  this  cannotb  donein one 
lesson.  The  difficulty  is,  if  the  horse  warms  up  very  much, 
the  sensibility  of  the  mouth  becomes  so  blunted  or  do- 
troyed  that  he  will  bear  the  severest  pulling  upon  without 
flinching.  Then  the  best  way  is  to  put  him  away  until 
cool,  when  by  a  few  minutes'  treatment  the  mouth  will  be 
found  so  sensitive  that  he  will  usually  submit  uncondition- 


THE    PATENT    BEIDLE. 


265 


266  EUNNING    AWAY. 

ally.  In  this  way  it  can  be  determined  how  much  to  do 
without  danger  of  harm.  This  point  accomplished,  hitch 
to  a  wagon,  and  repeat  the  same  treatment.  The  course  pur- 
sued by  the  writer,  as  before  explained,  is  to  let  the  horse 
go  a  few  steps,  call,  "  Whoa  !  "  and  give  a  sharp,  raking  jerk 
to  force  him  back  a  little.  Repeat,  so  far  as  necessary,  to 
establish  the  point  of  stopping  and  coming  back,  then,  as 
before,  let  out  a  little  faster  until  proved  safe  when  on  a 
fast  trot  or  run.  This  point  is  to  be  made  very  thoroughly. 
If  it  is  thought  advisable,  the  bit  can  be  left  on  for  a  few 
days  in  driving,  but  usually  this  will  be  unnecessary  ;  for  if 
the  horse  is  properly  trained  he  can  be  controlled  by  an  or- 
dinary snaffle  bit. 

No  chances  must  be  taken  with  a  runaway  horse. 
This  is  a  habit  that  requires  thorough  breaking  up.  In  my 
practice,  I  am  not  only  thorough  in  these  cases,  but  even 
extreme  in  my  treatment.  No  matter  how  well  the  horse 
behaves,  I  never  let  up  on  him  until  sure  of  his  being  en- 
tirely manageable  under  the  greatest  excitement.  My  ob- 
ject is  to  make  the  horse  as  safe  as  possible  under  any 
emergency.  After  the  preliminary  treatment,  I  drive  on  a 
moderate  trot,  and  gradually  up  to  the  point  of  running, 
even  under  the  whip,  making  him  stop  at  command,  until 
perfectly  submissive.  *If  at  all  disposed  to  be  tricky,  I  test 
him  so  thoroughly  as  to  wholly  remove  all  inclination  to 
break  over.  No  matter  how  sensitive  or  liable  to  kick  pre- 
viously, this  should  be  done  without  even  buckling  the 
breeching  to  prevent  the  cross-piece  coming  against  the 
quarters. 

This  was  the  secret  of  the  Malone  horse,  and  other  run- 
away horses  referred  to,  proving  so  safe  after  being  sub- 
dued. At  one  time,  while  in  a  crowd,  the  wagon  was 
crushed  against  his  quarters.  At  another  time  one  of  the 
couplings  of  shafts  broke,  letting  it  drop  sideways  upon  his 


ILLUSTEATIVE    CASES.  267 

heels, — one  of  the  most  severe  tests  a  sensitive  horse  can 
be  subjected  to, — yet  at  each  time  he  stopped  instantly  at 
command  and  stood  perfectly  quiet,  without  showing  the 
least  fear.     See  "  Malone  Horse,  Case  No.  2,  Kicking." 

To  give  a  good  idea  of  the  effect  of  this  bit,  I  will  in- 
clude an  account  of  two  average  cases  broken  by  its 
use  : — 

Case  No.  1. 

When  at  Dover  Plains,  N.  Y.,  a  man  offered  to  join  my 
class  on  condition  that  I  would  break  his  mare  of  the  habit  of 
running  away.  He  stated  that  when  she  reached  the  top 
of  a  hill,  she  would  take  the  bit  in  her  mouth  and  rush 
down,  regardless  of  all  restraint,  and  become  entirely  un- 
manageable. I  simply  trained  her  with  the  Breaking  Bit 
about  twelve  minutes,  when  she  drove  gentle.  Next  day 
she  was  driven  by  the  owner,  and  proved  broken  of  the 
habit. 

Case  No.  2. 

When  at  West  Falls,  near  Buffalo,  a  gentleman  told  me 
he  had  a  fine  six-year-old  colt  that  he  raised  and  broke; 
that  he  was  naturally  very  gentle,  and  trotted  fast,  but  one 
day  while  letting  him  out  on  a  rapid  trot,  a  man  drove  up 
behind  with  a  pair  of  fast-stepping  horses,  which  so  excited 
the  colt  that  he  pulled  against  the  bit  and  ran  away  in 
spite  of  all  he  could  do.  The  next  day  he  hitched  him  up 
and  let  him  move  off,  but  the  moment  he  struck  a  trot,  he 
ran  against  the  bit  and  pulled  so  hard  that,  despite  all  ef- 
fort to  prevent  it,  he  again  ran  away.  He  now  procured 
a  pair  of  Hartman  reins,  supposing  he  could  hold  him  with 
these  without  difficulty ;  but,  as  before,  the  moment  the 
horse  struck  a  trot  he  ran  away.  He  next  tried  different 
kinds  of  bits  and  rigging  without  success,  and  had  given  up 
all  hope  of  ever  being  able  to  control  him  in  harness.     He 


208  EUNNING    AWAY. 

had  now  been  standing  six  months  in  the  stall,  doing  noth- 


ing. 


Understanding  the  disposition  of  the  horse,  I  felt  confi- 
dent there  wonld  be  no  difficulty  in  breaking  him,  and  told 
the  owner  if  he  would  join  my  class  I  would  put  him  in  the 
way  of  breaking  the  colt.  He  laughed,  saying  that  he  would 
believe  it  when  he  saw  it  done.  But  by  much  urging  he 
was  fin.ally  induced  to  join  the  class. 

Having  too  many  horses  to  experiment  upon  that  day, 
to  save  time  I  subjected  this  horse  only  to  the  simple  train- 
ing of  tiie  mouth  for  som )  twelve  minutes.  At  first  there 
Avas  so  little  sensibility  that  pulling  upon  the  bit  seemed 
like  pulling  upon  a  post ;  but  by  repeating  the  treatment 
he  was  soon  made  to  feel  its  power  sufficiently  to  yield  to 
its  restraint.  The  owner  wished  the  horse  hitched  up  and 
driven  out  of  doors,  but  I  knew  this  could  not  be  safely 
done.  I  told  him  if  he  would  bring  the  horse  on  the  next 
day  to  a  neighboring  town,  I  would  drive  him.  He  did  so, 
and  upon  testing  him  there,  I  found  the  mouth  now  so  sen- 
sitive that  when  pulled  upon  sharply  he  ran  back  across 
the  barn.  I  immediately  hitched  him  to  a  buggy,  with 
breeching  straps  unbuckled,  and  drove' him  on  a  sharp  trot 
and  run,  proving  him  perfectly  manageable.  He  was  driven 
next  day  by  his  owner  to  Wales  Centre,  and  proved  en- 
tirely broken. 

The  more  difficult  cases  of  this  character  are  well  rep- 
resented by  "  Cases  2,  3,  5,  and  7,  Kicking ; "  "  Cases  1, 
3,  6,  and  8,  Fear ; "  and  "  No.  2,  Subjection." 

Half-moon  Bit. 

The  Half-moon  Bit,  an  illustration  of  which  is  given, 
will  sometimes  work  very  nicely  upon  head-strong  pullers. 
The  point  of  its  success  lies  in  holding  the  head  up,  which 
can  be  easily  done  by  the  form  of  checking  in  connection 


HALF-MOON  BIT  ADJUSTED. 


260 


with  the  extra  bit,  which  of  itself  greatly  restrains  the  im- 
pulse of  resistance.  The  bit  is  very  simple,  merely  a  cir- 
cular mouth-piece,  with  the  inner  part  filed  clown  to  about 
the  thickness  of  the  back  of  an  ordinary  knife-blade,  and 
rounding  to  prevent  cutting.  This  makes  the  bearing  sur- 
face against  the  mouth  so  narrow  that  the  most  plucky 
horse  can  scarcely  pull  against  it,  while  its  circular  form 
prevents  pulling  sideways.     It  must,  however,  be  tried  cau- 


FiG.  196.— lliL  Ilalf-niooii  Bit  adjusted. 

tiously  upon  a  dangerous  horse.  Before  trying  whether 
the  horse  will  submit  to  it,  put  on  one  or  two  foot-straps, 
which  will  be  sufficient  to  disable  the  horse  should  he  lunge 
so  recklessly  against  the  bit  that  he  cannot  be  held.  (This 
will  be  necessary  only  in  extremely  bad  cases.)  Then 
in  all  cases  the  experiment  should  be  made  where  the  road 
is  very  wide  and  free  from  obstructions,  or  in  an  open, 
smooth  field.  For  illustration  of  bit,  see  cut  73,  page  75. 

Spoon  Bit. 


The  Spoon  Bit,  an  illustration  of  which  is  given,  is  so 
constructed  as  to  bring  the  edges  of  two  flanges,  when 


270 


EUIS^NIKG   AWAY. 


pulled  upon,  upon  each  side  of  the  lower  jaw.  In  some 
cases  of  badly  trained  mouths,  or  of  moderately  head-strong 
horses,  it  will  be  found  to  work  very  nicely.  One  point  of 
advantage  is  its  mildness,  it  being  only  a  simple  snaffle 
bit  until  resisted.  It  works  especially  well  in  the  manage- 
ment of  horses  that  rein  hard.     It  is  not  a  bit  that  is 


Fig.  197. — First  form  of  Spoon  Bit.     IJasy  on  the  moutli. 


adapted  for  head-strong,  dangerous  luggers,  as  it  does  not 
give  power  sufficient  for  such  cases. 

A  valuable  form  of  bit,  and  one  which  works    exceed- 
ingly well  for  the  control  of  some  headstrong,  pulling  horses, 


Fig.  198. — Second  form  of  Spoon  Bit.     Gives  more  Power. 


is  a  simple  bar  made  flat  or  concave  on  one  side,  and 
rounded  on  the  other,  from  five-eighths  to  three-fourths  of 
an  inch  wide,  with  a  piece  of  rounded  leather  inside  the 
ring  on  each  end,  as  shown  in  cuts  199,  200.  The  flat  or 
concave  side  is  used  when  the  horse  pulls,  or  is  inchned  to 
resist  the  bit.  When  the  mouth  is  sensitive  and  managea- 
ble, simply  turning  the  rounded  side  against  the  jaw  makes 


FOITE-RING    BIT.  271 

it  extremely  easy  on  the  mouth.  The  length  must  be  reg- 
ulated to  the  size  of  mouth,  or  about  the  average  length  of 
driving-bits. 

Four-ring  Bit. 

The  Four-ring  Bit  is  peculiar  in  respect  to  the  sensibil- 
ity it  causes  upon  the  roof  of  the  mouth.  While  it  is  not 
a  bit  that  gives  much  direct  power,  the  efiect  is  such  that 


Fig.  199.-  Slightly  rounded,  or  flat         Concave,  with  edges  rounded,  when 
when  not  desired  to  be  severe.  more  severity  is  required. 

but  few  horses  outside  of  lunging,  runaway  horses,  can  ef- 
fectually pull  against  it.  Hence  a  horse  that  with  an  or- 
dinary bit  would  pull  so  hard  as  to  make  it  extremely  dif- 


FiG.  200.— The  rounded  side  of  the  bar. 

ficult  to  restrain  and  control  him,  more  especially  one  that  as 
he  warms  up  will  pull  harder,  will  scarcely  pull  at  all  upon 
this  bit,  but  will  drive  so  easily  as  to  hardly  straighten  the 
reins. 

It  is  not,  however,  to  be  risked  too  much  in  the  driving 
of  a  really  dangerous  horse ;  for,  as  before  stated,  its  suc- 
cess depends  more  upon  the  sensibility  it  causes  upon  the 
roof  of  the  mouth  than  upon  any  real  power  it  otherwise 


272  BURNING    AWAY. 

gives.  Consequently,  should  the  horse  lunge  recklessly 
against  the  bit,  the  pain  it  inflicts  not  being  sufficient  to 
hold  him  in  check,  he  is  liable  to  get  away.  When  used 
upon  a  doubtful  horse,  he  should  be  carefully  tested  with 
it,  first  by  driving  around  a  little  in  harness,  then  as  de- 
scribed in  the  use  of  the  Half-moon  Bit.  The  foot  strap 
should  also  be  used  to  enable  testing  the  horse  sufficiently 
hard  to  know  with  certainty  to  what  degree  the  horse  wall 
submit  to  the  restraint.  It  is  no  proof  of  skill,  but,  on  the 
contrary,  of  ignorant  fool-hardiness,  to  take  doubtful  chances 
in  the  management  of  cases  in  which  a  single  mismove 
would  precipitate  a  dangerous  runaway. 

It  is  a  perfect  remedy  for  cases  that  pull  on  one  rein, 
and  for  luggers.  It  should  be  carefully  fitted.  The  strap 
across  the  nose  should  not  be  so  long  as  to  lose  the  power 
of  forcing  the  joint  firmly  against  the  roof  of  the  mouth. 

Patent  Bridle. 

To  give  sufficient  power  to  overcome  extreme  resistance 
most  effectually,  I  devised  the  Patent  Bridle,  which  gives 
such  power  that  the  strongest  horse  can  be  easily  held  and 
controlled.  It  does  not  require  any  practice  or  work  other 
than  fitting  the  head-piece  and  bridle  to  the  head,  and  set- 
ting the  horse  back  a  few  times.  It  gives  two  important 
points  of  advantage  :  1st.  It  is  as  any  common  bit  in  the 
mouth  until  resistance  is  excited,  when  by  an  ordinary  ])u\\ 
such  pain  and  power  are  produced  in  the  mouth  that  it  can 
rarely  be  resisted ;  2nd.  Should  there  be  so  much 
pluck  as  to  pull  against  it,  in  addition  to  the  pain  and  pur- 
chase upon  the  mouth,  it  also  causes  such  pressure  upon 
the  spinal  cord, — the  most  vital  part  of  the  whole  body, — 
that  the  wdiole  nervous  system  is  relaxed,  and  the  horse  is 
subdued,  driving  with  a  slack  rein ;  yet  it  is  ready  at  any 
time  to  repeat  the  same  terrible  penalty. 


PULLING    UPON    ONE    EEIN.  273 

This  bridle  and  the  bits  will  be  furnished  by  the  author 


or  his  agents. 


Lugging,  or  Pulling  upon  One  Uein. 


The  habit  of  lugging  or  pulling  on  one  rein  is  the  re- 
sult of  the  faulty  method  of  training  the  mouth.  If  not 
made  to  suTjmit  to  flexible  restraint,  when  pulled  upon  the 
result  is  lugging,  pulling  on  one  rein,  etc.  It  may  result 
from  one  side  of  the  mouth  being  sore,  but  is  not  so  often 
from  this  cause  as  supposed. 

The  quickest  and  simplest  way  to  break  up  this  habit 
is  to  put  on  the  Breaking  Bit,  also  the  First  Form  of  the 
War  Bridle.  But  instead  of  bringing  the  cord  through  the 
mouth,  bring  it  through  the  rings  of  the  bit.  Pull  sharply 
on  the  side  opposite  that  on  which  he  lugs,  until  he  will 
bring  the  head  around  freely  without  being  pulled  upon. 
Now  tie  up  the  cord,  take  down  the  reins,  and  drive  around. 
If  he  pulls  in  the  least,  repeat  the  lesson,  until  he  learns 
to  yield  promptly  to  the  restraint  of  the  reins,  when  he 
ought  to  drive  to  an  ordinary  bit ;  or  the  Breaking  Bit 
can  be  kept  on  for  a  day  or  two.  This  treatment  will  make 
that  side  of  the  mouth  as  tender  and  submissive  to  restraint 
as  the  opposite,  and  he  will  pull  evenly. 

I  have  found  a  great  many  bits  advertised  as  a  perfect 
remedy  for  side-reiners,  etc.,  but  in  my  experience  they 
have  not  proved  satisfactory.  Sometimes  a  bit  will  work 
on  some  horses,  but  not  on  others.  The  Four-ring  Bit,  as 
explained  under  that  head,  is  practically  a  specific  for  this 
habit ;  but  as  it  is  advisable  in  many  cases  to  so  break  up 
the  habit  that  an  ordinary  bit  can  be  used,  I  have  thought 
it  advisable  to  include  details  for  doing  it. 

18 


274  KUNNING   AWAY. 

Will  not  Back. 

Sometimes  a  horse  will  back  readily  out  of  harness,  but 
when  put  before  a  wagon  will  resist  every  effort  to  make 
him  back.  Again,  a  horse  may  back  all  right  until  crowded 
and  maddened,  when  he  will  stand  sullenly,  and  refuse  to 
move.  Various  palliative  measures  could  he  mentioned 
for  making  such  a  horse  back,  though  they  are  hardly  prac- 
ticable ;  as,  standing  in  front  and  pushing  the  end  of  a 
sharp  stick  under  the  shoulder  blade  gently  until  he  will 
go  back  ;  or,  by  taking  a  firm  hold  of  the  reins,  and  kick- 
ing the  shins  until  the  leg  is  lifted,  then  pushing  back  and 
repeating  until  successful. 

If  a  young,  sullen  colt  is  liable  to  resist  the  restraint 
upon  the  mouth  so  much  as  to  injure  it,  put  around  the 
body  a  surcingle.  Tie  a  rope  around  the  fore  foot  below 
the  fetlock,  and  bring  forward  over  the  belly-band.  Now, 
while  standing  in  front  of  the  horse,  catch  hold  of  the  reins 
and  pull  up  the  foot ;  as  you  let  the  foot  down  again,  pull 
upon  the  reins ;  this  will  bring  the  foot  down  eight  or  ten 
inches  back  of  the  other  one.  Caress  for  this,  and  repeat, 
which  will  very  soon  teach  a  sullen  colt  to  go  back 
freely. 

The  War  Bridle,  Second  Form,  will  usually  work  bet- 
ter than  this  means,  but  it  is  liable,  in  extreme  cases,  to 
bruise  the  mouth  somewhat.  If,  however,  it  is  desired  to 
use  it,  stand  on  the  near  side,  bring  the  head  partly  around, 
^hen  give  a  sharp  pull  backward ;  this  will  force  the  horse 
partly  sideways,  as  well  as  back.  Forcing  him  sideways  a 
little  prevents  his  power,  in  a  great  measure,  to  brace 
against  the  pull,  as  he  could  do  if  pulled  upon  in  a  line  with 
the  body.  vSimply  repeat  cautiously  until  he  can  be  made 
to  go  back  freely. 

If  a  horse  that  has  learned  to  resist,  put  on  the  harness 


WILL    NOT    BACK.  275 

with  the  Breaking  Bit,  or  Half-moon  Bit,  and  with  a  firm 
hold  of  the  reins  get  directly  behind  and  call,  "  Back  ! " 
sharply.  Follow  this  with  a  quick,  sharp,  raking  pull,  so 
that,  if  possible,  the  horse  can  be  forced  back  before  warm- 
ing up,  as  he  will  in  this  condition  struggle  hard  to  resist. 
If  he  spreads  his  legs,  and  throws  his  head  sullenly  against 
the  bit  or  down  upon  the  breast,  the  case  is  a  bad  one, 
and  it  is  necessary  to  work  carefully.  Simply  repeat 
slowly,  and  if  there  is  not  success  before  he  warms  up  and 
becomes  reckless,  put  him  away  until  cool,  when  the  mouth 
will  be  found  so  tender  that  he  will  rarely  refuse  to  go  back 
freely  when  pulled  upon. 

Great  care  should  be  used  not  to  force  the  horse  back 
too  freely  after  he  once  gives  up ;  for  with  the  increased 
tenderness  of  the  mouth  produced  by  the  severe  treatment, 
he  may  acquire  the  habit  of  going  back  too  freely  when 
pulled  upon, — one  of  the  most  annoying  habits  a  horse  can 
learn.  I  would  call  attention  to  this  particularly  in  train- 
ing colts  to  back. 

Usually  a  lesson  of  ten  or  fifteen  minutes  is  sufficient 
for  ordinary  cases,  but  I  have  in  a  few  instances  found  old 
horses  that  had  learned  this  habit  so  thoroughly  that  it  was 
utterly  impossible  to  break  them  of  it.  One  of  the  worst 
I  ever  found  was  in  a  small  town  in  Connecticut.  This 
was  a  medium-sized,  gray  horse,  twelve  years  old.  He 
could  not  be  made  to  back,  in  or  out  of  harness.  The 
Breaking  Bit  was  used,  and  he  was  compelled  at  first  to  go 
back  repeatedly  by  making  the  jerks  so  quick  and  sharp  as 
to  force  him  to  yield  before  he  could  concentrate  his  pur- 
pose to  resist.  But  becoming  warmed  up,  the  legs  were 
thrown  forward  at  an  acute  angle  with  such  an  obstinacy  of 
resistance  as  to  defy  the  utmost  force  of  punishment  by 
the  bit.  As  a  matter  of  experiment,  five  men  pulled  stead- 
ily upon  each  rein ;   but  the  horse  resisted  w^ith  so  much 


276  EUNNING    AWAY. 

stubbornness  as  to  be  pulled  down  upon  the  belly.  Seeing 
the  necessity  of  now  resting  until  the  mouth  could  become 
sensitiA^e,  and  the  excitement  pass  off,  I  directed  the 
owner  to  bring  the  horse  to  the  next  town,  promising  to 
then  make  the  experiment  a  success.  Upon  trial  at  this 
place,  a  few  uick,  energetic  pulls  proved  sufficient  to  make 
the  case  yield,  and  he  soon  could  be  made  to  back  as  read- 
ily as  desired. 

Will  not  Stand. 

Usually  it  is  not  difficult  to  teach  a  horse  to  stand  un- 
less there  is  inclination  to  balk.  If  a  young  horse  that  is 
simply  a  little  impulsive,  treat  the  same  as  directed  for 
teaching  colts  to  stand.  Usually,  with  an  ordinary  mild 
bit,  there  will  be  an  inclination  to  pull  against  it  and  fight 
its  restraint.  If  this  is  the  case,  the  Breaking  Bit  can  be 
used  as  follows  : — 

First,  with  the  harness  on,  train  to  stop  as  explained 
in  Colt  Training.  When  first  hitched  to  a  wagon,  let  it  be 
away  from  the  place  where  accustomed  to  be  hitched.  I 
prefer  to  turn  the  horse's  head  toward  a  high  fence  or  barn, 
because  there  is  less  inclination  to  go  ahead  when  such  an 
obstruction  is  in  view.  Then  get  in  and  out  repeatedly, 
occasionally  giving  him  an  apple,  etc.,  for  some  time.  Now 
move  him  around,  standing  him  a  little  farther  off  at  each 
repetition,  and  gradually  more  sideways,  until  ho  will  stand 
with  his  body  parallel  to  the  barn  or  away  from  it.  Next, 
repeat  the  lesson  where  in  the  habit  of  being  hitched,  un- 
til he  will  stand  as  desired. 

When  hitched  in,  have  the  reins  in  the  hand  or  within 
easy  reach.  The  moment  he  starts,  give  a  sharp  pull  that 
will  make  him  stand,  go  to  the  head  and  stroke  it  for  a 
while,  then  go  back  to  the  wheel.  For  the  least  resistance, 
set  him  back  sharply  with  the  reins.      When  desired  to 


WILL    NOT    STAND.  277 

start,  take  him  by  the  head,  and,  after  going  a  few  steps, 
call,  "  Whoa  !  "  If  he  does  not  stop  promptly,  pull  sharply 
upon  the  reins  until  he  will  do  so.  Reward  for  standing ; 
punish  for  moving.  Having  once  learned  to  stand  and  wait, 
get  on  the  step  and  make  a  noise  ;  this  submitted  to,  get  in 
quietly  and  sit  down.  Repeat  the  stopping,  starting,  and 
waiting,  until  the  impression  is  fixed  upon  the  mind.  After 
he  will  do  this  properly  away  from  the  house,  he  should  be 
taken  where  in  the  habit  of  resisting,  and  the  lesson  re- 
peated, if  necessary. 

Horses  of  this  character  are  sometimes  very  sensitive, 
and  require  nice  management,  because  they  are  so  easily 
taught  to  balk.  The  point  is  to  impress  thoroughly  the 
idea  of  stopping,  and  make  it  so  habitual  that,  when  the 
horse  is  most  impulsive  during  cold  and  chilly  .weather,  it 
will  not  be  forgotten.  A  A^ery  good  plan,  should  the  case 
be  a  little  daubtful,  and  seem  in  danger  of  working  into  the 
habit  again,  would  be  to  have  some  one  stand  in  front  of 
him,  or  near  the  head,  and  stroke  the  nose  a  little,  but  not 
touch  the  reins.  This  will  disconcert  the  horse  sufficiently 
to  make  him  stand  while  getting  in,  when  by  stepping  out 
of  his  way  he  will  move  off  quietly. 

If  the  Breaking  Bit  is  not  available,  the  following  course 
of  treatment,  though  requiring  more  time  and  care, 
will  be  found  to  work  very  well :  Put  on  the  foot  strap, 
call  ''  Whoa  !  "  at  the  same  time  pull  upon  the  foot  strap, 
which  will  pull  the  foot  up  and  throw  the  horse  upon  three 
legs.  After  a  few  repetitions,  he  will  stop  rather  than  be 
pulled  upon  and  tripped.  Now  put  him  before  a  wagon, 
carrying  the  foot  strap  back  as  a  third  rein.  If  he  starts, 
simply  pull  the  foot  from  under  a  few  times,  or  until  ho 
will  stand  as  desired.  In  some  cases,  the  foot  strap  may 
be  put  on  both  fore  feet,  as  a  very  determined  horse  may 
lunge  forward  upon  three  feet.     If  when  one  foot  is  taken 


278  EUNNING    AWAY. 

up  there  is  inclination  to  lunge  forward,  simply  pull  the 
other  foot  from  under,  which  brings  him  forward  upon  his 
knees.  This  treatment  should  be  given  on  soft,  sodded 
ground,  or  sandy  road  free  from  stones,  to  avoid  bruising 
the  knees. 

Put  the  Breaking  Bit  into  the  bridle  and  commence  crack- 
ing a  whi}),  yelling,  or  anything  else  to  attact  his  attention. 
If  he  moves,  punish  by  jerking  him  back  sharply,  and  say, 
"  Whoa  !  "  Then  repeat,  cracking  the  whip,  etc.,  until  he 
will  stand  quietly  under  the  excitement.  When  he  will 
stand  while  in  wagon,  get  out  and  caress  him,  walk  around 
carelessly,  crack  the  whip,  etc.  The  instant  he  starts,  call 
"  Whoa  !  "  and  jerk  him  back  again.  When  he  will  stand, 
go  to  his  head,  caress,  give  an  apple,  etc. ;  so  rejteat  the 
lesson^until  Jie  will  stand  quietly.  At  first,  the  cause  of 
excitement  should  be  moderate,  gradually  increasing  each 
time.  The  reins  should  extend  back  into  the  wagon  over 
the  seat,  so  they  can  be  caught  quickly  whe".  necessary. 
In  this  way  the  horse  is  made  afraid  to  start  for  fear  cf  be- 
ing punished.  If  it  is  desired  to  make  the  effect  still  more 
thorough,  boys  can  be  made  to  run  around,  make  a  noise, 
etc. 

A  simple  way  to  make  a  horse  stand  without  being 
hitched,  is  to  buckle  or  tie  a  strap  or  cord  around  the  near 
fore  foot  below  the  fetlock,  and  tie  the  other  end  around 
the  shaft  back  of  the  cross-f>iece,  bringing  it  short  enough 
so  that,  while  not  interfering  with  the  limb  while  standing, 
it  prevents  its  being  brought  forward  in  the  effort  to  stop 
or  go  ahead,  A  horse  will  stand  quietly  by  spanceling  the 
fore  legs  together;  that  is,  tying  two  small  cords  around  the 
fore  legs  about  six  or  seven  inches  apart.  As  soon  as  the 
horse  finds  he  cannot  step,  he  will  stand  quietly. 


CHAPTER    VIII. 


HALTER-PULLING. 


Halter-pulling  is  one  of  the  simple  habits  that  not  only 
cause  great  annoyance,  but  seriously  injure  the  value  of  a 
horse,  by  rendering  him  unsafe  to  be  left  hitched  in  the 
street.  A  horse  subject  to  this  habit  may  stand  all  right 
when  not  excited,  but  will  be  ready  to  break  his  neck  in 
the  attempt  to  pull  loose  should  a  bit  of  paper,  Dr  anything 


Fig.  301. — As  the  colt  will  naturally  resist  when  pulled 
upon  straight  ahead. 

else,  be  suddenly  thrown  down  in  front  of  him.  There 
was  no  habit  that  troubled  me  more  to  learn  how  to  man- 
age than  this  one.  It  was  easy  enough,  with  a  little  care, 
to  keep  a  horse  from  pulling  for  a  short  time,  but  the  diffi- 
culty was,  in  bad  cases,  to  wholly  prevent  or  break  up  the 
habit. 

When  there  is  an  effort  at  first  to  lead  a  colt  bv  the 
halter,  the  moment  the  pressure  is  felt  upon  the  head,  there 

(379) 


280  HALTBK-PULLING. 

is  an  inclination  to  resist,  or  pull  back.  If  the  halter  is  a 
rough,  hard,  rope  one,  with  the  slipping-noose  back  of  the 
jaw,  when  jDulled  upon  the  pain  inflicted  will  increase  this 
tendency  to  res-ist  and  pull  away.  (See  cut  201.)  In  the 
same  manner  when  a  colt  is  tied,  and  his  freedom  restrained, 
there  is  a  natural  inclination  to  resist  and  pull  back ;  and 
if  after  a  violent  struggle  the  halter  is  broken,  the  habit  of 
pulling  is  learned.     Usually,  the  younger  the  colt  the  more 


Fig.  203. — As  the  colt  is  liable  to  break  loose  when  hitched 
in  the  usual  manner. 

stubborn  will  be  the  inclination  to  pull,  and  often  he  will 
struggle  so  desj^erately  as  to  throw  himself  down.  Not 
only  this,  but  there  is  danger  of  straining  and  injuring  the 
neck  by  the  violence  of  the  jerking  and  pulling.  I  have 
known  of  colts  pulling  so  hard  as  to  make  the  neck  stiff, 
deforming  and  spoiling  them ;  and  in  a  few  cases  even  kill- 
ing themselves  by  dislocating  the  neck.  Yet  there  was 
practically  no  better  remedy  in  use  than  to  hitch  by. a  hal- 
ter so  strong  that  he  could  not  break  it.  The  point  was  to 
be  able  to  so  hitch  the  colt  as  to  induce  the  least  inclina- 


METHOD    OF    TEEATMENT.    •  281 

tion  to  pull,  and  that  when  he  did  pull  he  could  not  break 
away,  strain,  or  otherwise  injure  himself. 

The  first  successful  experiment  I  made  in  the  manage- 
ment of  this  habit  was  to  pass  the  hitching  part  of  the  hal- 
ter through  the  ring  in  the  manger,  thence  back  over  the 
belly-band,  and  tie  to  the  hind  foot,  leaving  it  so  long  that 
the  horse  could  step  around  as  usual.  AVhen  the  horse 
pulled,  the  strain  came  directly  upon  the  hind  leg,  which 
prevented  his  j)ulling  severely.  After  submitting  to  this, 
I  next  tied  the  hitching  part  around  the  fore  leg  above  the 
knee,  so  that  should  he  pull,  the  leg  was  pulled  forward  to 
the  manger.  But  I  soon  discovered  two  objections  to  this 
method  :  First,  there  was  danger,  by  this  violent  pulling 
upon  the  leg,  of  causing  serious  lameness ;  and  second, 
when  afterward  hitched  directly  by  the  head,  there  was  a 
liability  of  his  repeating  the  pulling. 

To  avoid  this  difficulty  I  took  a  cord  of  sufficient  length, 
brought  the  center  under  the  tail  like  a  crupper,  bringing 
both  ends  forward  over  the  back,  twisting  a  few  times,  and 
then  knotted  them  together  in  front  of  the  breast.  I  then 
passed  the  ends  through  the  rings  of  the  halter,  and  tied 
to  the  post  or  manger.  When  the  horse  pulled,  the  strain 
came  directly  upon  the  tail,  which,  in  the  case  of  a  colt, 
would  cause  him  to  jump  ahead,  surprised  and  frightened. 
I  soon  learned,  however,  that  a  stubborn  horse  accustomed 
to  the  habit,  would  quickly  learn  to  pull  against  it,  or  pull 
as  bad  as  ever  when  it  was  taken  off.  I  also  found  that  it 
was  apt  to  make  the  tail  so  sore  that  there  was  not  only 
liability  to  cause  the  horse  to  kick  then  when  pulled  upon, 
but  afterward,  should  the  rein  be  caught  under  the  tail,  or 
he  be  otherwise  irritated. 

I  then  devised  the  plan  of  making  a  noose  of  the  cord, 
and  placing  it  well  back  around  the  body,  bringing  both 
cords  forward  between  the  legs,  and  through  the  hole  in 


282  HALTER-PULLING. 

the  manger,  thence  back  to  the  halter,  and  fasten.  Thus 
two  important  improvements  were  made  ;  namely,  the  seri- 
ous objection  of  making  the  tail  sore  was  removed ;  and, 
instead  of  tying  directly  to  the  post  or  manger,  passing  it 
through  the  ring  or  hole  in  the  manger,  and  tying  to  the 
halter  back  of  the  jaw,  the  restraint  was  brought  directly 
upon  the  head  as  if  ordinarily  hitched,  but  with  the  advan- 
tage of  greatly  disabling  and  punishing,  while  the  horse 
could  not  strain  or  injure  himself  in  the  least,  no  matter 
how  hard  he  pulled. 

If  the  subject  were  a  colt,  the  moment  there  was  an  ef- 
fort to  pull,  the  sudden  tightening  of  the  cord  around  the 
body  frightened  and  hurt  him  so  much  that  it  compelled  an 
instantaneous  jumping  ahead,  and  after  repeating  two  or 
three  times,  all  inclination  to  pull  was  entirely  overcome. 
It  was  necessary  to  hitch  him  in  this  way  only  a  few  times, 
Avhen  he  could  be  tied  by  the  halter  directly,  without  know- 
ing it  was  possible  to  pull.  If  while  hitched  in  this  man- 
ner he  was  frightened  by  a  robe,  or  a  piece  of  paper  coming 
suddenly  in  front  of  him,  he  was  soon  convinced  of  his  in- 
ability to  pull  loose,  and  consequently  the  inclination  to  do 
so  was  overcome. 

For  especially  bad,  sullen  pullers,  however,  I  found  this 
was  not  of  itself  sufficient  to  break  up  the  habit.  It  was 
easy,  of  course,  to  prevent  the  horse  from  pulling  while  the 
rig  was  on,  but  when  taken  off,  and  the  horse  tied  as  usual 
by  the  halter,  there  was  liability  of  his  again  repeating  the 
pulling.  To  overcome  this  difficulty,  I  was  led  to  the  ex- 
])edient,  when  there  was  an  effort  to  pull,  of  inflicting  such 
intense  pain  as  to  disconcert  the  horse  from  his  purpose, 
even  while  under  the  greatest  excitement,  and  on  this  point 
I  was  successful.  To  give  something  of  an  idea  how  I  was 
led  to  do  this,  I  will  refer  to  a  chance  incident : — 

Two  colts  that  pulled  very  hard  upon  the  halter — one 


METHOD    OP    TREATMENT. 


283 


of  them  desperately — were  brought  me  to  experiment  upon. 
The  one  that  pulled  the  worst  provoked  me  so  much  by  his 
intense  pulling,  that  to  frighten  him  out  of  it  I  whipped 
him  very  hard  upon  the  tip  of  his  nose,  where  there  is  the 
most  sensibility.  Though  he  made  a  supreme  struggle,  I 
succeeded  in  this  way  in  making  him  so  afraid  to  pull  that, 
no  matter  how  excited  afterward,  he  could  not  be  made  to 
go  back.  The  other  horse  submitted  in  a  few  minutes,  re- 
quiring but  a  slight  punishment.  Meeting  the  owner  after- 
ward, he  informed  me  that  the  horse  that  pulled  the  hard- 


Fjg.  203.— As  a  horse  of  sullen  temper  is  liable  to  throw  himself 
down  when  pulling., 

est  at  first  never  did  it  afterward,  while  he  had  much 
trouble  in  effectually  breaking  the  other  one  of  the  habit. 
This  led  me  to  experiment  upon  this  principle  all  I 
could.  When  I  found  a  bad  case,  I  treated  it,  if  possible, 
in  private,  and  was  invariably  so  successful  that  I  soon  be- 
came convinced  that  I  could  in  this  way  force  the  most 
stubborn  pullers  into  submission  in  a  few  minutes.  In 
making  these  experiments  for  over  two  years,  I  found  that 
in  many  cases  the  lesson  must  be  repeated,  in  order  to  fully 
break  up  the  habit,  and  that  it  was  fatal  to  success  to  let 
the  horse  feel  that  he  could  resist  at  any  point.     Nothing 


284  HALTEK-PULLING. 

with  which  the  horse  is  tied  should  give  way.  Even  the 
breaking  of  the  whip,  or  the  inability  to  force  to  the  point 
of  complete  submission,  would  be  equivalent  to  defeat.  In 
all  cases,  the  experiment  should  be  made  at  the  place  where 
in  the  habit  of  resisting,  or  as  near  it  as  possible. 

The  Patent  Bridle  will  be  found  to  give  still  more  power, 
and  is  indispensable  in  the  breaking  of  bridle-pullers.  In 
using  this,  reverse  the  reins  through  the  pulley,  so  that  in- 
stead of  passing  back,  they  will  run  forward.  (See  cut  205.) 
Now  the  moment  the  horse  pulls,  the  punishment  upon  the 
head  becomes  so  severe  that  he  will  be  afraid  to  re- 
peat  it. 

Having  learned  these  points,  I  advertised,  among  other 
apparently  difficult  feats,  to  break  any  halter-puller  in  two 
minutes  so  that  he  would  not  pull  upon  his  own  halter  when 
hitched.  Many  amusing  incidents  could  be  given,  showing 
an  effort  to  break  me  down  in  this  respect.  I  will  give 
here  two  illustrative  cases,  one  of  them  among  the  worst 
halter-pullers  the  writer  ever  saw  : — 

On  the  morning  of  my  engagement  at  a  large  town  in 
Northern  New  York,  happening  to  step  into  a  livery  stable, 
I  found  several  men  standing  around,  laughing  and  yelling 
at  a  mare  hitched  in  the  stall.  She  had  a  rope  under  her 
tail,  against  which  she  pulled  with  great  desperation,  sit- 
ting back  upon  the  ground  and  bracing  herself  with  her  fore 
legs.  There  was  no  lunging,  but  a  steady,  reckless  pull, 
which  settled  the  cord  its  thickness  into  the  flesh  of  her 
tail.  In  explanation,  they  said  they  were  stirring  up  and 
practicing  the  mare,  to  have  a  good  subject  for  me ;  that 
they  knew  she  was  the  premium  halter-puller  of  that  coun- 
try, and  they  proposed  to  fix  her  so  that  she  would 
beat  me. 

She  was  ten  years  old,  of  medium  size,  brownish  black 
in  color,  of  the  most  courageous,  plucky  character  imagina- 


METHOD    OF    TBEATMENT.  285 

ble,  and  one  of  the  worst  possible  halter-pullers  in  the  coun- 
try. She  would  undoubtedly  have  defeated  me  had  I 
not,  in  this  way,  become  aware  of  her  extremely  bad  char- 
acter, and  prepared  for  the  emergency.  It  was  a  precon- 
certed plan  to  spring  the  mare  upon  me,  and  defeat  me, 
and  thus  make  an  excuse  to  get  their  money  back.  Though 
I  had  never  seen  so  bad  a  halter-puller  before,  I  determined 
to  put  a  bold  front  on  the  matter,  and  pass  for  all  I  was 
worth. 

In  forming  a  class,  I  told  the  people  they  were  to  dis- 
tinctly understand  if  I  could  not  control  the  mare  in  two 


Fig.  204.— The  halter-puller  trying  to  pull  loose. 

minutes  so  that  she  could  not  be  made  to  pull  when  hitched 
by  her  own  halter,  I  would  give  every  man  his  money 
back  ;  with  this  understanding  I  made  a  large  class. 

It  now  became  important  for  them  to  defeat  me,  and 
for  me,  if  possible,  to  succeed.  Fearing  my  whip  would 
break,  I  secured  an  extra  one,  of  the  best  quaUty  I  could 
find,  stripped  off  my  coat  and  vest,  attended  carefully  to 
every  detail  of  hitching,  and  doubled  the  usual  strength  of 
the  cord,  to  guard  against  the  possibility  of  breaking.  The 
moment  the  mare  was  tied,  she  went  back  with  all  the  fury 
of  a  maniac.  But  she  had  no  more  than  done  so  when  I 
sent  the  ksh  of  the  whip  across  the  tip  of  her  nose,  re- 


286  HALTEE-PULLING. 

peating  as  rapidly  and  with  as  much  force  as  I  could.  The 
struggle  was  a  desperate  one,  and  the  excitement  and  anx- 
iety to  see  which  would  beat  was  intense.  At  the  four- 
teenth or  fifteenth  blow,  the  whip  broke ;  dropping  it  and 
catching  the  other,  without  losing  a  blow,  I  followed  up  the 
struggle.  Had  this  whip  broken,  failure  would  have  been 
inevitable  ;  but  fortunately  it  held  out,  and  at  about  the 
thirtieth  blow  she  jumped  ahead.  But  true  to  the  in- 
stincts of  her  desperate  pluck,  she  immediately  went  back 
again.     The  punishment,  however,  was  too  hot  for  her,  and 


Fig.  205. — As  a  horse  will  rear  and  jump  ahead  after  pulling. 

after  the  third  stroke  she  bounded  into  the  air,  completely 
conquered ;  for,  in  defiance  of  the  utmost  effort,  she  could 
not  be  made  to  pull  back.  I  was  consequently  voted  "all 
right."  So  great  was  the  exertion  on  my  part,  that  after 
she  submitted  I  was  out  of  breath  and  completely  ex- 
hausted. 

I  told  the  owner  afterward  that  if  he  wished  to  break  the 
mare  successfully,  he  must  not  permit  any  fooling  with  her ; 
he  must  lead  her  quietly  to  the  stable,  back  her  into  the 
stall,  tie  her  head  to  the  post,  and  let  her  stand  until  cool 
and  over  the  excitement,  when  the  impression  would  be  so 


METHOD    OF    TEEATMEXT.  287 

intensified  that  she  would  not  repeat  the  habit ;  and  as  a 
matter  of  precaution  to  test  her  as  thoroughly  as  he  could, 
then  hitch  her  as  I  had  done.  I  met  the  owner  a  week 
afterward,  when  he  told  me  there  were  not  men  enough  in 
town  to  make  her  pull  hard  enough  now  to  break  a  tow 
string. 

At  Marion,  N.  Y.,  where  I  made  a  large  class  many 
years  before,  I  found  a  twenty-four-year-old  mare  that  had 
not  been  hitched  for  ten  years ;  also  a  daughter  and  grand- 
daughter of  the  mare, — all  confirmed  halter- pullers.  To 
catch  mc,  nothing  was  said  about  the  character  of  the  sub- 
jects until  the  time  of  making  the  experiments.  The  young- 
est mare  was  led  in  first,  and  proved  a  decidedly  good  sub- 
ject, yielding  unconditionally  in  about  a  minute.  They 
next  led  in  the  mother,  a  twelve-year-old  mare,  saying, 
"We  have  another  case  we  wish  tried."  But,  upon  trial, 
she  yielded,  if  anything,  more  readily  than  the  first.  They 
laughed  and  said,  "  Now  let  us  have  the  old  mare ;  if  he 
can  stop  her  from  pulling,  we  will  give  it  up."  This  revealed 
the  plot,  and  she  was  the  reserved  case  upon  which  they 
depended  to  defeat  me.  Upon  trial,  however,  the  old  mare 
proved  no  more  difficult  than  the  others, — in  fact,  not  mak- 
ing near  so  good  a  contest  as  the  first.  Almost  daily  there 
were  horses  of  this  character  brought  me,  man}^  of  them  ex- 
tremely bad ;  but  in  no  case  was  there  failure.  (Details 
of  hitching  a  colt,  and  accustoming  to  stand  hitched,  are 
fully  given  in  "  Colt  Training,"  and  can  be  referred  to  un- 
der that  head.) 

In  breaking  up  this  habit,  no  possible  chances  for  de- 
feat should  be  taken.  First,  the  cord  must  be  so  light  and 
pliable  as  not  to  be  noticeably  felt  around  the  body,  yet 
so  strong  that  it  cannot  be  broken  by  the  most  desperate 
lunging.  If  heavy  and  clumsy,  it  woidd  teach  to  descrim- 
inate  between  being  off*  or  on.     Secondly,  the  manger,  post, 


288 


HALTBE-PULLING. 


or  ring  through  which  the  cord  plays,  should  be  so  strong 
or  solid  there  is  no  danger  of  giving  way.  If  it  is  a  hitching 
ring,  and  small  or  rough,  it  should  be  wound  with  leather, 
or  something  to  prevent  its  cutting  the  cord.  Thirdly,  the 
horse  should  be  first  tied  where  in  the  habit  of  pulling 
hardest,  or  where  most  accustomed  to  pull.  The  degree 
of  freedom  should  be  about  the  same  as  when  ordinarily 
hitched  by  the  halter,  and  the  point  of  tying  or  playing 
through  the  ring  should  be  about  on  a  level  w^ith  the  breast. 
As  before  explained,  in  ordinary  cases  all  that  is  necessary 
is  to  hitch  in  this  way,  and  frighten  him  back  a  little  at 


Fig.  206. — A  test  to  which  the  Ti  alter-puller  was  usually  submitted 
by  the  class  after  treatment. 

first  by  whatever  excites  him,  until  he  refuses  to  go  back, 
when  all  inclination  to  pull  is  overcome.  While  in  serious 
cases,  especially  if  of  a  plucky,  determined  character,  pun- 
ishing sharply  with  a  whip  will  be  necessary. 

It  is  important  also  that  the  whip  be  of  the  most  suit- 
able kind,  as  in  many  cases  the  Avant  of  this  precaution 
would  be  suflicient  to  cause  defeat.  It  should  be  from  five 
to  six  feet  long,  rather  stiff,  with  a  bow  top  made  of  buck- 
skin, and  a  good  hard  lash.  It  must  be  of  such  good  ma- 
terial that  there  will  be  no  danger  ofits  breaking,  and  so  easily 


METHOD    OF    TREATMENT.  289 

handled  that  the  end  of  the  nose  can  be  struck  with  quick- 
ness and  precision.  If  long  and  unwieldy,  it  cannot  be 
handled  with  the  effectiveness  necessary,  as  there  is  dan- 
ger of  hitting  around  the  eyes  and  head,  which  must  not 
be  done. 

Another  point :  The  horse  must  not  at  first  be  hitched 
where  he  cannot,  if  necessary,  be  punished  with  the  whip. 
When  he  goes  back,  punish  instantly.  When  he  jumps  for- 
ward, make  a  noise,  crack  the  whip,  or  anything  else,  but 
do  not  strike  him.  It  is  advisable  to  let  him  stand  quietly 
where  treated  until  cool.  He  may,  when  left  alone,  try  to 
pull  again  once  or  twice,  but  this  will  only  fix  the  impres- 
sion the  stronger  until  he  will  give  up  the  contest.  Next, 
he  should  be  tested  at  other  points,  though  not  very  se- 
verely. If  he  pulls,  the  punishment  should  be  quick  and 
sharp  until  submissive.  It  does  no  good  to  break  a  horse 
only  sufficiently  to  make  him  stand  quietly  when  not  ex- 
cited or  frightened.  To  be  effective,  he  must  be  made  to 
stand  quietly,  regardless  of  any  of  the  usual  causes  of  ex- 
citement. Unless  this  can  be  done,  the  horse  cannot  be 
risked  hitched  in  the  street,  or  at  any  place  where  exposed 
to  any  causes  of  fear.  Hitching  to  a  limb  of  a  tree,  which 
will  give  when  pulled  upon,  will  prevent  the  habit  during 
the  time  hitched,  but  when  tied  to  an  unyielding  post  or 
manger  he  is  again  liable  to  pull. 

Running  Back  in  the  Stall  when  Unhitched. 

For  ordinary  cases  of  running  back  in  the  stall  when 
unhitched,  tie  a  little  longer  than  for  halter-pulling ;  then 
untie  the  halter,  and  the  horse  will  run  back  to  the  point 
of  being  disabled  and  hurt.  This  will  cause  him  to  jump 
ahead.  Repeat,  at  each  time  tying  a  little  longer,  until 
the  nose  will  come  on  a  line  with  the  back  end  of  the  stall, 
when  he  should  be  hit  sharply  across  the  nose    until   he 

19 


290 


HALTER-PULLING. 


jumps  ahead.  This  will  in  a  short  time  make  him  afraid 
to  run  back.  As  a  precaution,  it  is  advisable,  the  next  time 
he  is  unhitched,  to  have  a  cord  on,  so  that  should  he  try 
to  run  back  he  could  be  caught  by  the  cord  attachment  and 
punished  as  before. 

Whenever  I  had  a  particularly  bad  case  of  this  kind,  I 

would  hitch  the  horse  as 
before  explained,  but  with 
the  cord  or  rope  so  long 
that  when  he  went  back  it 
let  the  nose  come  just  out- 
side the  stall.  I  would 
then  stand  outside,  while 
some  one  unhitched  him, 
or  made  him  go  back.  The 
moment  he  w^ent  the  length 

Fig.  207.— First  method  of  making  a  horse    of  the  COrd,  he  WaS  stopped 
stand  in  harness  without  hitching.  ^^j^J^    .^  j^^k,  wheU  I  stood 

ready  to  punish  him  by  hitting  him 
across  the  tip  of  the  nose  once  or 
twice,  causing  him  to  jump  ahead. 
A  few  repetitions  of  this  would 
make  him  so  afraid  he  could  not 
be  made  to  go  back.  I  have  at 
different  times  created  considera- 
ble amusement  in  the  management 
of  these  cases  by  making  it  im- 
possible for  the  owner,  after  the 
experiment,  to  back  the  horse  out 
of  the  stall.  Treated  in  this  way, 
the  management  of  these  cases  is 
easy  and  simple. 

It  is  sometimes  quite  important  to  have  a  horse  stand 
without  being  hitched,  as  there  may  be  no  hitching-post  at 


Fig.  208. — Second  method  of 
making  a  horse  stand  with- 
out being  hitched. 


EUNNING    BACK    IN    STALL. 


291 


hand.  This  can  be  done  in  two  ways  :  First,  by  buckling 
one  end  of  a  strap  around  the  foot  below  the  fetlock,  and 
the  other  end  to  the  crosspiece  of  the  shafts,  just  short 
enough  to  hold  the  foot  in 
a  perpendicular  position. 
When  the  horse  tries  to 
step,  being  unable  to  carry 
the  foot  forward  he  is 
rendered  helpless.  It  is 
always  advisable  to  try  a 
horse  before  leaving  him 
in  this  way,  as  it  is  barely 
possible  he  may  lunge  for- 
ward upon  three  legs  if 
badly  frightened ;  but 
only  wild,  impulsive  fel- 
lows are  liable  to  do  this.  Another  way  is  to  simply  tie 
the  fore  legs  together,  as  seen  in  the  cut.  This  method  is 
specially  valuable  in  making  saddle-horses  stand  without 
hitched. 

It  is  also  important  to  be  able  to  hitch  a  horse  to  a  tree 
or  smooth  post  in  such  a  manner  as  to  prevent  the  cord 
from  slipping  down.  Above  I  give  an  illustration  of  a 
method  for  doing  this,  which  is  so  plain  that  it  does  not 
need  any  further  description. 


Fig.  209. — How  to  hitch  a  horse  to  a  tree 

or  smooth  post  so  that  the  strap  or 

cord  will  not  untie  or  slip  down. 


-*^ 


'^- 


CHAPTER   IX. 


STALLIONS. 

There  is  no  class  of  horses  that  require  more  careful 
management  than  stallions.  They  have  more  intelligence 
than  other  horses,  and  are  quicker  to  take  advantage  when 
carelessness  or  weakness  is  shown.  They  are  also  more 
courageous  in  their  re- 
sistance. In  addition, 
the  character  of  their  re- 
sistance— b  i  t  i  n  g  and 
striking — is  far  more  dif- 
ficult to  combat.  Mis- 
takes can  be  m  a  d  e  in 
breaking  mares  and  geld- 
ings without  doing  much 
more  harm  than  to  in- 
crease the  labor  of  their 
subjection  ;  but  in  subdu- 
ing a  stallion,  a  mistake, 
or  even  slight  carelessness,  is  in  many  cases  fatal  to  suc- 
cess. The  whip  should  never  be  used  upon  a  horse  of 
tlfis  character ;  for  there  is  great  danger,  if  at  all  spirited 
or  courageous,  of  his  becoming  aggressive  and  vicious. 

A  young  horse  that  is  very  gentle,  allowing  himself  to 
be  handled  and  caressed  around  the  head,  etc.,  can,  by  bad 
treatment,  easily  be  made  so  vicious  that  his  whole  char- 

r393) 


Fig.  210.— Portrait  from  life  of  Old  Hamble- 

tonian.     Sire  of  the  Hambletoniau 

trotters. 


BEFOEE    TEEATMENT. 


293 


294  STALLIONS. 

acter  is  changed.  A  great  many  cases  of  this  kind  have 
come  under  my  observation.  At  one  time,  a  gentleman 
who  had  jjreviously  attended  one  of  my  lectures,  told  me 
that  he  and  his  brother  owned  a  fine  stallion  in  company. 
The  horse  was  naturally  quite  gentle,  but  one  day  his 
brother,  becoming  impatient  with  him,  hit  him  sharply ;  the 
result  was  the  horse  ever  afterward  held  such  an  antipathy 
against  him  that  he  could  not  safely  go  near  or  handle  him 
in  any  way,  while  towards  himself  the  horse  was  perfectly 
gentle. 

One  of  my  pair  of  matched,  trained  horses,  nine  years 
old,  bought  in  Madison,  0.,  and  exhibited  by  me  for  a  num- 
ber of  years,  was  of  good  character  at  the  time  of  coming 
into  my  possession ;  but  when  1  undertook  to  train  him  to 
be  controlled  by  the  whip,  he  became  so  excited  when  hit 
that  he  jumped  at  me  with  nil  the  ferocity  of  a  bulldog, 
and  I  was  obliged  to  tie  him  back.  One  sharp  whipping, 
and  leaving  him  mad,  would  have  made  him  irretrievably 
vicious ;  so  I  was  very  careful  when  compelled  to  rouse 
him  much  to  treat  him  afterward  with  great  kindness, — 
giving  him  apples,  rubbing  his  nose,  etc.,  until  entirely  over 
the  excitement,  and  finally  succeeded  in  training  him  as  I 
wished  without  making  him  vicious.  After  using  him  for 
some  years,  he  passed  into  other  hands,  when,  by  needless 
excitement  and  punishment,  he  became  so  bad  a  biter  as  to 
be  almost  worthless. 

The  "  Gifford-Morgan  Horse,"  sold  to  Fred  Arnd,  of 
Bath,  N.  Y.,  and  mentioned  in  the  last  part  of  this  chapter, 
is  a  striking  case  in  point.  Had  I  not  been  in  Bath  at  the 
time,  and  able  to  treat  him  properly,  he  would  have  been 
entirely  unmanageable  and  worthless. 

I  would  also  refer  to  the  "  Robert's  Horse,"  of  Utica, 


SPECIAL    CASES.  295 

N.  Y.  ("  Case  No.  13,  Subjection.")  This  horse  had  previ- 
ously been  of  so  good  a  character  that  be  was  used  for  family 
driving ;  but  in  consequence  of  being  whipped  repeatedly 
by  an  ignorant  groom  in  order  to  make  him  show  off,  he 
became  so  vicious  as  to  be  entirely  unmanageable.  There 
are,  however,  occasionally  to  be  found  stallions  that  are  by 
nature  vicious,  even  in  defiance  of  the  most  careful  manage- 
ment. Perhaps  the  most  marked  case  of  this  character 
ever  known  in  this  country  was  the  Hillman  Horse,  "  Jet," 
Case  7,  Subjection. 

During  the  conversation  I  held  with  Mr.  Goodenough 
(referred  to  in  chapter  on  "  Subjection  "),  in  speaking  of  the 
intelligence  of  horses,  he  said,  "  It  is  wonderful  what  a 
memory  a  horse  has.  Once,  while  we  were  subjecting  the 
Stafford  Stallion  to  treatment,  his  resistance  was  so  deter- 
mined that  Rarey  lost  his  patience,  and  hit  him  across  the 
head  with  a  pitch-fork.  The  horse  never  forgot  it ;  for  he  ever 
afterward  manifested  such  hatred  towards  him  that  he 
could  approach  and  handle  him  only  by  using  the  greatest 
caution,  while  I  could  handle  him  without  exciting  in  him 
the  least  resentment.  Some  time  afterward,  w^hen  handhng 
him,  happening  to  leave  the  enclosure  for  a  moment,  the 
horse  suddenly  grabbed  Rarey  by  the  arm,  and  would  un- 
doubtedly have  killed  or  seriously  injured  him  had  I  not 
quickly  rushed  to  the  rescue.  On  my  approach,  the  horse 
let  go  and  ran  off." 

I  refer  to  these  cases  to  show  to  owners  the  necessity 
of  employing  good,  careful  men  to  take  charge  of  their 
horses.  A  coarse-grained,  passionate  man  should  not  be 
employed  at  any  price.  Habits  of  intemperance  should  in 
all  cases  be  sufficient  to  disqualify  a  man  for  such  work. 

My  experience  in  the  management  of  this  class  of  horses 


296  STALLIONS. 

has  been  very  extensive.  Advertising  as  a  specialty  that 
I  would  make  any  headstrong,  unmanageable  stallion  that 
could  not  be  led  or  controlled  by  even  two  or  three  men  at 
once,  so  manageable  in  ten  minutes  that  I  could  stand  ten 
feet  away  and  call  him  to  me  away  from  a  mare  or  other 
horses,  of  course  there  was  great  interest  to  see  whether  I 
could  do  so  apparently  difficult  a  feat ;  and  almost  every 
week  or  two  an  especially  vicious  stallion  of  this  character 
would  be  reported  for  treatment,  but  he  invariably  proved  a 
good  subject. 

There  is  no  class  of  horses  that  submit  more  readily  to 
treatment  when  taken  in  time,  but  they  are  the  hardest  to  re- 
form when  the  treatment  is  not  right,  or  when,  by  the  in- 
efficiency of  the  owner  or  groom,  they  are  afterward  al- 
lowed successful  resistance.  On  this  account  I  have  thought 
it  advisable  to  give  special  instructions  for  the  management 
of  these  cases. 

Treatment  for  Headstrong  Stallions. 

If  a  colt  is  simply  unbroken  and  impulsive — perhaps 
nipping  a  little — he  can  be  easily  made  gentle  by  subject- 
ing him  lightly  to  the  Second  Method  and  following  with 
the  War  Bridle.  Sometimes  a  horse  of  this  character  is 
perfectly  manageable  until  led  near  other  horses,  when  he 
will  try  to  pull  away.  I  will  refer  to  two  or  three  such 
cases.  While  at  Pennington,  N.  J.,  a  horse  that  pulled  away 
so  badly  he  could  not  be  taken  into  the  streets  at  all  if 
other  horses  were  in  sight,  was  reported  for  treatment.  He 
was  subjected  lightly  to  the  Second  Method,  and  then 
brought  under  thorough  control  by  the  War  Bridle,  when 
he  was  led  home  as  manageable  as  any  horse. 

At  a  point  in  Northern  New  York,  a  five-year-old  horse 


AFTEE    TREATMENT. 


297 


298  STALLIONS. 

was  produced  that  proved  entirely  unmanageable  in  this  re- 
spect. As  a  test,  a  horse  was  brought  to  his  view  at  the 
opposite  end  of  the  barn,  when,  in  spite  of  the  united  efforts 
of  two  or  three  men,  he  rushed  toward  him,  and  to  guard 
against  accident,  the  horse  was  taken  away.  In  less  than 
five  minutes'  treatment  by  the  War  Bridle  he  was  made 
perfectly  gentle  while  in  the  presence  of  other  horses — 
even  to  being  called  away  from  them  by  word  of  command 
alone,  while  I  was  standing  from  six  to  ten  feet  away  from 
him. 

At  Litchfield  Corners,  Me.,  a  horse  of  the  same  age  was 
reported  to  be  utterly  unmanageable  when  brought  near 
other  horses ;  but  by  the  same  treatment  he  was  brought 
under  control  in  less  time  than  the  above  case.  At  another 
place  near  Portland,  Me.,  a  four-year-old  colt  that  had  be- 
come entirely  unmanageable  in  the  same  way,  and  was 
brought  to  the  place  of  experiment  only  by  blindfolding, 
was  made  completely  manageable  in  seven  or  eight  min- 
utes, and  led  home  by  the  owner  without  the  least  difficulty. 

Well-bred,  nervous-tempered  horses  of  this  character 
will  always  prove  easy  subjects  to  manage  ;  while  those  of 
a  sullen,  cold-blooded,  or  draft  order,  may  be  found  quite 
difficult,  and  require  very  careful  treatment.  It  is  seen 
that  for  these  simple  cases  a  short  lesson  with  the  most  se- 
vere form  of  the  War  Bridle  should  be  all  that  is  necessary. 
Stand  opposite  the  shoulder,  four  or  five  feet  away,  and 
give  a  sharp  pull,  repeating  slowly  until  he  will  come 
around  promptly.  This  lesson  must  be  made  sufficiently 
thorough  to  overcome  all  inclination  to  resist,  no  matter 
how  tried  or  excited.  Five  or  ten  minutes'  treatment, 
when  properly  done,  should  be  sufficient  to  break  up  the 
habit. 


VICIOUS    STALLIONS.  299 

Tkeatment  for  Very  Vicious  Stallions. 

Vicious  stallions  require  very  careful  management.  In 
determining  the  treatment,  a  great  deal  depends  upon  the 
temperament  of  the  horse,  and  how  greatly  his  resentment 
has  been  excited.  A  horse  that  seems  the  worst  is  not  al- 
ways the  hardest  to  break ;  in  fact,  if  he  has  never  been 
fooled  with  much,  he  may  be,  in  many  instances,  the  very 
easiest  to  manage  ;  and  when  once  subdued  by  the  methods 
of  subjection  given  here,  it  will  not  be  difficult  to  hold  the 
character  good  by  careful  after-treatment. 

If  a  stallion  of  moderately  good  disposition  be  partially 
broken  or  subdued,  and  that  for  a  number  of  times,  it  may 
be  very  difficult  to  afterward  make  him  reliably  gentle. 
Or  when  once  thoroughly  subdued,  if  he  is  whipped  or 
managed  in  such  a  way  as  to  again  excite  him  to  resist,  it  would 
require  the  most  thorough  course  of  treatment  to  produce 
the  same  degree  of  docility  as  before  ;  for  by  such  success- 
ful resistance  the  horse  is  taught  a  degree  of  cunning  and 
treachery  that  it  is  next  to  impossible  to  break  up.  On  this 
account  it  is  of  the  greatest  importance  that  the  treatment 
of  these  cases,  when  once  undertaken,  should  be  very  care- 
ful and  thorough. 

For  a  really  dangerous  horse  whose  head  cannot  be 
reached  with  safety,  the  best  course  is  to  subject  him  first 
to  the  Second  Method,  which  will  give  sufficient  foundation 
to  use  the  other  methods  with  more  success.  Subject  him 
next  to  the  First  Method,  throwing  rapidly  as  long  as  he 
will  get  up,  or  until  he  will  not  try  to  resist.  It  is  rarely 
this  will  not  make  the  horse,  in  a  general  way,  submissive ; 
but  as  it  is  necessary  to  make  the  impression  as  intense  as 
possible  upon  these  doubtful  cases,  this  treatment  should 


300  STALLIONS. 

be  followed  with  the  Third  Method,  and  in  some  en  pes  it 
may  be  advisable  to  repeat  again  with  the  Second,  after 
which  the  War  Bridle  should  be  used. 

.  It  is  almost  needless  to  remark  that  there  should  be  the 
most  careful  attention,  while  going  around  the  horse,  to  keep 
such  a  restraint  upon  him  as  will  prevent  his  biting.  A 
very  little  carelessness,  such  as  taking  the  eye  off  from 
his,  turning  the  back  to  him,  or  relaxing  restraint  upon  the 
head,  would  encourage  aggression,  and  practically  undo  all 
that  has  been  done.  It  is  easy  enough  to  subject  the  horse 
to  the  various  methods  of  subjection  given,  but  it  is  not  so 
easy  to  exercise  that  prudent  after-watchfulness  which  is 
an  indispensable  requisite  in  fixing  and  holding  the  impres- 
sion made.  In  going  into  the  stall,  the  trainer  should  give 
the  horse  an  apple  or  two,  or  something  he  likes,  to  win 
his  better  nature.  It  is  also  important  that  the  horse  be 
worked  or  driven  enough  to  keep  him  a  little  sore  or  tired. 

Above  any  other  class  of  horses,  stallions  seem  the  best 
able  to  determine  the  strength  of  character  of  a  man  from 
his  actions ;  and  in  approaching  them  in  the  stall  it  is  al- 
most fatal  to  success  to  show  any  timidity,  or  weakness  in 
voice  or  manner ;  whatever  the  feeling  of  doubt,  nothing 
but  the  most  perfect  confidence  and  firmness  must  be  shown. 
Fencers  always  look  each  other  in  the  eye  to  see  an  in- 
dication of  the  intended  movement,  and  to  be  ready  to  ward 
off  the  attack.  In  the  same  manner  are  the  intentions  and 
movements  of  the  horse  in  a  great  measure  revealed.  In 
approaching  a  vicious  horse  in  a  stall,  a  fixed,  determined 
expression  of  the  eye  and  manner  will  sometimes  so  dis- 
concert him  that  he  will  stand  undecided  what  to  do  until 
appraached  and  made  helpless.  The  usual  course  to  pur- 
sue is  about  as  follows  :  When  within  reach  of  the  horse, 


APPEOACHING  A   STALLION. 


301 


look  him  firmly  in  the  eye,  and  say,  "  Get  around  ! "  or  any 
other  word  of  command,  in  a  way  to  make  him  feel  your 
power.  If  his  eye  quails,  approach  ;  if  not,  stand  still.  It 
may  be  a  duel  of  a  few  minutes  to  determine  which  will 
give  up.  Should  he  yield,  approach  softly,  midway  be- 
tween his  head  and  quarters,  so  as  to  keep  him,  as  it  were. 


Fig.  213. — Method  of  placing  the  hand,  and  bringing  it  quickly  to  the 
head,  in  approaching  a  vicious  stallion. 

undecided  and  unbalanced.  If  standing  too  near  his  quar- 
ters, he  is  liable  to  kick ;  if  too  near  his  head,  to  strike  or 
bite.  The  point  is  to  keep  him  undecided  until  the  shoul- 
der is  reached,  then  pass  the  hand  quickly  up  the  neck  to 
the  ear,  thence  down,  grasping  the  nose-piece  of  the  hal- 
ter. He  is  at  such  a  disadvantage  now  that  unless  very 
violent  he  cannot  do  harm.  Should  he,  however,  attempt  to 
strike  or  bite,  grab  the  mane  at  the  shoulder  with  the  other 


302  STALLIONS. 

hand,  and  so  keep  the  head  turned  straight  from  you.  But 
should  he  prove  too  much,  the  only  alternative  is  to  get  out 
of  the  way.  Presuming,  however,  that  he  is  under  good  con- 
trol, the  point  now  is  to  disable  him.  Have  ready  a  cord, 
throw  the  doubled  part  over  the  neck  and  pass  over  the  lower 
jaw ;  bring  the  other  part  down  through  the  loop  tight,  and 
tie  into  a  single  hitch.  Now  put  on  another  cord,  and  if  nec- 
essary tie  up  one  leg  to  prevent  kicking,  get  him  out  of 
the  stall  and  subject  him  to  treatment,  modifying  it  accord- 
ing to  the  case. 

Should  the  horse  show  a  cool,  daring  expression  of  eye, 
with  ears  thrown  back,  and  standing  sullenly,  and  seem- 
ingly indifferent,  no  chances  should  be  taken.  Such  a  horse 
will  wait  until  within  reach,  when  he  will  kick,  strike,  or 
bite,  so  quickly  that  no  firmness  or  quickness  of  action 
would  save  a  man.  In  such  a  case,  resort  to  any  means 
most  convenient  and  safe  that  will  give  sufficient  control  to 
enable  subjecting  him  to  the  regular  treatment.  If  no  hal- 
ter or  bridle  is  on,  the  following  course  may  be  adopted : 
Put  on  a  halter  as  described  in  Colt  Training,  tie  up  the 
head,  put  on  a  bridle,  or  one  or  two  War  Bridles,  get  him 
out  on  a  sodded  place,  and  subject  him  to  treatment.  Of 
course  if  the  stall  or  room  is  large  enough,  he  can  be  sub- 
jected to  treatment  there. 

The  point  of  making  the  horse  sufficiently  gentle  to  be 
handled  and  used  while  free  from  rigging  or  restraint  of 
any  kind,  must  be  thoroughly  established  as  a  foundation 
upon  which  this  afterrtreatment  must  be  based.  Unless 
this  can  be  done,  the  horse  cannot  practically  be  made  safe. 
In  my  experience  with  these  cases  I  make  the  lesson,  if  I 
can,  a  quick,  overpowering  rush  of  force,  which  breaks  up 
aH  resistance,  and  makes  him  submit  before  he  warms  up, 


A    BAD    CASE.  303 

being  careful  not  to  strain,  bruise,  or  over  heat  the  horse. 
But  should  he  warm  up,  and  fight  with  such  energy  that  I 
cannot  force  his  unconditional  submission,  I  aim  to  carrj 
the  treatment  simply  far  enough  to  make  him  sore.  This 
is  sometimes  difficult  to  do,  as  these  horses,  especially  the 
cold-blooded  cases,  may  be  so  sullen  in  their  resistance  they 
cannot  be  made  sufficiently  sore  to  do  any  good.  At  any 
rate,  the  lesson  must  be  repeated  to  the  point  of  producing 
unconditional  submission,  or  there  cannot  be  any  hope  of 
success.  The  horse  should  be  tested  the  day  after  treat- 
ment, when  the  effects  can  be  best  discerned.  If  the  least 
vestige  of  resistance  be  found  in  him,  it  must  be  imme- 
diately overcome  by  more  or  less  repetition  of  treatment. 

The  Avorst  horse  of  this  character  I  ever  found  was  a 
blind,  gray  stallion  in  Pittsburg,  Pa.  This  horse  was  a 
strong-muscled,  heavy-boned  fellow,  with  a  remarkably  fine 
head,and  was  a  perfect  model  in  points  of  strength  and  endur- 
ance. Ordinarily,  he  showed  every  indication  of  being  nat- 
urally gentle,  but  by  bad  training  had  become  vicious,  and 
when  roused  or  excited  was  a  perfect  bull-dog.  Though 
compelled  to  handle  him  at  a  great  disadvantage  in  a  barn, 
I  succeeded,  after  much  efibrt,  in  making  him  sufficiently 
gentle  to  handle  for  the  time,  which  was  in  reality  a  great 
feat. 

Sometimes  stallions,  especially  of  this  character,  are 
liable  to  develop  very  peculiar  whims  in  the  way  of  affection 
or  hatred.  I  have  frequently  found  horses  that  would  be 
perfectly  gentle  toward  certain  persons,^  but  entirely  un- 
manageable toward  others.  I  will  giA^e  here  one  very 
marked  case,  formerly  owned  by  me.  A*  ten-year-old  Gif- 
ford-Morgan  stallion,  owned  in  Bath,  Steuben  Co.,  N.  Y., 
was  of  a  fine,  intelligent,  docile  disposition  naturally,  but 


S04 


STALLIONS. 


EFFECT    OF    TEEATMENT. 


305 


when  excited  he  showed  an  under-current  of  great  will  and 
courage.  He  was  raised  in  Gowanda,  N.  Y.  I  bought  him 
for  the  purpose  of  training  him  to  drive  without  reins,  and 
succeeded  in  making  him  drive  very  nicely,  holding  him 
gentle.  For  a  stallion,  he  was  singularly  free  from  all  in- 
clination to  bite,  and  other  habits  of  viciousness.  Later,  I 
sold  this  horse,  with  another,  for  breeding  purposes,  to  Fred 
Arnd,  a  hotel  keeper  in  Bath,  N.  Y.     Mr.  Arnd  (who  was 


Fig.  215. — The  Fred  Arnd  Horse  as  seen  by  the  writer  four  years 
after  being  subdued. 

somewhat  intemperate  in  his  habits)  one  day  perceiving 
the  horse  acted  as  though  about  to  bite,  whipped  him  se- 
verely. Happening  in  the  stable  at  the  time,  I  found  Arnd 
in  the  horse's  stall,  and  greatly  excited  from  the  exertion  of 
kicking  and  whipping.  I  told  him  emphatically  that  he 
must  not  whip  and  abuse  the  horse  in  that  way.  If  he  did, 
he  would  surely  in  a  short  time  make  him  so  vicious  he 
could  do  nothing  with  him.  I  advised  him  at  once  to  give 
the  horse  some  apples,  and  handle  and  caress  him  until  over 
the  excitement.    But  he  disregarded  the  advice,  and  about  a 

20 


30G  STALLIONS. 

week  afterward  I  again  heard  a  row  in  this  stalL  Proceed- 
ing to  the  i^lace,.  I  found  Arnd  with  hat  off  and  face  red 
with  possion,  in  the  act  of  whipping  and  kicking  the  horse. 
I  again  told  him  in  the  most  positive  terms  that  he  could 
not  whip  and  abuse  the  horse  in  that  manner  without  spoil- 
ing him,  and  that  he  must  on  no  condition  repeat  it.  As 
before,  I  urged  him  to  treat  the  horse  kindly,  give  apples, 
etc. ;  but,  as  before,  my  advice  was  disregarded,  and  as  the 
result,  in  less  than  a  week  afterward  he  came  to  me  and 
said,  "  That  horse  is  so  vicious  no  one  can  go  near  him.  I 
am  afraid  he  is  completely  spoiled.  If  you  can  and  will 
break  him  for  me,  I  will  do  anything  you  require." 

I  found  the  horse  perfectly  furious,  with  eyes  like  balls  of 
fire,  and  ready  to  jump  at  any  one  who  might  approach. 
He  did  not  seem  to  have  the  least  recollection  of  me,  and 
it  was  with  the  greatest  difficulty  I  was  able  to  get  him  out 
of  the  stall,  and  across  the  street  into  my  tent.  I  sub- 
jected him  first  to  Second  Method,  following  with  First, 
which  he  resisted  furiously.  I  threw  him  fully  a  dozen 
times  before  he  gave  up  the  contest,  when  he  quieted  down, 
and  seemed  to  fully  recognize  me.  I  talked  to  him  and 
caressed  him  now  for  some  time,  walking  around  with  him, 
when  he  would  follow  me  around  perfectly  gentle.  I  now 
directed  him  to  be  placed  in  the  care  of  a  quiet,  careful 
man,  and  instructed  him  to  make  it  his  business  to  visit  the 
horse  frequently  in  his  stall,  give  an  apple  or  two  each 
time,  caress  and  talk  to  him,  and  on  no  account  to  allow 
Arnd  to  go  near  or  in  his  sight  until  I  advised  it.  The 
treatment  was  continued  two  weeks,  the  horse  acting  just 
as  gentle  as  before.  Now  while  standing  at  his  head  I  di- 
rected Arnd  to  come  inside  the  door  of  his  stall.  The 
horse  knew  him  instantly  and  became  greatly  excited,  but 


EFFECT    OF    TEKATMENT.  307 

I  managed,  however,  to  keep  him  quiet  while  Arnd  was 
near  him. 

I  soon  afterward  left  the  place,  but  at  the  expiration  of 
about  four  years  I  again  visited  that  part  of  the  State  pro- 
fessionally. At  Merchants ville,  in  the  same  county,  I  was 
surprised  to  find  this  horse.  I  was  informed  that  at  the 
moment  Arnd  would  come  near,  the  horse  would  become 
furiously  excited  and  seem  ready  to  jump  at  him,  but  was 
perfectly  gentle  toward  others.  Convinced  that  he  could 
not  manage  him,  he  sold  him  to  his  present  owner,  a  resi- 
dent of  Merchantsville,  who  used  him  for  breeding  purposes 
and  for  a  family  driver. 

The  man  told  me  his  wife  could  hitch  up  the  horse  and 
drive  him  as  well  as  any  old  family  horse,  and  he  could 
take  him  out  in  the  street  by  the  halter  and  play  with  him 
with  all  the  freedom  he  could  with  any  pet  horse.  "  But," 
added  he,  "  were  he  to  see  a  bald-headed  man,  it  would 
make  him  so  furious  he  would  kill  him  if  he  could  get  at 
him."  Mr.  Arnd  was  bald  headed,  and  the  horse  retained 
his  peculiar  repugnance  to  such  an  appearance.  I  took  him 
into  the  streets  by  the  halter,  and  found  he  was  just  as 
obedient  to  the  whip  as  when  I  owned  him,  over  four  years 
before. 

In  training  this  horse  to  drive  without  reins,  I  was  com- 
pelled a  great  many  times  to  punish  him  with  the  whip 
very  severely,  possibly  as  hard  if  not  harder  than  Arnd 
did,  but  I  was  always  careful  never  to  leave  him  smarting 
from  the  effects  of  such  punishment.  I  at  once  gave  him 
apples,  etc.,  until  cool  and  quiet.  It  is  impossible  to  teach 
a  horse  to  drive  without  reins,  without  at  times  whipping 
quite  severely.  This  must  be  done  to  force  obedience  to 
the  whip,  or  the  horse  cannot  be  relied  upon. 


308 


STALLIONS. 


GoDOLPiiiN  Arabian. 

In  concluding  this  chaj^ter,  I  will  give  the  romantic 
story  of  the  famous  "  Godolphin  Arabian,"  the  most  noted 
sire  of 'the  English  thoroughbreds,  copied  from  a  story  by 
Eugene  Sue,  published  in  Wallaces  Monthhj^  170  Fulton 
St.,  N.  Y.  The  editor  of  this  journal,  who  is  A^ery  careful 
authority,  states  in  conclusion  as  follows  : — 

"  As  a  matter  of  course  we  must  not  expect  historical 


Fig.  216.— Godolphin  Arabian.     From  Stubb's  picture. 

accuracy  in  a  romance,  but  there  are  not  many  things  in 
this  that  practically  need  correction." 

I  include  a  portrait  of  this  famous  horse,  taken  from 
Stubb's  picture. 

"  The  story  opens  with  an  English  philanthropic  Quaker,  who, 
while  on  a  visit  to  Paris,  in  1732,  received  letters  from  home,  an- 
nouncing that  his  only  daughter  had  gratified  his  fondest  hopes 
by  making  him  a  grandfather,  and,  according  to  the  custom  of 
his  sect,  he  resolved  on  evincmg  his  gratitude  to  the  Giver  of  all 
good  for  the  fortuitous  event  by  performing  some  charitable  ac- 
tion.    In  his  progress  on  this  work  of  mercy — it  was  a  dreadful 


GODOLPHIN    AEABIAN. 


809 


cold  night  in  the  latter  part  of  January — he  saw  a  great  crowd 
at  the  foot  of  the  Pont  Neuf,  and  a  horse,  in  a  heavy  cart,  loaded 
with  wood,  attempting  in  vain  to  draw  his  burden  up  the  ascent, 
while  the   carter  was  urging  him  on  with  brutal  severity.     All 
the  efforts  of  the  animal  to  move  forward  were  ineffectual,  and, 
driven  to  desperation  by  the  lashings  of  his  hard  taskmaster,  he 
plunged  with  so  much  violence,  the  ground  being  extremely  slip- 
pery, that  he  fell  on  his  knees,  and  was  unable  to  rise.     The  carter 
renewed  his  blows,  and  with  horrid  imprecations  seized  the  bit  of 
his  bridle,  attempting  to  force  him  up,  but  with  such  violence  that 
the  mouth  of  the  poor  animal  was  filled  with  blood.     With  violent 
efforts,  he  at  last  got  on  his  legs,  but  only  to  fall  again,  when, 
turning   on    his   side,    he   lay 
trembling,  covered  with  sweat, 
and  his  eye  reproachfully  fixed 
on  his  inhuman  tyrant,  who, 
unmoved  by  his  piteous  groans, 
kicked  him  repeatedly  on  his 
streaming  nostrils,    till    every 
one  cried    '  Shame ! '    but    all 
were  too  much  afraid  of   his 
known    brutality    to    further 
interfere.     Their    horror    was 
increased  when  the  fellow,  go- 
ing to  the  tail  of  his  cart,  took 
out  a  handful  of   straw,  and 
twisting  it  into  the  form  of  a 
torch,  and  lighting  it,  was  in 
the  act  of  applying  the  brand 
to  the  poor  animal's  foot,  when  the  compassionate  Friend  inter- 
fered, arrested  his  arm,  and  exhibited  fifteen  louis-d'ors  spread  on 
the  palm  of  his  hand,  offering  the  whole  as  the  price  of  his  pur- 
chase.    Although  he  had  treated  the  execrations  of  the  multitude 
with  contempt,  the  '  timber-merchant '  was  not  proof  against  the 
glittering  coin,  and  crushed  the  torch  under  his  foot.     The  pur- 
chase was  agreed  upon,  the  horse  disengaged,  and  the  parties  pro- 
ceeded to  the  driver's  stable,  to  complete  the  contract. 

"The  carter,  mollified  by  receiving  the  money,  so  far  beyond 
his  estiination  of  the  value  of  the  animal,  said  he  ought,  injustice, 
to  tell  the  purchaser  that  the  horse  was  the  most  malignant  and 
ungovernable  brute  he  had  ever  met  with,  and  so  dangerous  to 
approach  that  he  was  obliged  to  put  his  corn  into  his  manger  be- 
fore he  had  entered  the  stable;  that,  from  his  vicious  habits,  he 
had  bought  him  fot  a  mere  trifle,  having  given  only  twenty  crowns 
for  him;  that  '  the  beggar,'  when  in  the  humor,  would  draw  well, 
but  when  he  had  a  heavier  load  than  usual,  would  play  him  the 


Fig.  217. — Godolphin  Arabian.     From 
Stubb's  picture.     By  J.  C.  Beard. 


310  STALLIONS. 

same  trick  he  Imd  done  that  day,  and  nothing  but  extreme  sever- 
ity would  induce  him  to  do  his  work.  He  was  also  so  cunning  as 
to  utter  groans  on  the  slightest  punishment,  and  then  he  would 
put  on  the  appearance  of  submission  till  he  was  released  from  the 
vehicle,  when  he  would  kick  and  run  at  him  with  open  mouth, 
in  the  most  savage  manner.  The  only  way  he  could  subdue  him 
was  to  keep  him  constantly  in  the  shafts,  so  that  he  could  not  lie 
down,  either  by  night  or  by  day ;  and  he  placed  both  horse  and 
cart  under  a  shed,  for  protection  from  the  weather,  the  only  sleep 
he  got  being  as  he  stood.  Once  a  week  (on  Sunday)  he  permitted 
the  Moor  to  release  him,  and  then  the  three,  Agba,  Scham  (for  such 
was  his  Moorish  appellation),  and  the  cat,  seemed  in  a  state  of 
ecstasy. 

"  The  carter  goes  on  to  state  that  an  uncommon  attachment 
subsisted  between  the  three ;  that  the  Moor  doated  on  the  horse, 
having  accompanied  him  to  Paris  from  Barbary,  and  that  the  cat 
woidd  jump  on  his  back,  purring  continually,  the  horse  whinny- 
ing in  evident  gratification  at  his  presence.  He  then  proceeds  to 
say  that  ho  had  purchased  the  animal  from  one  of  the  royal  cooks; 
and,  on  the  Quaker  expressing  his  astonisRment  that  an  animal  so 
meager  should  ever  have  belonged  to  the  king,  the  wood-man  pro- 
ceeded to  state  how  he  came  into  his  possession. 

"Scham  was  employed  in  the  most  menial  capacity,  drawing 
a  covered  wagon  from  the  Paris  cuisine  to  that  of  Versailles,  but 
was  so  vicious,  and  so  savage  with  other  horses,  especially  if  any 
mares  were  in  sight,  that  they  could  do  nothing  with  him,  and  the 
comptroller  ordered  him  to  be  sold.  No  one,  however,  would  pur- 
chase him,  not  only  from  his  known  character,  but  because  he  con- 
sumed more  food  than  he  was  worth;  and  he  was  at  length  given 
to  one  of  the  cooks,  to  get  rid  of  him,  on  condition  that  he  would 
find -him  sustenance.  It  appears,  however,  that  his  new  master 
kept  him  on  short  commons;  for  he  actually  attempted  to  make  a 
meal  of  the  cook,  having  seized  him  with  his  teeth,  and  bitten  a 
large  piece  of  flesh  through  his  clothes.  This  was  enough  for  the 
cuisinier,  who  determined  to  get  rid  of  the  vicious  brute.  He  ac- 
cordingly sent  for  the  wood-merchant,  and  offered  to  sell  him  the 
horse  for  thirty  crowns,  but  eventually  parted  with  him  for 
twenty. 

"M.  Sue  then  proceeds:  The  driver  spoke  truly;  the  horse  so 
lately  put  to  the  drudgery  of  the  wood-merchant's  heavy  cart,  was 
one  of  eight  Barbary  steeds,  which  the  Bey  of  Tunis  had  sent  as  a 
present  to  Louis  XV.,  in  17*31,  in  consequence  of  having  concluded 
a  treaty  of  commerce,  which  was  efltected  in  his  majesty's  name, 
by  M.   the  Viscount  do  Manly,  a  commander  in  the  king's  navy. 

"  On  the  arrival  of  these  animals  in  Paris,  thev,  for  a  short 
time,  attracted  the  attention,  or  rather  the  curiosity,  of  the  king 


GODOLPHIN    AEABIAN.  811 

and  his  court;  but,  from  their  wild  appearance,  their  restless  and 
haughty  deportment,  their  lean  and  angular  forms,  rendered  more 
so  by  the  fatigue  of  the  voyage,  they  were  received  into  the  royal 
stables  with  perfect  indifference,  and,  subsequently,  with  contempt. 
M.  Sue  accounts  for  this  from  the  prevailing  fancy  of  his  majesty 
for  the  great  Norman  horses,  both  for  war  and  the  chase,  and 
more  especially  for  those  bred  in  Sutfolk — short  in  the  loins,  well 
knit  together,  going  close  to  the  ground,  and  termed  thickset.  As 
the  king's  name  is  a  tower  of  strength  in  v/ar,  so  in  fashion  his 
taste  is  paramount,  and  these  Barbary  horses  excited  the  greatest 
raillery  and  scorn— their  deep  chests,  their  small  mouths,  their 
beautiful,  nervous,  and  bony  forms,  so  typical  of  the  character  of 
this  famous  race,  and  religiously  preserved  pure  in  the  East,  were 
all  lost* on  king,  courtiers,  equerries,  and  grooms. 

"  Of  the  eight  Tunisian  slaves  sent  from  Africa  by  the  Bey, 
Agba  alone  remained,  the  other  seven  having  returned  to  their  na- 
tive country.  The  poor  mute  was  so  attached  to  Scham  that  even 
the  natural  affection  for  home  was  disregarded,  and,  though  ex- 
cluded from  the  royal  stables,  he  hovered  about  their  precincts  for 
the  purpose  of  seeing  his  favorite  whenever  he  was  suffered  to  pass 
the  door,  living  on  the  charity  of  those  who  pitied  his  unhappy 
condition.  Since  he  had  become  the  property  of  the  wood- carrier, 
the  Moor  had  taken  up  his  quarters  in  the  shed  for  the  sole  pur- 
pose of  enjoying  the  society  of  the 'Barb,  and  obtained  his  food  by 
begging,  for  he  (the  carter)  refused  to  encourage  him,  believing 
that  his  witchcraft  rendered  the  horse  so  vicious.  He  suffered  him 
to  remain  in  the  shed,  as  he  was  much  amused  to  see  the  evident 
affection  subsisting  between  the  mute,  the  horse,  and  the  cat.  On 
his  return  home,  Agba  and  Grimalkin  were  always  in  waiting, 
the  former  squatting  down  disconsolately,  with  the  cat  curled  up 
by  his  side.  On  permitting  him  to  giv^e  the  horse  his  food,  the 
Moor  would  rise  up  in  ecstasy,  embrace  the  animal,  take  his  head 
between  his  hands,  jump  on  his  back,  then  dismount,  and  creep 
under  him;  by  all  of  which  endearments  the  horse  seemed  as  grat- 
ified as  himself.  He  would  whinny,  and  appear  to  talk  to  him,  as 
if  rejoiced  to  see  him.  On  the  other  hand,  if  the  Moor  was  not  in 
the  shed,  he  became  furious,  stamped  with  his  feet,  laid  back  his 
ears,  and  attempted  to  attack  the  carter.  On  one  occasion  the 
Moor  was  not  in  the  shed,  but  returned  when  he  was  chastising 
the  horse,  and  was  so  exasperated  that  he  seemed  inclined  to  at- 
tack him,  bu^  he  showed  him  his  shoulder-of -mutton  fist,  and  the 
demonstration  was  sufficient. 

"  When  the  Quaker,  who  had  been  struck  with  their  mutual 
attachment,  told  the  Moor  that  he  had  purchased  the  horse,  and 
that  both  should  acconijiany  him  to  England,  the  poor  fellow 
showed  the  most  extravagant  joy,  threw  himself  on  his  knees  at 


312  STALLIONS. 

the  feet  of  the  Englishman,  and  placed  his  foot  on  his  head,  in  to- 
ken of  submission,  and  showing  that  he  would  be  his  slave  for  life. 
He  removed  the  cumbrous  harness  with  which  Scham  was  capari- 
soned, in  a  sort  of  frenzy,  believing  that  the  malign  influ-ence  had 
departed  from  his  companion.  The  hard- stuffed  collar  covered 
with  blue  sheepskin,  the  I'usty  hames,  the  ponderous  wooden  sad- 
dle, and  the  thick  bridle,  were  all  dashed  to  the  ground  in  the 
greatest  indignation ,  then,  drawing  from  one  of  the  pockets  of  his 
cloak  a  horse-hair  glove,  he  began  to  rub  down  Scham,  after  the 
manner  of  the  Moors  of  Tunis  (who  never  use  a  currycomb),  the 
friction  of  which  soon  renders  glossy  the  handsome  and  fine  skin 
of  the  horses  of  the  pure  race.  Scham,  thus  unharnessed,  could 
be  better  examined  by  the  Quaker.  He  was  a  brown  bay,  about 
fifteen  hands  high,  with  a  white  spot  on  the  off  hind  leg.  He  was 
terribly  thin ;  his  sharp  bones  seemed  to  pierce  through  his  skin, 
naturally  so  fine  and  delicate  that  he  was  covered  with  wounds 
by  the  friction  of  tb.c  heavy  collar  and  shafts  of  the  cart.  The 
dust  and  dii't  which  covered  the  poor  animal  rendered  his  coat, 
formerly  so  bright  and  smooth,  quite  dull  and  rough,  and  his  mane 
was  matted  with  filth.  Notwithstanding  his  distressing  and  mis- 
erable appearance,  a  judge  of  horse-flesh  would  still  have  admired 
his  bony  form ;  and  on  seeing  his  deep  chest, — sure  indication  of 
capacity  and  strength  of  lungs, — it  was  evident  that  Scham  could 
perform,  without  the  slightest  difficulty,  a  lengthened  course. 
Judging  also  from  the  construction  and  strength  of  his  well-pro- 
portioned limbs,  his  speed  must  be  prodigious;  and  his  large  hams, 
flat  and  so  singularly  tajx'iing  ofl",  seemed  steel  springs  to  his  iron 
frame.  These,  added  to  his  uncommon  beauty,  and  his  graceful 
tail,  flowing  like  a  plume  of  silk,  pi'oved  him  to  be  an  illustrious 
descendant  from  the  purest  caste. 

"The  Quaker  shortly  after  returned  home,  accompanied  by 
his  purchase,  his  mute  attendant,  and  the  faithful  cat. 

"Arrived  in  Englan<l,  Scham  is  located  at  Bury  Hall,  the  res- 
idence of  the  Quaker,  situated  about  fifteen  miles  from  London, 
on  the  banks  of  the  Thames ;  and  in  a  short  time,  through  the 
care  of  Agba,  and  plenty  of  nutritious  food,  he  recovered  his  pris- 
tine form,  so  that  no  one  could  have  believed  him  to  be  the 
miserable  object  so  cruelly  treated  at  the  foot  of  the  Pont  Neuf. 
Agba  was  feared  and  despised  by  the  other  domestics,  for*  they  had 
not  the  Quaker's  tolerance  ;  but  they  respected  him  for  his  attach- 
ment to  the  horse  and  devotion  to  his  master. 

"A  cloud,  however,  soon  lowered  on  the  destiny  of  Scham: 
his  vicious  dispo.sition  Ijcgan  to  show  itself,  and  he  would  suffer  no 
one  to  ride  him  but  Agba.  He  had  defeated  all  the  attempts  of 
one  Tom  Stag,  a  rough-rider,  to  reduce  him  to  obedience,  and  had 
put  him  on  one  occasion  in  peril  of  his  life,  by  almost  crushing  his 


GODOLPHIN    AEABIAN.  313 

leg  against  a  wall.  He  had  also  thrown  his  mastei-'s  son-in-law, 
Dr.  Harrison,  and  this  was  deemed  the  climax  of  ingratitude  by 
the  benevolent  Quaker,  who,  in  consequence,  determined  to  part 
with  him. 

"  Scham  was  then  sold  to  one  Rogers,  landlord  of  the  Royal 
Lion,  a  large  inn  near  Charing  Cross,  to  whose  stables  he  was 
forthwith  transferred;  the  Quaker  making  Agba  the  offer  of  re- 
maining in  his  service,  or  receiving  a  sum  of  money.  The  mute, 
determined  not  to  lose  sight  of  his  companion,  accepted  the  latter, 
and,  accompanied  by  the  cat,  followed  Scham  to  London,  and  took 
an  obscui'e  lodging  as  near  the  inn  as  possible ;  for  Rogers,  having 
the  same  impression  as  the  Paris  carter,  that  the  deviltric-s  of  the 
horse  were  owing  to  the  malignant  influence  of  the  Moor,  had  re- 
jected all  further  intercourse.  Every  attempt  to  enter  the  stable 
was  indignantly  resented,  not  only  by  Rogers,  but  by  the  subor- 
dinates iu  his  employ,  and  Agba  bud  the  satisfaction  of  seeing  two 
brought  out  on  shutters,   and  carried  to  the  hospital,  from  the 

wounds  received  from  the  'born  devil,'  the  appellation  Scham  had 
obtained  from  his  new  master.  Agba,  refused  all  admission  to 
the  stables,  was  almost  in  despair  from  being  unable  to  obtain  a 
sight  of  his  favorite;  and,  determined  at  all  hazards  to  accomplish 
his  purpose,  he  scaled  the  walls  which  environed  the  stables,  and 
being  caught  by  Rogers,  was  committed  to  Newgate  on  a  charge 
of  attempted  l;)urglary.  Here,  unable  to  express  his  innocence,  he 
sunk  into  despair,  although  his  mild  demeanor  had  excited  the  pity 
of  his  jailers.  The  Quaker's  housekeeper,  being  called  to  the 
prison  by  a  relative  who  had  come  under  the  ban  of  the  law,  and 
learning  the  cause  of  the  poor  Moor's  incarceration,  proclaimed  her 
conviction  of  his  innocence,  and  gave  so  much  of  the  history  of 
Scham,  and  Agba  and  his  cat,  as  to  produce  the  greatest  commis- 
eration for  the  unfortunate  mute. 

"  His  case  coming  to  the  ears  of  the  young  Lord  Godolphin, 
who  was  struck  with  the  attachment  of  the  horse  and  rider,  he  in- 
terested himself  in  his  behalf,  had  an  interview  with  the  Quaker, 
learned  his  history,  purchased  the  horse  from  Rogers,  who  with- 
drew his  prosecution,  and  poor  Agba  and  Scham  were  sent  ofl'  to 
Gogmagog  Hall,  there  to  be  treated  with  the  same  indifference  and 
contempt  that  Scham  had  experienced  in  the  royal  stables  of 
Louis  XV. 

"  Hobgoblin  was  then  the  lord  of  the  ascendant  in  the  se- 
raglio of  Gogmagog ;  and  so  cruelly,  in  A.gba's  opinion,  was  Scham 
neglected,  that  he  often  wished  the  Barb  enclosed  within  the  den 
of  Rogers,  where  death  might  have  relieved  him  from  his  misery. 
The  progeny  of  Hobgoblin  had  been  hitherto  successful  above  all 
their  competitors;  and  Lord  Godolphin  having  purchased  Roxana, 
by  Flying  Childers,  out  of  Monica,  for  600  guineas — a  great  price 


314  STALLIONS. 

at  that  period — he  resolved  to  form  a  new  dynasty  in  the  futm-e 
o't'iieration  of  lioxana  and  Hobuoblin. 

"  M.  Sue  then  gives  the  liaisons  of  Roxana  and  Scham ;  how 
Roxana  refused  tlie  caresses  of  Hobgoblin,  and,  when  she 
neighed  indignantly  at  the  approach  of  the  Lord  of  the  Harem, 
she  was  answered  by  one  so  loud  and^  shrill  that  the  hills  re-echoed 
the  sound ;  that  Roxana,  recognizing  the  impassioned  cry,  expressed 
the  most  lively  astonishment  and  delight,  and  at  the  moment 
Hobgoblin  was  brought  into  the  paddock,  Agba  opened  the  door 
of  the  stable,  and  Scham  rushed  in  frantic  energy  upon  his  rival. 
A  tremendous  battle  ensued.  Hobgoblin  being  eventually  driven 
from  the  field,  and  Scham  triumphed  both  in  love  and  victory. 

"  Lord  Godolphin,  exasperated  at  the  defeat  of  his  project,  im- 
mediately ordered  the  culprit  off  to  a  stud-farm  at  a  distance  of 
sixty  miles,  where  he  was  turned  out  to  seek  his  food  on  an  almost 
barren  common. 

"  Two  years  had  elapsed,  when  Agba  was  aroused  from  the 
most  painful  reflections  by  approaching  sounds,  and  was  no  less 
surprised  than  gratified  by  a  courier  announcing  his  lord's  com- 
mands to  return  to  Gogmagog;  and  in  less  than  one  hour,  Agba, 
Scham,  and  the  cat  were  on  their  way  to  the  Hall. 

"  The  cause  of  this  recall  is  explained  in  a  few  words.  Lath, 
the  produce  of  Scham  and  Roxana,  showing  some  line  racing 
points,  the  prejudices  of  Lord  Godolphin  and  his  stud-groom  began 
to  subside.  With  a  force  and  vigor  beyond  his  years,  he  excelled 
all  his  rivals  in  their  exercises;  and  the  progeny  of  the  Darley 
Arabian,  brought  from  Aleppo  in  1717,  having  proved  successful 
in  all  their  contests  with  the  indigenous  breed,  people  began  to 
wonder  that  they  had  so  long  neglected  the  source  of  so  much 
beauty,  and  purity  of  blood.  In  addition.  Lath  had  beaten  all  the 
descendants  from  the  hitherto  renowned  Hobgoblin. 

"The  author  then  jumps  over  four  years,  and,  in  1738,  three 
sons  of  Scham,  which  had  beaten  everything  opposed  to  them, 
were  engaged  in  influential  stakes  at  Newmarket — Lath  in  one 
for  five-,  Cade  in  one  for  four-,  and  Regulus  in  one  for  three-year- 
olds.  Lord  Godolphin,  partaking  of  the  now  generally  prevailing 
opinion  in  favor  of  the  Arabian  blood,  which  in  every  instance  had 
defeated  all  competitors,  felt  so  confident  that  the  three  descendants 
of  Scham  would  carry  off  the  respective  stakes,  that  he  resolved 
that  the  sire  should  partake  of  the  triumph  of  his  sons;  and  the 
formerly  despised  Barb  was  led  on  the  heath,  arrayed  in  purple, 
and  mounted  by  Agba  in  magnificent  Oriental  costume,  two 
grooms  on  each  side  (for  safety)  holding  him  by  silken  cords  at- 
tached to  his  golden  bridle.  On  his  appearance,  the  air  resounded 
with  acclamations.  The  predictions  of  Lord  Godolphin  were 
realized;  and  each  of  his  horses  having  won  the  prizes  for  which 


GODOLPHIN    ARABIAN.  315 

it  had  contended,  the  spectators  appeared  in  a  state  of  ecstasy,  and 
cheered  with  renewed  applause,  which  Scham  received  with  dig- 
nitied  composure,  as  if  conscious  of  his  claims  to  distinction.  As 
to  Agba,  he  was  in  a  state  of  absolute  hallucination — the  malign 
star  had  disappeared,  and  the  glory  of  his  horse  was  established. 
They  returned  to  Gogmagog  in  triumph ;  and  to  prove  his  admi- 
ration of  the  wondrous  powers  of  the  Barb,  Hobgoblin's  splendid 
stable  was  appropriated  to  Scham,  and  the  words,  GoDOLPHiN 
Arabian,  which  the  noble  lord  had  given  to  Scham,  were  engraved 
in  letters  of  gold  on  its  marble  pediment. 

"  This  celebrated  horse  died  at  Gogmao-oe:,  in  1753,  agfed  twen- 
ty-nine.  Grimalkin  had  preceded  him  to  the  tomb,  and  Agba  did 
not  long  survive." 

Mr.  Wallace  here  remarks  :  "  And  thus  ends  Mr.  Eugene 

Sue's  biography  of  Godolphin  Arabian,"  adding,  as  stated 

at  the  commencement,  that  as  a  matter  of  course  we  must 

not  expect  historical  accuracy  in  a  romance ;  but  there  Sire 

not  many  things  in  this   that  practically  need  correction. 

He  also  adds  the  following  statement  :  — 

"  The  origin  of  the  horse  is  really  unknown,  and  all  that  can 
be  said  on  this  subject  is  mere  conjecture.  It  is  a  remarkable  fact 
that  this  horse  attained  the  very  highest  pinnacle  of  fame  twenty 
years  after  his  arrival  in  England,  and  yet  there  was  no  one,  even 
in  that  brief  space  of  time,  who  went  to  the  labor  and  ti-ouble  of 
tracing  and  determining  his  true  history.  The  same  old  story  is  re- 
hashed over  and  over  again,  that  Mr.  Coke  brought  him  from 
France,  but  nobody  has  sought  to  know  from  whom  or  how  he 
came  into  Mr.  Coke's  possession.  He  w^as  called  an  Arabian, 
but  the  best  judges  were  inclined  to  the  view  that  he  was  a 
Barb.  In  forming  this  opinion,  however,  they  were  governed  en- 
tirely by  his  conformation,  which  is  only  a  rule  of  approximate 
accuracy,  and  never  safe  to  state  with  certainty.  The  old  records 
say  that  Mr.  Coke  gave  him  to  Roger  Williams,  keeper  of  the 
Saint  James  Coffee  House,  London,  and  that  he  presented  him  to 
the  Earl  Godolphin.  The  great  success  of  the  Darley  Arabian,  some 
twenty  years  before,  had  made  Eastern  blood  very  popular  at  this 
time ;  and  it  has  always  been  a  conviction  with  me  that  Earl  Go- 
dolphin knew  more  about  the  blood  and  origin  of  this  horse  than 
any  of  the  writers  who  have  undertaken  to  enlighten  the  world 
about  him,  or  he  never  would  have  bred  Roxana  and  his  other 
good  mares  to  him,  untried  as  he  then  was.  The  story  of  the  cat 
was  not  invented  by  the  novelist,  but  is  founded  on  truth.  Mr. 
Pick,  in  his  Turf  Register,  after  enumerating  a  few  of  the  more 
prominent  of  his  get,  remarks  that  '  every  superior  horse  of  tho 
present  day  partakes  of  his  valuable  blood.'  " 


CHAPTER   X. 


MISCELLANEOUS  HABITS. 

To  Catch  a  Horse. 

\v  a  young  colt  is  frequently  petted  by  scratching  the 
Riane  and  tail,  giving  apples,  etc.,  care  being  used  not  to 
arouse  his  fear  or  resentment  in  any  way,  instead  of  run- 
ning away  when  approached,  he  will  soon  wait  or  come  for- 
ward to  be  petted  and  rewarded.  It  is  frequently  the  case 
that  ladies  who  are  in  the  habit  of  petting  horses,  are  able 
to  approach  and  catch  them  in  the  field  without  the  least 
difficulty,  while  they  cannot  be  approached  at  all  by  men. 
The  reason  is  that  women  are  more  kind  and  gentle  in  their 
treatment,  and  always  ready  to  caress  the  horse,  and  re- 
ward with  a  little  sugar,  or  something  else  of  which  he  is 
fund  ;  neither  do  they  take  advantage  l)y  whipping  or  other 
abuse;  while  men,  who  are  frequently  in  the  habit  of  ston- 
ing the  horse,  or  hitting  him  with  the  halter  when  turning 
him  out,  cannot  go  near  him,  or  succeed  in  catching  him 
only  after  the  most  prolonged  effort,  on  account  of  the  fear 
and  repugnance  such  treatment  creates. 

When  a  small  boy,  I  was  presented  with  a  young  don- 
key. Of  course  I  was  delighted,  and  would  occasionally 
put  oats  in  my  pocket,  and  feed  her  from  my  hand.  This 
soon  made  her  such  a  pet  that  as  soon  as  she  saw^  or  heard 
me,  no  matter  how  far  distant,  she  would  whinny  and  run 
toward  me,  put  her  head  under  my  arm,  and  try  to  get  her 
nose  into  my  pocket  for  the  oats  with  which  I  rewarded 

(316) 


TO   CATCH  A   HOESE.  317 

her.  If  treated  in  like  manner,  the  horse  can  be  made  to 
come  to  his  master,  and  follow  him  with  aflection  and  con- 
fidence. 

If  the  colt  or  horse  is  wild,  and  tries  to  pull  away  or  keep 
the  head  out  of  reach  when  approached,  put  on  the  War 
Bridle,  and  train  him  until  he  will  follow  promptly.  But 
if  so  wild  or  vicious  as  to  require  general  treatment,  sub- 
ject to  either  method  most  suitable  until  submissive,  when 
make  the  point  of  teaching  to  follow  very  thoroughly. 
This  will  be  easy  enough,  but  we  wish  to  do  still  more, 
namely,  to  be  able  to  walk  up  to  the  horse  from  some  dis- 
tance without  his  running  away,  also  to  make  him  come  at 
command,  and  stand  quietly  to  be  haltered.  The  course  I 
usually  pursue  is  as  follows  :  After  making  the  horse  fol- 
low, lengthen  the  cord  to  seventy-five  feet  or  more,  and  let 
it  drag  on  the  ground.  If  I  have  not  enough  of  the  reg- 
ular kind  of  rope,  I  attach  a  piece  of  bed-cord.  The  War 
Bridle  should  be  changed  to  the  Second  Form,  to  prevent 
its  slipping  out  of  the  mouth,  with  the  part  over  the  neck 
placed  well  back.  There  is  no  difficulty  in  approaching 
the  horse  Avithin  the  length  of  the  cord  (twelve  or  fourteen 
feet)  used  in  the  training ;  but  when  beyond  this  distance, 
and  especially  when  the  horse  once  learns  he  is  beyond 
control,  he  will  soon  learn  to  keep  out  of  reach.  On  this 
account  it  is  necessary  to  make  the  cord  long  enough  to 
convince  him  that  he  is  within  control  when  beyond  this 
distance.  Step  away  twenty  or  thirty  feet,  and  walk  up 
quickly  toward  him.  If  he  turns  to  run,  simply  catch  up 
the  cord  and  jerk  the  head  around  ;  then  approach,  caress 
him,  give  apples,  etc.,  and  walk  away  again.  So  repeat^ 
going  a  little  farther  off"  at  each  time,  until  at  the  end  of 
the  cord.  It  is  necessary,  of  course,  to  make  this  lesson 
thorough,  until  the  confidence  of  the  horse  is  won.  In 
some  cases  it  is  advisable  to  go  through  with  the  form  of 


318  MISCELLANEOUS    HABITS. 

haltering  and  imhaltering,  leading  out  into  the  field,  walk- 
ing toward  him  and  back,  singing,  whistling,  and  occasion- 
ally giving  him  an  apple,  etc. 

In  training  Turco,  referred  to  in  "  Personal  Experience," 
after  getting  him  so  he  would  come  to  me  when  thirty  or 
forty  feet  away,  he  at  one  time  jumped  through  a  gap  in 
the  fence  into  an  adjoining  field,  where  he  raced  around  for 
some  time,  enjoying  his  freedom.  Though  I  was  consider- 
ably annoyed,  I  did  not  try  to  catch  or  run  after  him,  as 
this  would  only  reveal  my  weakness,  and  confirm  him  in 
the  habit  of  running  away.  I  simply  walked  around  as 
though  indifferent,  until  he  became  tired  and  went  to  graz- 
ing, then,  although  I  approached  him  cautiously,  when 
within  a  few  feet  of  him  he  again  ran  away.  He  repeated 
this  several  times.  I  strolled  around  until  finally  able  to 
get  near  enough  to  catch  him  by  the  mane.  To  attempt 
any  punishment  now  would  only  undo  a  great  deal  of  past 
good  treatment.  Instead,  I  scratched  his  mane,  rubbed  his 
nose,  walked  around  a  little,  and  finally  told  him  to  come 
along,  when  he  followed  submissively  back  to  the  yard. 

I  now  put  on  the  War  Bridle,  Second  Form,  and,  as  be- 
fore explained,  attached  nearly  one  hundred  feet  of  cord  to 
it,  which  I  let  drag  on  the  ground.  I  then  went  on  with 
the  lesson.  As  he  came  near  the  gap,  he  again  shot  through 
like  an  arrow.  I  simply  caught  up  the  cord,  and  stopped 
him  so  quickly  as  to  almost  throw  him  down.  Finding 
himself  fairly  caught,  he  came  back  directly  upon  being 
called.  I  repeated  the  experiment,  and  three  times  in  suc- 
cession he  jumped  through  the  gap ;  but  at  each  time  I 
jerked  him  back  when  about  seventy-five  feet  away.  Af- 
ter a  few  repetitions,  no  matter  how  near  he  went  to  the 
gap,  he  would  not  attempt  to  jump  through.  I  now  petted 
and  rewarded  him  by  giving  apples,  etc.,  as  usual.  I  re- 
peated the  lesson  several  times  afterward  in  the  yard  and 


CEIBBING.  319 

open  field,  to  thoroughly  fix  the  impression,  and  he  never 
forgot  it.  I  finally  trained  him  so  I  could  let  him  run  up 
the  street  twenty  rods  or  more,  and  then  could  call  him 
back  to  me  instantly  at  the  crack  of  the  whip.  The  secret 
of  this  was  the  reward  I  always  had  for  him. 

In  turning  a  horse  out  to  pasture  he  should  never  be 
started  violently  when  the  halter  is  taken  off.  There 
should  be  no  effort  to  deceive  by  carrying  oats  in  a  pan,  or 
rubbing  ears  of  corn  together,  etc.,  and  when  allowed  to 
come  near  enough,  to  rudely  grasp,  halter,  and  lead  him 
off.  The  reward  of  corn  or  oats  should  be  promptly  given, 
with  other  expressions  of  kindness.  Indeed,  it  is  in  most 
cases  best  to  commence  by  occasionally  going  into  the  field 
and  carelessly  approaching  the  horse,  and  giving  him  some- 
thing of  which  he  is  fond,  until  his  confidence  is  won.  A 
sensitive  horse  always  partakes  in  a  great  measure  of  the 
character  of  the  owner ;  if  tricky  and  deceptive,  the  horse 
will  become  so.  The  only  way  to  make  the  horse  honest 
and  confiding,  is  to  be  honest  and  kind  in  his  management. 

Cribbing. 

This  is  a  habit  for  which  there  has  been  no  practical 
remedy.  Many  claim  that  it  is  caused  by  indigestion,  and 
that  by  neutralizing  the  gas  generated  in  the  stomach  in 
consequence,  a  horse  will  cease  to  crib.  Mr.  0.  H.  P. 
Fancher,  especially  referred  to  in  the  chapter  on  "  Sub- 
jection," was  the  most  pretentious  advocate  of  this  the- 
ory ;  but  I  have  never  known  or  heard  on  any  reliable 
authority  of  any  case  being  cured  by  giving  medicine. 
It  has  also  been  claimed  that  cribbing  is  caused  by  the 
teeth  pressing  too  closely  against  one  another,  the  remedy 
for  which  is  sawing  between  them.  I  have  known  of  a 
great  many  cases  treated  in  this  way,  but  without    any 


320 


MISCELLANEOUS    HABITS. 


success,  except  that  in  some  cases  the  habit  is  prevented 
for  a  time  by  the  soreness  produced  by  the  filing.  Driv- 
ing wedges  between  the  teeth  has  also  been  resorted  to, 
the  effect  of  which  would  be  such  intense  pain  as  to  pre- 
vent the  horse  from  cribbing  for  some  little  time.  It  can 
be  seen  that  all  these  pretended  remedies  are  practically 
of  no  account. 

It  is  a  little  singular  that  a  horse  will  not  crib  on  any- 
thing that  is  lower  than  the  knees,  consequently  a  sure 
way  to  prevent  the  habit  is  to  tear  away  the  manger,  and 
feed  the  horse  from  the  floor  or  from  a  basket. 

To  break  up  the  habit,  the  only  practical  remedy  is 
punishment,  as  hereafter  explained. 

When  in  Bath,  N.  Y.,  many  years  ago,  I  noticed  that  a 

horse  when  cribbing  at  a  jDOst  in  the 
street  contracted  the  larynx  and 
muscles  of  the  neck  forcibly  during 
the  act.  Instantly  it  occurred  to  me 
to  make  the  experiment  of  putting 
such  an  adjustment  upon  the  throat- 
latch  as  would  prevent  it  by  the  pain 
it  caused.  I  went*to  a  harness-shop, 
procured  some  six-ounce  tacks,  drove 
them  through  a  strip  of  leather  about 
half  an  inch  apart,  and  filed  the 
points  sharp  and  of  equal  length.  I  laid  this  bit  of  strap 
on  the  inside  of  the  throat-latch,  so  as  to  bring  the  point 
of  the  tacks  under  the  larynx,  and  kept  it  in  place  by 
winding  each  end  and  center  with  a  piece  of  waxed  end. 
I  now  buckled  the  throat-latch  long  enough  so  that  it 
would  not  touch  the  neck  when  in  the  act  of  eating  or 
swallowing,  yet  so  close  as  to  bring  the  points  of  the  tacks 
sharply  against  the  muscles  of  the  neck  at  the  least  at- 
tempt to  crib,  and  stood  by  to  notice  the  effect.     The  first 


Fig.  218. — A  horse  in  the 
act  of  cribbing. 


CEIBBING. 


321 


Fig.  219. — The  halter  adjusted  for  cribbing. 


time  the  horse  tried  to  crib,  he  was  hurt  so  severely  that 
he  jumped  almost  from  the  ground.  In  a  short  time  he 
tried  it  again, 
with  the  same 
result ;  the  third 
time  he  only  gave 
a  little  nip,  and 
then  stood  qui- 
etly for  some 
time.  I  now  had 
him  changed  to 
another  location, 
with  a  man  close 
by  to  note  the 
results.  He  re- 
ported that  the 
horse  did  not  crib 
any  more  during 
the  afternoon.  I  have  broken  several  horses  of  the  habit 
by  this  means,  and  think  if  the  adjustment  is  made  right 

and  continued  long 
enough,  it  will  be 
found  to  be  the  best 
means  yet  discovered 
of  breaking  up  this 
habit.  The  point  of 
success  will  depend 
upon  the  care  with 
which  this  is  kept  ad- 
justed. If  there  is  large  muscular  development  of  the 
neck,  the  strap  must  be  buckled  shorter  than  when  the  neck 
is  well  cut  out,  as  it  is  termed.  Make  the  reproof  severe 
at  first ;  then  keep  the  tacks  so  adjusted  as  to  touch  sharply 
when  the  habit  is  repeated.     If  the  throat-latch  is  not  on 

21 


Fig.  220. — Throat-strap  with  tacks. 


322  MISCELLANEOUS    HABITS. 

a  line  with  the  top  of  the  head,  the  tacks  cut  the  jaw  a 
little  below  the  junction  of  the  head  with  the  neck.  If 
this  is  kept  on  a  few  days  or  weeks,  and  then  taken  off 
and  again  adjusted  carelessly,  there  is  likely  to  be  a  failure  ; 
for  if  the  horse  finds  he  can  crib  once  with  this  on  without 
hurting  himself,  he  will  be  encouraged  to  repeat  the  effort, 
and  will  punish  himself  severely  to  do  so.  But  if  punished 
at  first,  and  this  is  kept  where  it  will  hurt  keenly  at  the 
least  attempt  to  crib,  and  is  left  on  a  few  weeks,  it  ought 
to  be  successful.  It  will  not  do  to  buckle  a  strap  around 
the  neck.  The  adjustment  must  be  made  to  the  strap  of 
the  halter,  and  the  halter  must  fit  nicely  to  the  head.  It 
must  be  made  like  a  bridle,  with  brow-]3iece,  so  that  it  will 
not  shift  or  move  on  the  head.  A  boy  broke  five  horses  of 
this  habit  a  few  years  ago;  but  he  became  careless,  and 
failed  on  the  sixth.  There  is,  once  in  a  while,  an  old  horse 
of  determined  character  that  will  crib  in  defiance  of  this  or 
any  other  means.  Such  cases  are,  however,  rare.  A 
young,  nervous-tempered  horse  will  yield  readily  to  the 
treatment,  and  but  few  horses  will  attempt  to  crib  while 
Avearing  a  muzzle. 

If  a  strap  be  buckled  rather  tightly  around  the  neck,  a 
horse  will  not  crib  while  it  is  on.  This  is,  however,  but  a 
simple  preventive.  There  is  also  the  objection  that  grad- 
ually the  horse  may  learn  to  resist,  to  overcome  which,  the 
strap  has  to  be  buckled  tighter,  which  of  course  obstructs 
the  circulation,  and  causes  inflammation,  thus  producing  se- 
rious and  permanent  injury.  If  a  strap  is  used  for  this 
purpose  it  should  be  fully  three  inches  wide,  and  buckled 
just  tight  enough  to  prevent  the  inclination  to  crib.  A 
wide  strap  works  a  great  deal  better  than  a  narrow  one, 
and  is  less  liable  to  do  harm. 


PUTTING  THE  TONGUE  OUT.  323 

Wind-Sucking. 

Sometimes  a  horse  sucks  wind  without  the  habit  of 
cribbing.  I  include  a  cut  of  a  form  of  bit  to  prevent  this, 
for  which  much  is  claimed.  A  practical  horseman  of  ex- 
perience gave  me  the  point.  He  claimed  that  it  would 
work  perfectly  in  preventing  the  inclination  to  crib  and 
suck  wind.  I  include  it  on  the  strength  of  his  statement. 
Procure  a  piece  of  gas-pipe  about  seven  inches  long.  Drill 
a  h  0 1  e  across  each 
end,  through  which 
put  in  rings,  as  seen 
in  cut;  next,  drill 
four  or  five  holes,  as 
shown  in  cut.     The 

theory  is  that  the  gas        ^'^-  ^^^■- ^'*  ™^*^*^  ^^  gas-pipe  for  preventing 

cribbing  and  wind-sucking. 

in  the  stomach  can 

not  escape  through  the  mouth  on  account  of  its  being  closed, 
and  that  instinctiA'-ely  the  horse  will  bite  on  something  to 
open  the  mouth  and  throw  off  the  gas.  With  this  bit  in 
the  mouth,  the  air  passes  through  the  small  holes  in  the  cen- 
ter, and  out  through  the  ends. 

I  would  be  glad  if  those  interested  would  give  it  a  trial, 
and  report  to  me.  It  is  safe  and  inexpensive.  The  gen- 
tleman referred  to  positively  assured  me  that  in  several 
cases  known  to  him  it  worked  with  perfect  success. 

Putting  the  Tongue  out  of  the  Mouth. 

If  the  tongue  is  put  over  the  bit,  have  a  piece  of  thin 
sheet-iron,  about  two  and  a  half  inches  wide  and  five  inches 
long,  with  the  ends  rounding,  and  the  edges  filed  smooth. 
Drill  two  small  holes  (see  cut)  near  each  edge,  at  the  cen- 
ter, and  fasten  to  the  bit.  Shorten  the  cheek-pieces  of  the 
bridle,  so  that  the  bit  is  drawn  well  up  in  the  mouth.     This 


324 


MISCELLANEOUS  HABITS. 


Fig.  222. — Manner  of  putting  the 
tongue  out. 


piece  of  iron  renders  it  impossible  for  the  horse  to  get  the 
tongue  over  the  bit.  The  simplest  and  best  way  of  prevent- 
ing this  is  to  have  the  smith  make  a  mouth-piece,  as  repre- 
sented in  the  cut  below, 
which  is  seen  to  be  bent  up, 
and  comes  so  high  in  the 
mouth  that  the  horse  cannot 
get  the  tongue  over ;  this 
works  perfectly,  and  is  not 
inconvenient  to  drive  with. 
It  should  be  bent  up  at 
least  21  to  3  inches,  come 
well  out  to  the  cheek-pieces, 
and  be  filed  smooth  to  pre- 
vent cutting  or  chafing  the 
mouth.  The  tongue  is  some- 
times, but  not  often,  put  out  under  the  bit.  For  such  cases 
the  following  treatment  will  work  well : — 

Get  three  medium-sized  bullets,  and  hammer  them 
out  to  about  an  inch 
and  a  half  in  length. 
Drill  a  small  hole 
through  the  end  of 
each.  Tie  one  to  the 
center  of  the  bit  by  a 
little  piece  of  wire 
through  the  joint. 
Attach  the  others  to 
the  bit  about  an  inch 
from  the  center  (one  on  each  side),  so  as  to  play  loosely. 
(See  cuts.) 

When  this  bit  is  in  the  mouth,  these  extra  arrange- 
ments will  so  disconcert  the  horse  that  in  his  struggles  to 
get  them  out  of  the  way,  he  will  forget  to  put  the  tongue  out. 


Fig.  223. 


PAWING  IN   STALL. 


S2l 


The  next  best  way  is  to  buckle  a  strap  around  the  nose 
so  that  the  mouth  cannot  be  opened.  This,  of  course,  pre- 
vents the  tongue  being  put  out,  and  in  a  short  time  the 
habit  will  be  broken  up. 

Pawixg  in  Stall. 

A  horse  will  not    paw  much  unless  he  can  hear  the' 

noise ;    so    a    good 

method  of  prevent- 
ing this  habit  is  to 

muffle  the  foot  by 

tying  apiece    of 

blanket  around   it. 

Next,  by  attaching 

a  piece  of  chain  or 

clog  to  the  foot,  as 

follows:  Get  a  piece 

of  chain  about  ten 

inches  in  length,  run    a    short   strap  through  one  of  the 

end  links,  and  buckle 
it  around  the  foot 
above  the  fetlock ; 
or  a  piece  of  light 
chain  can  be  fastened 
to  a  small  block,  and 
attached  to  the  foot 
in  the  same  manner. 
When  the  horse  at- 
tempts to  paw,  the 
clog  or  chain  rattling 

against  the  foot  so  disconcerts  or  hurts  him  that  he  will  re- 
peat the  movement  but  a  few  times. 


Fig.  224. 


Fig.  335. 


326  MISCELLANEOUS  HABITS. 

Kicking  in  Stall. 

Kicking  with  one  foot  against  the  side  of  the  stall  is  a 
habit  which  many  horses  are  liable  to  learn,  and,  like  paw- 
ing, it  is  sometimes  exceedingly  annoying;  therefore  it  is 
important  to  be  able  to  prevent  or  overcome  it.  In  the 
first  place,  it  is  rare  that  a  horse  will  learn  to  kick  against 
the  side  of  the  stall  if  it  be  large  and  roomy.  Large  stalls 
are,  in  all  cases,  very  important  for  the  health  and  comfort 
of  the  horse,  as  well  as  for  convenience  in  going  around 
him.  The  simplest  and  best  way  of  preventing  this  habit 
is  to  pad  the  side  of  the  stall,  which  will  prevent  the  sound 
of  the  striking,  when  the  inclination  to  kick  will  soon  be 
overcome.  Or,  attach  a  clog  or  piece  of  chain  to  the  foot, 
as  explained  for  pawing. 

Another  method  is  to  tie  some  thorny  bushes  together, 
and  suspend  them  over  the  place  kicked,  so  as  to  swing 
freely  when  struck.  When  the  horse  kicks,  the  rebound 
will  bring  the  bushes  against  the  legs,  so  frightening  and 
hurting  him  that  the  attempt  to  kick  will  be  repeated  but 
a  few  times.  A  clog  may  also  be  hung  over  the  place 
struck  or  kicked,  which,  when  struck,  would  react  in  the 
same  way,  and  thus  prevent  a  repetition  of  the  habit. 
Making  the  stall  wide,  and  padding  the  sides  as  explained, 
are  the  most  simple  and  practical  methods  for  preventing 
this  habit. 

Getting  Cast  in  the  Stall. 

This  is  also  caused  by  being  confined  in  a  stall  that  is 
too  small.  When  the  horse  rolls  and  turns  upon  his  back, 
he  is  so  cramped  and  restrained  by  the  narrow  walls  that 
he  is  unable  to  roll  himself  back  to  regain  his  feet.  Some- 
times the  division  of  the  stall  is  so  short  that  in  the  effort 
to  roll,  his  body  comes  across,  and  in  contact  with,  the 


JUMPING  OVER  FENCES.  327 

ends,  and,  the  head  being  hekl  fast  by  the  halter,  it  is  im- 
possible for  him  to  get  up;  so  a  large,  roomy  stall  would 
of  itself  be  almost  a  complete  remedy.  The  simplest  way 
to  prevent  it  is  to  tie  one  end  of  a  piece  of  rope  or  cord  to 
the  beam  or  flooring  directly  overhead,  and  the  opposite 
end  to  the  head-piece  of  the  halter  back  of  the  ears,  leav- 
ing it  just  long  enough  to  allow  the  horse  to  reach  his  nose 
to  the  ground.  As  he  lies  down  and  tries  to  roll,  being 
unable  to  bring  the  top  of  his  head  to  the  ground,  he  is 
disabled  from  rolling.  A  small  ring  should  be  stitched  to 
the  top  of  the  halter,  to  which  the  strnp  cr  cord  can  be  eas- 
ily and  securely  fastened  wdicn  necessary. 

Some  horses  are  liable,  by  pawing,  to  get  the  fore  foot, 
and  in  some  cases  even  the  hind  foot  by  scratching  the  head 
with  the  leg,  over  the  halter-strap,  thereby  becoming  tan- 
gled and  helpless  in  the  stall.  The  halter  should  be  hitched 
higher  than  common,  though  long  enough  to  permit  the 
horse  to  lie  down  easily. 

Jumping  over  Fences. 

Every  dairyman  knows  that  a  cow  or  ox  will  not  at- 
tempt to  jump  a  fence,  pull  it  down,  or  run,  while  a  board 
is  over  the  forehead,  attached  to  the  horns  in  front  of  the. 
eyes  ;  this  simple  means  will  usually  work  well  upon  cattle, 
but  will  not  do  upon  a  horse,  because  it  gives  too  much 
freedom  to  see  over  the  nose. 

If  a  horse  or  mule,  put  on  a  halter  that  fits  well  to  the 
head — a  five-ring  halter  is  best.  Next  find  a  piece  of 
thin  leather  (an  old  boot-leg  will  do),  about  as  long  as  the 
head,  and  from  four  to  five  inches  wider  than  the  head  is 
at  the  eyes.  Form  it  same  as  in  cut,  with  a  string  attached 
at  each  corner.  Attach  the  upper  corners  by  the  strings 
to  the  halter,  where  the  brow-piece  is  attached  to  the 
cheek-piece.     Tie  the  cords  attached  to  the  lower  corners 


328  MISCELLANEOUS  HABITS. 

back  of  the  jaw  (being  careful  to  leave  freedom  enough  for 
the  jaws  to  act  when  eating).  Let  the  ends  now  pass 
over  the  throat-latch,  and  make  fast.  The  horse  is  simply 
disabled  from  looking  ahead  or  over  the  nose,  which  will 
disconcert  him  sufficiently  to  prevent  jumping  or  throwing 
the  fence  down.  If  an  ox  or  cow,  attach  the  upper  corners 
to  the  horns,  and  pass  the  strings  around  the  neck  instead 
of  oA^er  the  throat-latch. 

Tender  Bitted. 

Use  a  large,  smooth  mouth-piece,  with  leather  cheek- 
pieces,  so  as  to  let  the  bit  rest  about  an  inch  lower  than 
usual  in  the  mouth.  Next  try  winding  the  bit  with  a  piece 
of  chamois-skin  which  has  been  saturated  with  tannin  or 
alum,  to  harden  the  mouth. 

Kicking  Cows. 

Many  years  ago  a  man  who  attended  my  class  in  Her- 
kimer Co.,  N.  Y.,  reported  to  me  that  he  had  a  very  bad 
kicking  heifer,  and  as  a  matter  of  experiment  he  put  the 
War  Bridle  on  her  and  gave  her  a  sharp  lesson  with  it,  as 
directed  for  breaking  a  colt  to  lead  and  drive.  After  a 
few  minutes'  treatment,  he  found  that  she  stood  perfectly 
gentle  to  be  milked,  and  he  had  no  more  trouble  with  her. 
Some  time  afterward,  while  in  the  dairy  counties,  I  gave 
this  point  to  my  classes,  and  I  have  since  had  a  good  many 
especially  bad,  kicking  cows  brought  forward  to  be  exper- 
imented upon,  the  treatment  in  all  cases  proving  successful 
in  a  few  minutes. 

One  of  the  most  amusing  incidents  that  occurred  in 
making  these  experiments  was  at  a  little  town  near  James- 
town, N.  Y.  At  the  time  I  carried  canvas,  and  after  get> 
ting  through  the  regular  experiments,  a  notoriously  bad 


KICKING   COWS. 


329 


tearing 


kicking  cow  was  brought  in  for  treatment.  As  usual,  a 
few  pulls  of  the  War  Bridle  made  her  stand  to  be  milked 
as  gentle  as  could  be  desired.  While  the  class  were  amus- 
ing themselves  over  the  ease  with  which  the  cow  was 
controlled,  and  somewhat  at  the  expense  of  the  owner, 
with  the  cord  still  on,  she  suddenly,  and  without  warning, 
rushed  through  the  wall  of  the  canvas,  almost 
down  the  w^hole  tent,  and 
ran  through  the  main 
street  of  the  town  to- 
ward home.  Every  dog 
in  the  street  took  after 
her,  making  a  most  ludi- 
crous scene,  no  one  ap- 
pearing more  amused 
than  the  owner.  He 
came  into  the  class  on 
condition  that  I  would 
make  the  cow  gentle  to 
be  milked  at  home.     He 


Fig.  226. — Arrangement  of  the  cord  for 
leading  a  cow. 


never  came  back  to  report  upon  the  success  of  the  exper- 
iment.    The  course  of  treatment  is  about  as  follows  : — 

Put  on  the  War  Bridle,  Second  Form,  pull  right  and 
left  a  few  times ;  then  stand  off  at  a  safe  distance,  and  pull 
a  little  upon  the  teats.  If  there  is  resistance,  punish ;  so 
repeat,  until  there  is  no  resistance.  Sometimes  the  teats 
are  sore,  and  the  pain  caused  by  milking  is  very  severe. 
Take  Gonlard's  extract  2  oz.,  sulphate  zinc  2  oz.,  lard  2 
oz.,  and  rub  upon  the  parts  a  few  times.  This  is  a  favorite 
remedy  among  dairymen  for  sore  teats,  cake  in  the  bag, 
etc.  This  prescription  I  know  to  have  been  sold  for  fifteen 
dollars,  and  it  is  prized  by  dairymen  in  Northern  New 
York,  where  the  medicine  is  sold  especially  for  their  use. 


330 


miscellanf:olts  habits. 


To  Lead  a  Cow  P^asilv. 

Tie  a  rope  around  the  head  under  the  horns,  Itringing 
the  knot  over  the  ear.  Now  bring  the  rope  forward  and 
under  the  ear,  again  forward  over  and  under  the  cord. 
By  pulling  now,  the  cord  will  tighten  around  the  ear,  hurt- 
ing so  severely  that  the  cow  will  lead  freely. 

To  Force  a  Horse  on  the  Trot. 

During  one  of  my  early  tours  in  Ohio,  a  horse-trainer 
came  one  hundred  and  fifty  miles  to  attend  my  class.     He 

stated  that  there  was 
but  one  point  in  which 
he  was  interested,  and 
if  I  could  help  him  on 
that,  it  was  all  he  de- 
sired. The  point  was, 
how  to  force  and  keep 
a  horse  on  the  trot 
under  excitement. 
On  this  point  he  was 
very  much  interested,  for  the  reason  that  he  made  the  train- 
ing of  trotters  his  business,  and  it  was  indispensable  that 
he  should  be  able  to  do  this.  Also,  because  he  knew  of  a 
mare  that  could  trot  very  fast,  but  when  driven  in  company 
with  other  horses,  or  excited  in  the  least,  she  would  break, 
and  could  not  be  made  to  trot,  and  on  this  account  was  re- 
garded worthless  as  a  trotter.  He  could  buy  her  at  a  very 
moderate  figure,  and  could  make  a  big  thing  on  her  if  he 
could  break  her ;  but  he  did  not  wish  to  purchase  her  un- 
less he  felt  confident  of  success  in  her  management. 

This  was  a  new  point  to  me  ;  but  on  the  impulse  of  the 
moment  I  advised  him  to  try  the  Breaking  Rig  as  shown 
by  cut  on  page  180,  at  first  to  work  her  slowly  and  gently 


Fig.  827.—  To  change  a  horse's  gait. 


FOECING   TO   TKOT.  331 

until  accustomed  to  it ;  then  gradually  push  her  under  ex- 
citement, cracking  the  whip,  etc.,  and  then  driving  her  with 
other  horses,  gradually  Avorking  up  in  same  manner  with- 
out restraint  of  rig. 

I  had  noticed  when  driving  with  this  rig  that  a  horse 
must  either  walk  or  trot;  for  the  instant  he  struck  a  run, 
both  legs  coming  back  at  the  same  time  shortened  the  cord 
so  much  as  to  tangle  and  hurt  severely,  and  consequently 
it  must  work  in  this  case. 

He  went  iiome,  bought  the  mare  for  $375,  made  the 
experiment,  and  Avas  successful  beyond  his  expectations, 
soon  being  able  to  put  her  under  the  whip,  and  dri^'e  her 
under  any  excitement,  Avith  other  horses,  at  the  top  of  her 
speed.  Within  three  months  he  sold  her  for  $1500.  Hap- 
pening to  meet  me  some  time  afterAvard,  he  gaA^e  me  the 
above  facts,  at  the  same  time  stating  that  he  then  had  an- 
other horse  of  the  same  character  on  Avhich  he  expected  to 
do  equally  well. 

The  gait  of  a  horse  can  be  changed  from  pacing  to  trot- 
ting, or  from  trotting  to  j)acing,  by  passing  the  cord  or  strap 
from  the  hind  foot  to  the  opposite  'fore  foot — through  rings 
in  the  belly-band  for  trotters — and  from  hind  to  fore  feet 
direct  for  pacing.  (See  cut  230.)  This  Avill  not,  however, 
be  found  to  be  of  much  practical  value. 


Q> 


CHAPTER   XI. 


TEACHING   TRICKS. 

In  this  chapter  I  give  the  portraits  of  my  old  group  of 
trained  horses  and  ponies,  whose  performances  were  re- 
garded with  such  great  interest  by  all  who  witnessed  them, 
that  for  a  number  of  years  I  was  compelled  to  give  an  extra 
exhibition  daily  for  the  benefit  of  ladies  and  children,  for 
which  a  regular  admission  fee  was  charged  ;  and  it  was  uni- 
versally conceded  that  these  exhibitions  were  more  inter- 
esting than  those  of  any  circus.  The  performances  of  Blind 
Billy  were  regarded  as  especially  remarkable,  from  the  fact 
of  his  being  totally  blind.  He  is,  without  question,  the 
most  remarkable  performing  horse  that  has  ever  been  ex- 
hibited in  this  or  any  other  country.  I  give  a  very  fine 
portrait  of  this  remarkable  horse,  sketched  by  a  leading 
artist. 

The  details  of  teaching  a  few  tricks,  which  I  give  in 
this  chapter,  will  be  of  special  interest  to  farmer  boys,  who 
may  desire  to  train  their  colts  in  this  way.  A  horse  seems 
more  intelligent  and  tractable  when  trained  to  perform  a 
few  simple  tricks,  such  as  telling  the  age,  kissing,  bowing 
his  head,  kicking  up,  turning  right  and  left,  or  following 
with  the  whip,  etc.,  all  of  which  any  intelligent  boy  can 
easily  train  a  colt  to  do. 

In  training  a  colt  or  horse  to  perform  these  tricks,  there 
should  be  no  hurry,  or  effort  to  teach  more  than  one  thing 
at  a  time.     Make  the  lesson  short,  and  repeat  until  thor- 

(332) 


DETAILS   OF   TEACHING. 


33S 


334  TEACHING  THICKS. 


oughly  learned,  when  another  can  be  taken  up,  but  do  not 

contin 

horse. 


continue  the  lesson  long  enough  to  excite  or  confuse  the 


To  Follow  by  the  Wiiie. 

One  of  the  simi:)lest  and  most  interesting  tricks  to  teach 
a  horse  is  to  follow  at  the  motion  of  the  whip,  without  bri- 
dle or  halter.  It  is  oven  quite  useful,  as  it  teaches  a  horse 
to  follow  at  command  from  one  part  of  the  barn  to  another, 
or  to  come  out  of  his  stall  without  attempting  to  get  away. 
Full  details  of  teaching  this  trick  are  given  in  the  chapter 
on  "  Colt  Training." 

To  Nod  his  Head,  or  Say  Yes. 

To  teach  a  horse  to  bow,  or  nod  his  head,  prick  him 
lightly  on  the  back  with  a  pin,  and  continue  until  in  his  ef- 
fort to  avoid  the  annoyance  he  drops  his  head ;  then  in- 
stantly stop  the  pricking,  and  caress  him.  Repeat  the 
pricking  until  the  head  is  again  dropped,  when  caress  and 
oive  him  somethiner  of  which  he  is  fond.  Continue  to  al- 
ternate  in  this  way  with  the  pricking  and  caressing  until 
at  the  instant  a  motion  is  made  toward  the  back,  or  even 
to  take  a  pin  from  the  coat,  he  will  drop  his  head. 

To  Shake  his  Head,  or  Say  No. 

To  teach  a  horse  to  say  No,  prick  him  lightiy  on  the 
top  of  the  shoulder  with  a  pin  until  he  shakes  his  head, 
when  stop  and  reward  him.  Repeat  the  pricking  until  at 
the  least  motion  toward  the  withers  the  horse  will  shake 
his  head. 

To  Tell  his  Age. 

To  teach  a  horse  to  tell  his  age,  prick  him  lightly  on 
the  back  part  of  the  leg  until,  to  avoid  the  annoyance,  the 


DETAILS   OF   TEACHING. 


335 


foot  is  lifted,  or  there  is  an  effort  to  paw ;  for  this,  stop 
and  caress  him.  Repeat  until  the  least  motion  toward  the 
leg  will  cause  him  to  paw  the  ground. 

In  teaching  this  trick,  the  body  is  naturally  bent  a  lit- 
tle while  in  the  act  of  pricking  the  leg,  and  by  repeating, 
the  position  will  soon  indicate  to  the  horse  that  he  must 


Fig.  229.-Bliud  Billy. 

paw.  This  position  is  to  be  maintained  until  he  paws  four, 
five,  or  six  times,  or  as  many  times  as  he  is  years  old, 
when  the  position  is  changed,  and  the  pawing  ceases. 

To  Kick  Up. 


To  teach  a  horse  to  kick  up,  simply  prick  him  on  the 
rump  with  a  pin  until  there  is  an  inclination  to  kick  up, 
when^  as  before^  stop  and  caress  him.     Repeat  until  the 


336 


TEACHING  TIUCKS. 


least  motion  toward  the  rump  will  induce  him  to  kick  up ; 
then  touch  with  the  whip,  and  repeat  until  at  the  mere 
motion  of  it  he  will  kick  up. 

These  tricks  may  be  made  quite  interesting  by  talking 
to  the  horse  somewhat  as  follows  :  '*  Tommy,  I  want  you 
to  tell  how  old  you  are ;  will  you  do  it  ?  "  and  signal  for 
the  horse  to  shake  his  head,  as  if  refusing.  Then  exclaim, 
as  if  surprised,  "  Oh,  you  can't  tell  your  age,  I  suppose, 
without  being  paid  for  it !     Will  you  do  it  if  I  give  you  a 


Fig.  230. — Blind  Billy  i-unning  after  and  catching  liis  trainer  when 
playing  Blind  Man's  Buff. 

lump  of  sugar?"  and  signal  for  him  to  nod  his  head.  You 
can  now  signal  for  him  to  tell  his  age,  and  when  he  has 
done  so,  it  gives  him  an  air  of  sagacity  which  is  very  amus- 
ing and  interesting.  Again,  you  may  ask,  "  What  will  you 
do  to  one  who  does  not  treat  you  well?"  then  signal  for 
him  to  kick.  His  prompt  obedience,  of  course,  indicates  to 
the  spectators  that  he  understands  what  is  said  to  him, 
when  in  reality  he  is  only  obeying  the  signals  which  have 
been  taught  him.  The  nice  point  lies  in  giving  the  signals 
in  such  a  manner  that  they  will  not  be  noticed  or  under- 
stood by  the  spectators. 


DETAILS   OF   TEACHING.  337 

Teaching  to  Kiss. 

Kissing  is  a  A^eiy  simple  trick  to  teach  a  horse,  and  it 
adds  greatly  to  the  interest  of  those  already  explained. 
Stand  facing  the  horse,  with  the  right  side  turned  partly 
toward  his  left  shoulder,  and  let  him  take  a  piece  of  apple 
from  your  hand  which  is  held  toward  his  mouth.  Bring  it 
nearer  each  time,  and  finally  let  him  take  a  piece  in  the 
3ame  manner  from  between  the  lips.  When  he  does  not 
reach  forward  promptly  to  take  the  piece  of  apple  from  the 
lips,  prick  him  with  a  pin  at  the  point  of  the  shoulder. 
Repeat  until  he  gets  the  idea  of  avoiding  punishment  by 
bringing  his  mouth  to  that  of  the  trainer  when  desired. 
Now  put  the  apple  farther  into  the  mouth,  which  will  com- 
pel him  to  open  his  lips  to  get  it.  Commence  lessening 
the  size  of  the  apple,  finally  giving  it  to  him  as  a  reward 
after  he  has  performed  the  trick  of  bringing  his  mouth  to 
that  of  the  trainer.  This  will  teach  him  that  by  doing  this 
he  will  escape  punishment  and  receive  reward. 

To  Lie  Down  and  Sit  Up. 

A  horse  is  taught  to  lie  down  or  to  sit  up  principally 
by  means  of  the  whip  or  bridle,  as  follows  :  Tap  the  horse 
smartly  across  the  shins  until  he  will  drop  upon  his  knees. 
This  method,  however,  requires  a  good  deal  of  care  and 
judgment,  or  it  will  occasion  needless  pain  and  punishment 
before  the  horse  is  made  to  submit,  I  will  give  the  follow- 
ing method,  which,  though  slower,  is  better  calculated  for 
amateurs : — 

Tie  the  bridle-reins  into  a  knot  back  of  the  neck,  throw 
your  strap  over  the  back,  under  the  body,  and  tie  to  the 
near  foot,  below  the  fetlock.  Now  pass  the  right  hand  well 
over  the  back,  and  take  a  short  hold  of  the  strap.  Cause 
the  horse  to  step  toward  you,  and  pull  the  foot  up.     Then 


338 


TEAC3IING  TRICKS. 


Fig.  331.— Blind  Billy  kicking  up. 

the  left,  at  the  same  time 
pressing  down  and  from  you 
firmly  with  the  right,  until 
the  horse  will  lie  down.  Now 
pass  the  end  of  the  strap 
through  the  ring  of  the  bit, 
draw  through  gently,  step 
over  tlie  neck,  and  as  the 
horse  attempts  to  get  up,  pull 
him  back,  until  he  lies  quiet. 
Hub  and  caress  him,  and  af- 


pass  the  left  hand  around  the 
reins,  pull  .back  and  down 
upon  them  in  such  a  manner 
as  to  turn  the  head  a  little 
to  the  off  side,  at  the  same 
time  pulling  down  steadily 
but  firmly  on  the  strap  over 
the  back  with  the  riuht  hand. 
As  the  horse  goes  down, 
gradually  pull  the  near  rein, 
so  as  to  bring  the  liead  to 


Fig.  233.— Bliiul  Billy  walking  on 
his  knees. 


ter  lying  a  few  minutes,  say,  "  Get  up, 
sir  !"  Repeat  in  this  way  a  fcAv  times, 
until  the  horse  will  lie  down  readily. 
Then  while  holding  him  on  or  near  the 
knee  with  the  strap,  hit  him  on  the  shin 
of  the  other  with  a  small  whip,  until  he 
will  bring  it  under  and  lie  down.  After 
a  while  he  can  be  made  to  come  on  his 
knees  and  lie  down  by  simply  pulling 
the  head  down  a  little  and  hitting  the 
leg  with  the  whip,  at  the  same  time 
saying,  "  Lie  down,  sir  ! "  repeating  un- 
til the  horse  will  lie  down  to  the  motion  of  the  whip. 


Fig.  233.  — Blind  Billy 

in  his  great  act  of 

walking  erect. 


DETAILS   OF   TEACHUMG. 


339 


To  Sit  Up. 

When  the  horse  will  lie  down  promptly,  put  on  him  a 
common  collar,  and  while  down  take  two  pieces  of  rope, 
each  about  ten  feet  in  length,  tie  the  ends  around  the  hind 
feet,  carry  them  forward  between  the  fore  legs,  and  bring 
them  once  around  the  collar.  Now  step  on  his  tail,  take 
the  bridle-reins  in  the  right  hand,  while  holding  the  ends 


Fig.  334.— Tommy.     Sketch  from  life. 

of  the  ropes  firmly  in  the  left.  Give  a  little  jerk  on  the 
reins,  and  say,  "  Get  up,  sir ! "  When  the  horse  throws 
out  the  forward  feet  and  springs  to  raise  himself  on  the 
hind  feet,  he  finds  himself  unable  to  complete  the  effort,  on 
account  of  the  hind  feet  being  tied  forward  under  him,  and 
so  brings  himself  in  a  sitting  position.  Instantly  step  for- 
ward, holding  the  ropes  firmly,  rub  and  caress  the  head  and 
neck  a  httle  for  a  few  seconds,  then  as  you  see  the  efibrt 
to  keep  up  becoming  tiresome,  let  loose  and  say,  "  Get  up, 


340 


TEACHING  TEICKS. 


sir  !"     By  repeating  in  this  way  a  few  times,  the  horse  will 
soon  learn  to  sit  up  when  commanded,  without  being  tied. 

To  Throw  Boys. 

To  teach  a  horse  to  throw  boys,  first  make  him  kick 
up  as  before  explained.  Then  have  plenty  of  straw  on  the 
ground,  put  a  boy  on  his  back,  and  while  holding  the  halter 
make  the  horse  kick  up  sharply  by  pricking,  or  touching 
him  with  the  whip.  The  instant  he  kicks  up,  have  the  boy 
throw  himself  forward  over  the  shoulders,  for  which 


give 


Fig.  235. — Tommy  in  his  vicious  act  defending  the  ring. 

the  horse  a  caress  and  a  piece  of  apple.  Repeat  until  he 
will,  at  the  motion  of  the  whip,  make  an  effort  to  get  the 
boy  off.  When  he  has  done  this,  put  on  a  larger  and 
stronger  boy,  so  that  he  must  make  a  greater  effort  to  get 
him  off.  Watch  the  point  carefully,  and  see  that  the  boy 
comes  off  when  the  horse  makes  an  effort  to  throw  him, 
otherwise  he  will  soon  become  discouraged.  By  persever- 
ing in  the  treatment,  he  will  soon  learn  to  throw  the  most 
expert  rider.  But  it  will  be  noticed  that  he  will  make  a 
greater  effort  sometimes  than  at  others.  When  he  does  not 
seem  to  work  well,  put  on  a  poorer  rider,  and  work  up  again 
gradually.     When   the   horse   makes  a  particularly  good 


DETAILS   OF   TEACHING. 


341 


Fig.  336. — Tommy  as  the  model 
riding  pony. 


point,  give  him  apples,  and  caress  him,  for  encouragement. 

It  is  important   now    to    teach    the    horse    to    throw   his 

rider  only  when  commanded,  or  at  a  signal.      To  do  this, 

when  the  boy  is   on,  lead 

the  horse  a  short  distance 

around  the  ring,  and  then 

signal  for    him    to    throw. 

Repeat  in  this  manner,  also 

letting  him  go  around  alone 

with  the  boy  on  his  back, 

until  he  will  go  on  a  sharp 

trot  or  run,  and  throw  when 

commanded. 

I  trained  a  pony  to  throw 
so  expertly  that  he  would 
at  times  turn  a  man  or  boy  over  in  a  double  somersault,  ana 
bring  him  down  squarely  upon  his  feet.  The  best  throw- 
ing pony  ever  exhibited  in  this  country  is  admitted  to  be 

"Tommy."  (See  cut  234.) 
He  has  been  exhibited  in  all 
the  principal  places  in  the 
North,  and  although  the  best 
riders,  from  the  bare-back  cir- 
cus-rider to  the  mustang- 
trainer  on  the  plains,  have 
tried,  no  man  has  ever  been 
able  to  sit  squarely  upon  his 
back  one  minute  after* the 
horse  was  signalled  to  throw 
him.  His  performances  in 
this  way  have  been  regarded  as  wonderful.  He  will  even 
carry  two  boys  upon  his  back  for  a  while,  and  then  at  the 
motion  of  the  finger  throw  them  both.  This  sometimes 
afforded  a  good  deal  of  amusement.     First,  if  a  boy  was  in- 


FiG.  237. — Tommy  in  his  great  act 
of  throwing. 


342 


TEACHING  TRICKS. 


dicated  to  him  as  being  good,  he  would  allow  him  to  ride 
as  long  as  he  wished,  and  then  to  safely  slide  oil'  behind 
down  to  the  ground.  Then  another  boy  vvould  come  who 
perhaps  used  tobacco,  or  had  some  other  vice,  when  the  pony 
would  throw    him   immediately.     Again,   if  there   was  a 

sharp  political  campaign,  a 
democrat  and  a  republican 
boy  would  mount  him  at  the 
same  time,  and  the  one  who 
could  ride  the  longer  time 
could  declare  his  party  the 
victor. 

To  give  something  of  an 
idea  of  the  wonderful  ])eY- 
formances    of  these    ponies, 

Fio.  238. — Tommy  as  the  gentle  pony.  •   n       j.i  i 

especially  the  expert n ess 
with  which  Tommy  could  throw  a  rider,  I  give  some  ex- 
tracts from  the  press  :  - 

"  Last  night  a  large  number  of  our  leading  citizens,  by  special 
invitation,  were  present  at  Prof.  Magner's  exhibition  on  Champlain 
street. 

"  The  first  exercise  was  performed  with  blind  Billy,  a  pony, 
stone  blind.  The  pony  sat  down  at  a  word  from  his  master,  and 
walked  upright  on  his  hind  legs  several  times  ai'ound  the  ring.  A 
hankerchief  was  thrown  down  in  the  ring,  and  the  pony  ordered 
by  his  master  to  find  it.  After  walking  around  a  few  minutes, 
,the  pony  came  to  a  stand  and  seized  the  article  in  its  mouth.  Sev- 
eral other  interesting  tricks  were  performed  by  this  blind  pony, 
but  the  most  laughable  scene  took  place  when  the  spotted  wild 
horse.  Tommy,  was  introduced.  He  presented  every  appearance 
of  a  wild  steed,  and  ran  restively  about  with  distended  nostrils  and 
fiery  eye,  his  mane  bristling  like  the  quills  of  a  fretful  porcupine, 
but  at  the  approach  of  his  master  he  became  as  tame  as  a  lamb. 
Every  one  was  invited  to  try  their  equestrian  skill  on  Tommy, 
and  all  who  tried  were  thrown  to  the  ground,  tenderly,  but  in  the 
twinkling  of  an  eye.  Mr.  Magner  offered  $100  to  any  one  who 
would  ride  Tommy  one  minute.  Several  tried,  but  none  were  re- 
warded with  success.  One  ambitious  gentleman  threw  off  hat, 
coat,  and  vest,  and  said  he  '  would  be  d — d  if  he  didn't  ride  him.' 


DETAILS   OF   TEACHING.  343 

Tommy  was  too  much  for  him.  He  was  thrown  several  times, 
and  finally  concluded  that  he  had  better  let  Tommy  have  his  own 
way." — Cleveland  Leader, 

"Fun  on  the  Paeade. 

"  The  parade  yesterday  morning  presented  such  a  lively  scene 
as  has  not  been  witnessed  for  some  time.  The  occasion  was  uhe 
exercise  of  some  trained  horses  by  Mr.  Magner.  Straw  was  plen  • 
tifully  strewn  on  the  ground,  and  expectation  was  high  while  the 
arrangements  w<?re  going  on.  A  cord(jn  of  boys  and  men  were 
arrange*],  a  rope  placed  in  their  hands,  and  a  ring  formed  around 
the  straw,  into  which  soon  pranced  the  first  animal.  This  one  cut 
up  all  sorts  of  circus  capers,  the  most  notable  and  most  heartily 
applauded  feat  being  the  dexterous  unseating  of  a  small  colored 
boy,  who  had  the  hardihood  to  allow  himself  to'be  placed  astride 
tlie  animal.  Next  came  a  totally  blind  animal,  which  jDcrformed 
miraculous  antics  at  bidding. 

"  The  last  feature  was  the  crowning  one.  A  spotted  horse 
was  let  into  the  arena  amid  the  plaudits  of  the  vast  assemblage 
present  on  the  ground,  and  the  Reform  Club,  which  appeared  en 
masse  at  the  windows.  After  various  gesticulations  by  the  horse, 
a  challenge  was  sent  to  the  multitude  for  some  one  to  mount.  A 
larger  darkey  essayed  the  task ;  but  no  soon(n'  had  he  pronounced 
himself  'ready,'  than  spotty  raised  his  hindermost  legs,  lowered 
his  head,  and  L.  D.  went  careering  through  the  air.  '  Golly, 
boss !  dat  hoss  can't  do  dat  again ; '  and  so  up  he  went  again,  to  be 
treated  the  same  Avay,  only  more  so.  A  fairer  complexioned  au- 
ditor then  attempted  it,  but  he  was  treated  in  like  manner.  In 
fact,  it  is  quite  impossible  for  any  one  to  remain  seated  when  that 
horse  takes  a  notion  to  unseat  him.  The  prompt  unseating  of 
these  two  worthies  so  amused  the  multitude  that  Mr.  M.  thouo-ht 
they  had  had  fun  enough  for  one  day,  and  so  announced  the  show 
ovei'. 

"  His  class  in  this  city  was  a  large  one,  numbering  over  forty 
members,  comprising  our  leading  citizens,  all  of  whom  acknowledge 
the  superiority  of  his  system  over  those  of  other  trainers  who  have 
visited  this  locality. 

"  His  power  over  untamed  horses  is  said  to  be  marvelous." — 
New-London  (Conn.)  Eveniiig  Gazette. 

"A  Wonderful  Performing  Blind  Horse. 

"Among  Prof.  Magner 's  fine  troupe  of  horses  is  one  that  is 
blind.  This  beautiful  pony — for  he  is  a  beauty — is  a  wonder.  He 
seems  to  understand  every  word  said  to  him.  and  will  perform  the 


344  TEACHING   TEICKS. 

most  difficult  fcais  with  an  ease  and  rapidity  that  is  siirprisint^. 
He  will  go  to  any  part  of  the  ring,  find  and  bring  a  handkerchief, 
take  it  from  his  leg,  or  any  |)art  of  his  body,  go  lame,  go  right  or 
left,  back,  go  ahead,  sit  down  like  a  dog  on  either  side,  squeal  like 
a  pig,  roll  over,  walk  and  kick  on  his  knees,  put  his  cars  back  and 
forward,  kiss,  with  many  other  tricks,  showing  the  greatest  intel- 
ligence and  most  skillful  training. 

"  He  was  not  touched  with  a  whip  during  the  whole  perform- 
ance. The  Professor  simply  stood  at  the  center-pole,  and  talked 
to  him  as  he  would  to  a  boy.  He  is,  without  a  doubt,  the  finest 
and  most  remarkable  performing  horse  in  the  world." — Cleveland 
Leader. 

"An  Exciting  Incident. 

"  Mr.  Magner's  tent  is  crowded  daily  to  witness  the  perform- 
ances of  his  wonderful  ponies,  and  attend  his  lectures.  One  of 
these  beautiful  ponies,  among  other  amusing  performances,  will 
throw  any  one  from  his  back.  Yesterday,  when  Tommy  was 
introduced,  a  crack  circus-rider  came  forward  to  ride  him  for  the 
reward  of  one  hundred  dollars.  He  stated  that  he  came  to  Buf- 
falo to  get  the  money,  as  he  could  ride  Tonnny,  or  any  other  horse, 
as  long  as  he  pleased.  At  this  turn  in  afiairs,  a  genei'al  stir  was 
manifested,  which  culminated  in  the  most  intense  excitement.  It 
was  proved  that  no  ordinary  man  could  ride  the  cunning  little  fel- 
low, as  shown  by  his  performances  for  weeks.  But  here  was  a 
trained  athlete,  that  could  turn  a  somersault  on  a  horse  bare-back 
without  being  thrown ;  would  it  be  possible  to  throw  him  ?  There 
were  serious  appi-ehensions  that  he  could  not.  Mr.  Magner  stood 
silent  a  moment,  with  the  I'eserve  characteristic  of  him,  contem- 
plating the  intruder,  as  if  to  say,  You  may,  perhaps,  do  it,  but  not 
if  I  can  prevent  it ;  while  the  other  stood  with  folded  arms,  show- 
ing the  most  perfect  confidence  in  himself. 

"  It  was  a  scene  worthy  the  brush  of  a  painter.  The  immense 
throng  present  were  hushed  into  silence,  waiting  for  the  contest. 
A  signal  brought  Tonmiy  upon  a  run.  The  whip  was  passed 
around  his  nose  quietly,  when  the  athlete  was  invited  to  come  for- 
ward, who,  disdaining  help,  lightly  bounded  upon  the  pony's  back ; 
but  before  he  had  time  to  say  Jack  Robinson,  Tommy  commenced 
a  series  of  gyrations  that  would  astonish  an  Indian,  and  sent  his 
man  fully  six  feet  into  the  air.  It  was  beautifully  and  grandly 
accomplished;  but  would  he,  could  he,  do  it  again? 

"  The  trial  was  made,  and,  as  before,  the  pony  went  into  the 
air  with  the  quickness  of  lightning,  and,  aftei'  a  little  more  pro- 
longed effort,  sent  his  man  heavily  to  the  ground.  But  the  con- 
test was  not  yet  over.     All  the  desperation  that  pride  and  confi- 


DETAILS   OP   TEACHING.  345 

dence  could  excite  seemed  to  be  now  called  into  the  actions  of  the 
man  for  a  final  test.  He  mounted  more  carefully,  ami,  with  a 
grasp  of  iron,  awaited  the  onset.  It  soon  came ;  for  Tommy,  seem- 
ing to  be  now  conscious  of  the  task  upon  him,  twisted  and  turned 
and  jumped  as  if  a  demon,  his  eyes  flashing  fire,  until,  with  a 
tremendous  bound,  he  sent  the  man  high  in  the  air  from  his  l)ack, 
this  time  fully  vanquished.  It  was  a  grand  performance.  Many, 
with  feelings  of  intense  admiration,  crowded  forward  to  caress  the 
noble  little  fellow,  while  Mr.  Magner  seemed  as  proud  of  his  pet 
as  if  he  had  won  a  kingdom.  It  was  the  finest  and  most  exciting 
exhibition  we  ever  witnessed." — Buffalo  (N.  Y. )  Courier. 

To  Walk  upon  his  Hind  Feet. 

To  teach  a  horse  to  walk  upon  hi.s  hind  feet,  put  on  the 
First  Form  of  War  Bridle,  and  while  holding  a  short  whip 
in  the  right  hand,  with  the  left  give  little  sharp  jerks  upon 
the  cord,  which  will  throw  the  head  up.  At  each  inclina- 
tion to  do  this,  touch  hiin  under  the  jaw  with  the  whip, 
and  encourage  until  he  will  raise  the  fore  feet  from  the 
ground  and  stand  straight.  When  he  learns  to  stand  up 
step  forward  of  him  a  little,  and  ask  him  to  come.  If  he 
tries  to  come  down,  touch  him  sharply  under  the  jaw  to 
keep  him  up,  and  repeat  until  he  makes  an  effort  to  walk 
in  this  position,  for  which  caress  and  reward.  A  lesson 
should  not  be  continued  longer  than  a  few  minutes,  and  at 
first  should  not  be  repeated  more  than  twice  a  day.  By 
perseverance  in  this  way,  a  horse  will  soon  learn  when  he 
gets  up  to  balance  himself,  and  take  two  or  three  steps  for- 
ward. 

This  is  a  trick  some  horses  cannot  be  made  to  do,  be- 
cause they  have  not  strength  enough  in  the  loins  and  hind 
legs  to  get  up  and  walk.  "  Blind  Billy  "  is  wonderfully 
strong  in  this  respect.  He  frequently  walked  twice  around 
a  thirty-four-foot  ring  without  coming  down,  and  without 
being  touched.  This  was  the  greatest  performance  of  the 
kind  I  ever  knew^,  but  the  secret  of  it  was  the  strength  of 


U6  TEACHING  TEICK8. 

his  back  and  quarters.  One  of  the  most  interesting  tricks 
that  "Blind  Billy"  does  is  squealing  at  command.  He 
first  squealed  by  chance,  when  he  was  put  in  the  same  po- 
sition again,  and  made  to  repeat  it.  The  same  is  true  of 
"'  Gilford's  "  groaning.  He  first  groaned  by  chance,  and 
was  then  made  to  do  it  afterward. 

To  Walk  upon  his  Knees. 

To  teach  a  horse  to  walk  upon  his  knees,  first  teach  him 
with  a  whip  to  go  down  upon  his  knees,  than  pull  him  ahead 


Fig   389.  —Tommy  in  his  vicious  act — chasing  a  boy  out  of  the  ring. 


a  little  by  the  halter,  until  he  will  make  an  effort  to  walk 
in  this  position.  At  first  he  will  make  an  effort  to  get  up, 
but  he  must  be  forced  back  again  until  he  learns  to  keep 
down  and  make  an  effort  to  come  ahead.  There  should  be 
plenty  of  soft  sod  or  straw  on  the  ground  to  prevent  hurt- 
ing the  knees.  It  requires  patience  to  teach  this  trick,  but 
once  started,  the  horse  will  soon  learn  to  walk  as  far  as 
desired. 

To  Chase  a  Man  out  of  the  Ring. 

To  teach  a  horse  to  chase  a  man  out  of  the  ring,  train 
him   first  with  a  whip,  then  step  away  from  him  a  little, 


DETAILS  OF   TEACHING.  347 

And  make  him  follow,  for  which  reward  him.  When  he 
will  chase  you  across  the  ring,  turn  short  around  and  face 
him.  He  is  now  to  come  straight  up  to  you  without  biting  ; 
but  so  long  as  you  run  from  him,  he  is  to  run  after  you. 
The  proper  course  is  to  run  out  under  the  ropes,  and  when 
he  follows  you,  rew^ard  him.  An  intelligent  pony  will  learn 
to  do  this  very  quickly. 

Driving  without  Reins.  • 

Twenty  years  ago,  driving  a  horse  without  reins  was 


Fig.  240. — Turco  and  Gilford,  as  driven  without  reins. 

regarded  as  one  of  the  most  interesting  feats  of  training 
ever  exhibited.  People  would  come  from  all  parts  of  the 
country,  often  as  far  as  twenty  miles,  to  see  a  spirited  stall- 
ion driven  to  a  carriage  without  bridle  or  reins, — turning, 
stopping,  backing,  driving  fast  or  slow,  etc.,  by  the  motion 
and  control  of  a  whip.  Yet  it  is  one  of  the  most  simple 
feats  of  training  imaginable.  The  idea  of  this  method  of 
training  after  a  time  becoming  quite  generally  known,  so 
many  common  horses  were  trained  in  this  way  it  soon  lost 
its  novelty.  It  is,  however,  so  interesting  a  feature  that 
I  will  give  the  full  details  of  its  management : — 

First,  put  on  an  open  bridle,   with  the   reins   resting 


348  TEACHING  TRICKS. 

loosely  upon  the  neck.  Provide  yourself  with  a  straight 
buggy  whip  having  a  straight  or  bow  top.  Stand  opposite 
the  back,  grasp  the  rein  just  short  enough  to  take  up  the 
slack,  but  not  tight  enough  to  pull  on  the  head.  Now  with 
the  whip  commence  tapping  lightly  about  at  the  center  of 
the  off  shoulder,  when  the  horse  will  bring  his  head  around 
a  little  to  avoid  the  annoyance.  By  pulling  now  slightly 
upon  the  rein,  he  will  step  around  to  the  right,  when  caress 
him  and  give  an  apple,  etc.,  and  so  repeat  until  he  will  step 
around  promptly  Avhen  touched  with  a  whip.  Now  go 
around  opposite  the  hip,  holding  the  rein  moderately  tight, 
and  touch  the  shoulder,  as  before,  with  the  whip.  When 
he  steps  around,  caress.  So  repeat  until  he  will  come 
around  promptly  at  the  motion  of  the  whip  alone.  Next, 
go  to  the  opposite  side,  and  so  repeat  until  he  will  step 
around  in  either  direction  desired. 

The  next  step  is  to  teach  him  to  stop  at  the  motion  of 
the  whip.  With  the  horse  in  a  corner  well  up  against  the 
wall,  stand  on  the  near  side  well  back  toward  the  hip,  and 
bring  the  whip  gently  up  on  the  back  of  the  head,  so  that 
the  lash  will  reach  over  upon  the  fore  head.  Tap  lightly 
at  first,  then  a  little  harder  until  he  will  step  back  a  little, 
for  which  instantly  caress,  and  repeat  until  he  will  go  back 
promptly. 

It  will  be  necessary  now  to  provide  a  whip  sufficiently 
long  that  while  standing  at  the  hip  or  tail,  it  will  reach  the 
head,  so  that  in  moving,  when  the  whip  is  raised,  the  horse 
will  instantly  stop.  If  he  does  not,  he  can  be  hit  sharply 
to  compel  him  to  do  so.  Repeat  in  this  way  until  he  can  be 
stopped  or  forced  back  under  any  excitement. 

The  next  step  is  to  turn  him  right  and  left  as  if  driving 
with  reins.  To  do  this,  grasp  the  tail  with  one  hand,  and 
with  the  other  bring  the  whip  to  the  shoulder  ngain,  and 
tap  it  as  before  until  he  will  step  around.    When  he  is  about 


DETAILS   OF   TEACHING.  349 

half  way  around,  bring  the  whip  to  the  opposite  shoulder, 
striking  him  sh'arply  until  he  will  turn  in  that  direction. 
Simply  repeat  until  he  will  turn  in  any  direction  desired. 

Now  get  in,  and  let  the  reins  extend  back  under  you 
upon  the  seat,  but  so  loosely  that  they  will  not  bring  any 
restraint  upon  the  head.  Catch  the  foot-strap  so  that  you 
can  pull  the  foot  up  at  will.  Now  repeat  the  lesson  of 
stopping,  and  starting,  and  turning  either  way,  until  he  is 
prompt  in  his  obedience.  In  the  meantime  should  he  try 
to  go  ahead,  pulling  the  foot  up  will  stop  him.  The 
reins  are  on  as  a  matter  of  convenience,  so  they  can  be 
used  when  necessary.  I  prefer,  however,  to  give  the  head 
perfect  freedom,  and  depend  upon  the  foot-strap  for  safety. 
In  my  practice  of  training  a  horse  to  drive  in  this  way,  I 
repeat  the  lesson  of  stopping,  etc.,  a  hundred  times  over, 
until  I  feel  sure  the  horse  is  perfectly  safe  to  drive  with  the 
whip. 

After  horses  are  trained  to  drive  single,  they  can  then  be 
put  together,  and  with  a  very  little  practice  they  will  drive 
equally  as  weU  double. 


CHAPTER   XII. 


EQUESTRIANISM, 


* 


That  there  is  no  exercise  to  be  compared  with  horse- 
back riding  is  conceded  by  all  well-read  physicians,  as  well 

as  by  all  ladies  and  gen- 
tlemen who  have  given 
it  a  test.  One  has  only 
to  look  at  a  person  re- 
turning from  a  ride  on 
the  saddle  to  see  at  once 
the  beneficial  result. 
The  tinge  on  the  cheek, 
and  ruddy  glow  on  the 
whole  face  and  neck,  is 
a  positive  assurance  of 
the  fact.  It  will  prove 
a  sure  cure  for  dyspepsia 
in  its  worst  form,  if  one 
will  but  persevere  in 
the  delightful  recreation. 
But  some  one  will  say, 
'•  Oh,  I  cannot  ride 
horse-back  ;  it  is  too  vi- 
olent an  exercise."  And 
why?     Simply  because 


Fig.  241. — Horseback  Riding. 


*By  request  of  the  writer,  this  paper  was  furnished  by  J.  W.  Robinson,  Esq., 
of  Portland,  Me.,  a  practical  teacher  of  Esquestriauism  of  many  years  experience. 
(850) 


PKACTICAL   HINTS.  351 

the  attempt  is  made  without  any  knowledge  of  the  art,  if 
it  may  be  so  called.  The  fundamental  principle  of  the  art 
of  learning  to  ride  is  to  learn  one  thing  at  a  time,  and  learn 
to  do  that  well,  before  attempting  to  do  anything  else. 
The  first  thing  to  learn  is  how  to  sit  upon  a  horse.  One 
should  become  perfectly  at  home  in  a  saddle  upon  a  con- 
stantly moving  horse,  so  that  wdiether  it  walks,  trots,  can- 
ters, shies,  or  jumps,  he  will  either  not  lose,  or  will  imme- 
diately regain,  his  position.  The  proper  seat  is  a  firm  one 
in  the  saddle,  with  the  legs  below  the  knee  free,  and  the 
body  above  the  waist  supple  and  pliable.  Whatever  move- 
ment the  horse  makes,  whether  to  the  right  or  left,  or  tip- 
ping backward  or  forward,  the  hips  must  conform  to  it, 
while  the  legs  from  the  knees  downward  are  free  to  obey 
the  rider's  will,  and  the  upper  part  of  the  body  retains  its 
balance  by  accommodating  itself  instinctively  to  every 
movement.  If  the  upper  part  of  the  body  be  kept  rigid, 
its  effect  will  be  to  remove  the  hips  from  their  place  in  the 
saddle.  If,  on  the  other  hand,  it  be  flexible,  it  will  yield 
and  sway  with  every  movement,  and  will  be  left  free  to 
obey  the  motions  of  the  saddle. 

In  Tommy's  act  of  throwing  the  boys,  described  in 
another  chapter,  Avhenever  a  boy  or  young  man  would  sit 
in  the  saddle  rigidly,  with  a  firm  grasp  of  the  mane,  no 
matter  how  strong  or  supple  he  might  be,  the  pony  would 
throw  him  with  ureat  ease,  and  with  the  force  of  a  bullet, 
from  his  back ;  but  when  a  young  man  came  in  who  would 
sit  and  balance  himself  on  the  pony's  back  as  if  with  the 
greatest  carelessness,  harmonizing  the  motions  of  his  body 
freely  with  those  of  the  pony  in  the  attempt  to  throw  him, 


was  not  quite  so  full  in  detail  on  some  points  as  was  thought  necessary,  the  author 
has  taken  the  liberty,  not  being  himself  a  practical  equestrian,  to  appropriate  and 
insert  instructions  from  the  best  modern  authorities,  being  especially  indebted  to  a 
series  of  papers  written  by  Col.  Geo.  E.  Warring,  and  published  in  the  American 
Agriculturist. 


352 


EQUESTRIANISM. 


it  would  frequently  require  the  greatest  effort  to  dislodge 
the  rider. 

The  position  assumed  in  the  saddle  should  be  with  the 
weight  of  the  body  supported  directly  under  the  hips,  the 
spine  curved  inward,  and  the  head  and  chest  thrown  back- 
ward. We  give  two  illustrations  from  Leach,  showing  the 
insecure  and  the  secure  position  in  riding.      The   lidcr  in 


Fig.  243. — Au  insecure  position. 

the  first  illustration  exhibits  the  greatest  caution  and  tim- 
idity, v/ith  his  body  bent  forward,  and  his  whole  attitude 
one  of  rigidity.  The  second  illustrates  the  freedom  with 
which  the  body  may  be  managed  when  the  seat  is  secure. 
When  a  landsman  first  goes  to  sea,  he  finds  it  extremely 
difficult  to  adapt  himself  to  the  motions  of  the  vessel,  stum- 
bling and  falling  like  a  child  learning  to  walk ;  but  with 
practice  he  soon  gets  what  is  termed  his  "  sea-legs."  The 
principle  is  the  same  in  learning  to  adjust  one's  self  to  the 
jftotioiis  of  the  horse  in  riding, 


PEACTICAL  HINTS. 


353 


The  learner  should  make  no  attempt  to  guide  or  manage 
his  horse,  nor  even  trouble  him.self  how  to  mount  and  dis- 
mount. Let  him  get  into  the  saddle,  turn  his  toes  inward, 
press  his  knees  against  the  saddle,  but  not  his  calves,  bring- 
ing the  flat  of  the  thighs  in  the  largest  contact  with  it. 
Curve  the  spine  inward,  and  throw  the    shoulders    back. 


Fig.  243. — A  secure  scat. 

Let  the  arms  hang  listlessly  by  the  side.  Holding  mainly 
by  the  knees,  shift  the  seat  from  side  to  side  and  from 
front  to  rear,  with  as  little  swaying  as  possible  of  the  up- 
per part  of  the  body.  Continue  this  practice,  no  matter 
how  long  it  takes,  until  the  seat  is  firm,  and  the  learner  can 
move  in  any  direction  while  keeping  the  spine  curved  in- 
ward.    When  the  lider  has  accustomed  himself  to  the  sloy 

83 


354 


EQUESTRIANISM. 


motion  of  a  walk,  let  the  speed  be  increased,  until  finally 
the  horse  is  galloj^ed  with  a  long  bridle  reiii,  under  all  his 
motions,  and  the  rider  feels  comfortable  and  easy,  and  has 
learned  to  depend  only  on  his  thighs  and  the  flexibility  of 
the  body  to  maintain  his  position. 


Fia.  244. — A  good  model  of  riding-horse. 

Having  perfectly  accustomed  himself  to  the  seat,  the 
pupil  may  now  put  his  feet  in  the  stirrups,  and  learn  their 
use.  They  should  be  used  as  a  matter  of  comfort  and  con- 
venience, as  it  is  fatiguing  to  rido  Avith  the  legs  dangling  at 
the  horse's  side.  In  walking,  a  gentle  support  of  the  stir- 
rups keeps  the  l)ody  from  swaying  from  side  to  side  as  the 
horse  moA^es.  In  trotting, — when  stirrups  are  almost  in- 
dispensable,— they  permit  the  horseman  to  either  "  rise  to 


PEACTICAL  HINTS.  355 

the  trot,"  or  to  distribute  the  shock  in  "riding  hard"  be- 
tween the  feet,  the  seat,  and  the  thighs,  so  that  it  is  no 
longer  a  shock,  but  becomes  a  quick,  easy  movement.  The 
stirrup  leathers  should  be  so  adjusted  that  the  iron  will  just 
touch  the  bottom  of  the  feet,  giving  them  support  without 
raising  their  position,  while  the  inner  part  of  the  thighs,  as 
far  down  as  the  knees,  are  pressing  firmly  and  immovably 
against  the  saddle,  and  the  legs  below  the  knees  hanging 
vertically. 

In  ordinary  riding  it  is  best  to  have  the  ball  of  the  foot 
touch  the  stirrups,  as  the  play  of  the  ankle-joint  gives  more 
elasticity  to  the  support.  But  in  gallojjing  or  leaping  it  is 
best  to  ''  driA^e  the  feet  home,"  and  carry  the  stirrups  in  the 
hollow  of  the  foot.  We  consider  the  wooden  stirrup  in  com- 
mon use  in  this  country  to  be  the  safest  and  best. 

The  main  office  of  the  stirrups  is  to  rest  the  legs,  while  at 
the  same  time  they  assist  in  maintaining  a  proper  position. 
But  in  case  of  any  sudden  start,  the  knees  and  thighs  should 
be  at  once  performing  their  duty  of  grasping  the  saddle. 
They  cannot  do  this  if  the  weight  is  thrown  too  much  upon 
the  feet.  It  is  also  important  to  learn  how  to  stand  in  the 
stirrups  while  the  horse  is  in  motion,  turning  so  as  to  look 
to  the  rear,  to  throw  the  weight  first  on  one  foot  and  then 
on  the  other,  and  to  assume  every  possible  position  rapidly 
and  easily;  for  all  this  adds  to  security,  freedom,  and  grace 
in  the  seat. 

The  following  is  the  correct  manner  of  mounting  by  the 
aid  of  the  stirrups :  First,  take  the  reins  in  your  left  hand 
just  over  the  horse's  withers.  Stand  with  your  right  side 
to  the  horse,  not  too  near,  and  put  the  left  foot  in  the  stir- 
rup. Grasp  the  horse's  mane  with  the  rein  hand,  the  pom- 
mel of  the  saddle  with  the  other,  give  a  spring  with  the 
right  foot  and  vault  into  the  saddle,  throwing  the  leg  back 
and  over  the  horse.     Now  rest  the  ball  of  the  feet  in  the 


356 


EQUESTEIANISM. 


stirrup,    and  close  ilic  knees  against  the  horse  to  keep  a 
firm  seat  while  trotting  fast. 

It  is  impossible  to  ride  really  avcII  on  an  average  horse 

without  a  curb  bit; 
but  it  is  impossible 
to  ride  well  on  any 
horse  unless  the 
curb  bit  is  properly 
made  and  projjcrly 
adjusted.  And  no 
one  can  either  ride 
with  pleasure  or  be- 
come really  a  good 
horseman  on  a  horse 
that  is  in  constant 
pain  from  an  ill-fit- 
ting bit. 

The  beginner  should  use  the  reins  of  the  snaffle  only, 
grasping  a  rein  in  each  hand  at  a  length  that  will  give  him 
command  of  the  horse.  The  proper  manner  of  holding  the 
reins,  is,  however,  in  the  left  hand,  the  curb  reins  divided 


Fig.  245. — Position  in  mounting. 


Fig.  246.— Army  Bit. 


Fio.  247.— Ordinary  Bit. 


by  the  little  finger,  the  snaffle  reins  divided  by  the  middle 
fmger,  the  ends  of  both  sets  carried  up  through  the  hand 
and    secured    by  the  thumb,  which  should  be  uppermost, 


PRACTICAL  HINTS. 


357 


Fig.  248. — Holding  the  reins. 


and  pointed  to  the   ears  of   the    hoi-sc.      B}^   bonding   the 

wrist  to  the  right,  so  that  the  knuckles  come  npjterniost, 

the  horse    is    turned    to    the 

right.     By  bending  the  wrist 

to  the  left,  so  that  the  finger- 
nails    come     uppermost,    the 

horse  will  be  turned    to    the 

left.     There  should  never  be 

tension  on  the  two  bits  at  the 

same  time.     The  horse  should 

be  ridden  upon  the  curb ;  the 

snafHe  should  be  used  to  fix 

the  heiaht  of  its  head,    and 

occasionally  to  take  the  place 

of  the   curb    to   freshen   the 

mouth. 

Particular  attention  should 

be  given  to  having  the  saddle  adapted  to  the  size  of  the 

person  who  is  to  use  it.     If  it  is  too  large  for  the  rider, 

it  will  not  only  give  him  dis- 
comfort, but  will  increase  the 
difficulty  of  acquiring  a  seat. 
Invalids,  or  those  not  ac- 
customed to  horseback  rid- 
ing, should  select  a  horse 
that  is  gentle  and  fearless, 
easily  managed,  sure-footed, 
and  elastic  in  action.  A 
riding-horse  should  not  be 
used  in  harness,  as  this  soon 
destroys    the    elasticity  and 

Fig.  249.— Ordinary  side-saddle.  ,■,  o         •• 

smoothness  of  action  neces- 
sary for  easy  riding.  If  the  horse  is  at  all  vicious  and  un- 
manageable, he  should  be  subjected  to  such  treatment  (as 


n58 


EQUESTRIANISM. 


explained  under  that  lioad)  as  will  insure  his  entire  docility 
and  easy  management.  This  is  ^particularly  necessary  be- 
fore attempting  to  ride  him  in  the  street. 

Much  of  the  foregoing  instruction  will  apply  to  ladies 
learning  to  ride  horseback.  The  lady  should  so  sit  upon 
the  horse  that  her  weight  will  fall  perpendicularly  to  the 


Fig.  250. — Position  in  the  saddle 

back  of  the  horse,  her  face  directly  to  the  front,  her  shoul- 
ders drawn  back,  and  her  elbows  held  to  her  sides.  She 
will  permit  her  body,  from  the  hips  upward,  to  bend  with 
the  motions  of  the  horse,  in  order  that  she  may  preserve 
her  balance.  The  right  knee  will  hold  the  upright  horn 
close  in  the  bend  of  the  knee.  The  left  foot  will  be  thrust 
into  the  stirrup  to  the  ball  of  the  foot,  and  the  heel  wall,  as 
a  rule,  be  carried  down.  But  when  the  heel  is  elevated, 
the  upper  part  of  the  left  knee  should  find  support  in  the 


PRACTICAL  HINTS. 


359 


side  horn,  and  for  tlint  end  the  stirrup  leather  shonhl  be 
given  such  a  length  as  will  permit  this.  A  lady  should 
noA^er  be  mounted  on  a  weak  or  stumbling  horse. 

The  reins  are  to  be  held  in  the  left  hand,  as  already 
described,  and  in  a  line  with  the  elbow.  The  whip  should 
be  carried  in  the  right  hand,  with  the  jioint    toward    the 


Fig.  251.— Good  ijositiou. 

ground.  It  takes  the  place  of  the  right  leg  of  the  man, 
and  the  horse  should  be  trained  to  answer  to  its  applicadon 
in  exactly  the  same  way  as  to  the  pressure  of  the  man's 
leg.  The  horse  should  never  be  struck  with  the  whip  upon 
the  head,  neck,  or  shoulders,  as  such  whipping  will  render 
him  nervous,  and  may  cause  him  to  swerve. 

It  does  not  come  within  the  limits  of  an  abbreviated 
article  of  this  character  to  give  the  details  for  the  training 
of  a  horse  to  the  different  gaits  and  tricks  of  Avhich  he  is 


3G0  EQUESTlilANlSM. 

capable  under  the  saddle,  as  there  are  a  great  variety  of 
works  imparting  this  knowledge  in  full,  which  are  easily 
accessible  by  those  who  desire  it.  With  these  suggestions, 
and  suffieiont  practice,  any  one  may  enjoy  this  the  best  of 
all  modes  of  exercise. 

If  people  would  generally  adopt  liorseback  riding,  they 
would  starve  out  half  of  our  doctors,  and  w^ould  live  in  the 
enjoyment  of  much  better  health  than  they  now  do.  I 
will  give  here  one  of  the  many  cases  of  restoration  to  health 
from  this  exercise  that  have  come  under  my  notice  :  A 
lady  (whose  name  I  will  omit)  came  into  my  riding-j)ark 
in  a  hack  from  her  home  about  a  mile  distant.  I  arranged 
a  stand  so  that  she  could  step  upon  it,  and  sit  down  in  the 
saddle  without  any  effort.  I  led  the  horse  around  at  a 
walking  pace  for  about  twenty  minutes,  when  she  dis- 
mounted quite  exhausted,  and  was  taken  home.  The  next 
day  she  came  again  in  the  carriage  and  took  another  short 
lesson,  and  so  continued  to  do  three  or  four  times  a  "week 
for  about  four  months.  During  this  time  she  gained  in 
strength  to  such  an  extent  that  at  the  expiration  of  the 
time  she  rode  by  car  to  Boston,  a  distance  of  twenty-five 
miles,  did  some  shopping,  thence  to  Cambridge  to  dine  with 
her  mother,  and  then  returned  home  and  rode  ten  miles  on 
horseback.  At  the  end  of  her  ride  she  said  to  me,  "I  feel 
no  more  fatigued  than  I  did  this  morning  wdien  I  started 
for  Boston." 

This  is  only  one  of  the  many  cases  that  have  come  un- 
der my  observation  of  regaining  health  from  this  exercise. 
Let  every  one  have  good  practical  training  if  possible,  but 
get  the  exercise  at  all  events,  if  you  cannot  have  the  train- 
ing. 

In  corroboration  of  what  Mr.  Robinson  says  on  the  ben- 
eficial effects  of  horseback  riding,  I  copy  the  foil  jwing  par- 
agraphs from  a  valuable  little  work  on  "  Horseback  Riding 
from  a  Medical  Standpoint,"  by  Dr.  Durant,  of  New  York : — 


PKACTICAL  HINTS.  361 

"  Horseback  riding,  as  we  have  seen,  is  one  of  the  most  ener- 
getic moditiers  of  the  circulation ;  it  distributes  the  blood  equally 
to  every  part  of  the  capillary  net- work,  giving  to  each  part  its 
due  proportion,  by  maintaining  a  due  tension  in  every  part  by 
equalizing  the  temperature ;  it  prevents  equally  aneemia  and  hy- 
peraemia,  and  sanguineous  stagnation,  by  the  impulsion  which  it 
gives  to  the  circulatory  phenomena,  and  aids  nutrition  by  the  ac- 
celeration of  the  respiratory  and  digestive  phenomena.  It  is  by 
its  effect  upon  tho  reactions  of  the  blood  to  the  nervous  system 
that  horseback  riding  produces  such  a  happy  influence. 

"  The  effect  of  horseback  riding  upon  the  functions  of  the  sys- 
tem, is  especially  remarkable  upon  that  of  digestion.  It  stimu- 
lates the  appetite,  excites  and  perfects  digestion,  favors  absorp- 
tion— in  fact,  to  use  a  trivial  expression,  '  it  makes  the  bits  go 
down.'  These  are  not  the  only  results  of  the  new  energy  im- 
parted to  the  functions  which  we  have  studied,  all  of  which  con- 
cur in  the  accomplishment  of  this  special  one ;  it  exercises  a  special 
influence  upon  the  muscular  fibre  of  the  coats  of  the  stomach  and 
the  intestines.  These  viscera  may  be  considei'ed  as  fairly  sus- 
pended in  the  abdominal  cavity,  where  they  are  barely  held  and 
limited  in  their  movements  by  the  folds  of  the  peritoneum.  Each 
shock  from  the  horse  shakes  them  and  makes  them  roll,  as  it  were, 
upon  each  other,  and  causes  the  changes  in  the  relations  of  the 
convolutions  of  the  intestines.  These  shocks  and  knocks  and  rub- 
bings act  as  a  mechanical  excitant  upon  the  muscular  fibre,  which 
in  consequence  contracts  with  more  energy,  preserving,  however, 
the  peculiar  character  of  the  fibre-cells ;  that  is,  of  contracting 
slowly  and  successively ;  the  action  of  the  fibre  being  increased 
and  the  peristaltic  contractions  acquiring  more  power,  there  re- 
sults from  it  a  more  intimate  mixture  of  the  juices  and  aliments 
in  the  stomach,  a  more  perfect  chymification  of  the  food,  and  a 
more  prompt  and  complete  absorption  of  matters  already  digested ; 
and,  lastly,  all  those  which  have  as  yet  escaped  the  process  are 
brought  into  the  portions  of  the  intestines  where  their  metamor- 
phosis is  effected." 


CHAPTER   XT II. 


SUBJECTION. 

In  this  chapter  I  wish  to  embody  explanations  which  I 
could  not  well  give  in  other  parts;  it  may  also  be  considered 
as  a  continuation  of  the  first  chapter. 

The  first  account  I  find  of  any  one  taming  a  horse  is 


Fig.  252. — The  leg  tied  up,  and  surcingle  on. 

that  of  Alexander  the  Great,  when  a  boy  of  seventeen, 
taming  Bucephalus,  The  story,  as  recorded,  is  as  follows  : 
A  horse  was  ofi'ercd  for  sale  to  PhiHp  of  Macedon,  who, 
perceiving  he  was  unmanageable,  ordered  him  to  be  taken 

(363) 


HISTOEICAL   FACTS. 


363 


out  of  camp.  Young  Alexander,  observing  that  the  horse 
was  simply  frightened  by  his  shadow,  took  him  by  the  head 
and  moved  him  about  so  that  he  could  not  see  it,  jumped 
upon  his  back  and  let  him  run.  The  whole  camp  was 
alarmed  for  the  safety  of  the  young  prince  borne  off  on  the 
furious  horse.  But  nothing  could  be  done,  as  the  horse  soon 
distanced  all  pursuers ;  and  when,  a  short  time  afterward, 
Alexander  rode  into  camp  entirely  unharmed,  with  the 
horse  gentle  and  manageable,  the  surprise  and  gratification 
of  all  were  great.  The  horse  had  simply  been  allowed  to 
run  until  exhausted,  when  he  became  manageable.  The 
same  method  of 
subjection,  with 
some  slight  varia- 
tions, is  still  prac- 
ticed by  the  peo- 
ple of  South  Amer- 
ica, and  by  the 
Indians  of  our  Western  Plains.  On  the  pampas  the  horse 
is  caught  with  a  lasso,  thrown  to  the  ground,  his  head  cov- 
ered with  a  blanket,  when  a  bridle  with  a  powerful  bit  and 
a  saddle  are  put  on.  He  is  then  mounted,  the  blanket 
pulled  off,  and  the  horse  in  his  fear  runs  or  bucks  until  ex- 
hausted, in  his  endeavor  to  throw  his  rider.  .  He  is  then 
turned  about  and  ridden  into  camp,  the  hair  of  his  tail 
squared  off  to  indicate  that  he  is  broken,  and  he  is  again 
turned  loose. 

The  Indians  of  our  Western  plains  catch  the  horse  with 
a  lasso,  and  with  a  small  hair  or  raw-hide  rope  form  a  noose 
around  the  lower  jaw  for  a  bridle,  mount,  and  let  the  horse 
run  until  exhausted.  Cold-blooded  horses  may  be  subdued 
with  considerable  success  by  this  means,  but  those  of  a 
warm-blooded,  courageous  nature,  if  given  freedom  to  run 
in  this  way,  would  be  liable  to  go  until  they  dropped  dead, 


Fig.  253.— The  Leg-strap. 


364 


SUBJECTION. 


or  until  the  constitution  was  so  seriously  injured  as  to  ruin 
them. 

Any  method  of  lowering  the  vitality  will  make  a  horse 
gentle,  such  as  physicking,  bleeding,  tying  down,  depriving 
of  water,  food,  sleep,  subjecting  to  intense  pain,  etc.,  which 
can  be  carried  to  any  extent  desired ;  but  the  trouble  is 
that  when  the  horse  regains  his  strength,  or  recovers  from  the 


Fig.  254. — The  horse  ready  to  l.e  thrown. 

effects  of  the  pain,  he  is  liable  to  become  as  bad  as  be- 
fore. 

By  disabling  any  part  of  the  body,  there  will  be  pro- 
duced a  corresponding  sense  of  helplessness  and  submission. 
For  example,  tying  one  ear  down  or  twisting  it  is  regarded 
by  many  as  quite  a  secret  to  make  a  horse  stand  to  be  shod. 
It  is  quite  a  trick  among  many  jockeys,  in  driving  a  kicker, 
to  tie  the  tail  to  the  crosspiece,  or  forward  by  a  string  to 
the  belly-band,  having  discovered  that  a  horse  will  not  kick 
if  the  tail  is  disabled  or  cannot  be  raised.     It  is  on  this 


HISTOEICAL   FACTB.  365 

principle  that  many  headstrong  horses  can  be  driven  gentle 
by  checking  the  head  high.     A  man  named 

who  had  considerable  notoriety  as  a  horse-tamer  in  England 
nearly  one  hundred 
years  ago,  based 
his  whole  success 
in  the  management 
of  horses  upon  ty- 
ing up  the  fore  leg, 
Avhen  he  would 
mount  and  ride  the  ^^^-  "'^-^^^  ^"°'-^*'''^p  ^^^•^• 

horse  until  gentle.  Disabling,  or  tying  up  both  fore  legs, 
and  throwing  the  horse  down,  carried  this  principle  to  still 
greater  perfection.  The  first  published  account  I  find  of 
this  method  of  subjugation  being  practiced  was  by  a  man 
named 

who  lived  in  Stanton-le-Vale,  Lincolnshire,  England.  This 
man  had  quite  a  local  reputation  for  his  power  over  horses. 
A  correspondent  of  "  Bell's  Life,"  published  in  London,  who 
gave  Bull  one  guinea  to  teach  him  the  secret,  described  his 
method  as  follows  : — 

First,  buckle  a  surcingle  around  the  body ;  second,  tie 
up  the  fore  leg  by  buckling  a  strap  tightly  around  the  foot 
and  fore-arm  ;  next,  attach  a  strap  to  the  off  fore  foot,  bring 
it  over  the  horse's  back,  and  grasp  it  firmly  with  the  right 
hand.  With  the  left,  catch  the  near  rein  of  the  bridle,  and 
pull  the  head  around  toward  you.  When  the  horse  is  made 
to  step,  pull  the  foot  from  under  him,  bringing  him  on  his 
knees,  when  in  a  short  time  he  will  lie  down ;  this  was  the 
whole  secret.  In  the  account,  the  correspondent  referred 
to  Bull's  control  of  several  horses^  niaking  them  lie  down^ 
get  up,  etc.,  at  command, 


366  SUBJECTION. 

We  also  learn  that  about  the  year  1800  a  man  named 


CTTjnyniPEii; 


Fig.  256. — The  Bridle  used  to  prevent  biting 


TSIE    XI^ZSH: 


in  Yorkshire,  England, 
was  quite  celebrated  for 
his  power  over  horses, 
although  he  kept  his 
method  a  great  secret. 
The  following  account 
shows  that  his  method 
was  the  same  as  Bull's  : 
A  corresf>ondent  in  the 
Veterinarian,  named  Cas- 
tly,  in  referring  to  a  cer- 
tain horse  given  Jumper 
to  break,  says  that  in 
ten  days  he  brought 
him  home  perfectly  sub- 
dued, for  he  would  lie 
dotvn,  and  rise  again,  at 
his  command. 

About  the  same   time 
/    a  man   named    Sullivan, 
better  known  as 


who  lived  in  Mallow,  in  the  County  of  Cork,  Ireland,  had 
quite  a  local  reputation  for  his  power  over  horses.  His 
method  of  management  was  to  shut  himself  up  in  a  build- 
ing with  the  horse  to  be  subdued,  until  he  had  him  under 
control,  when  he  would  open  the  doors  and  exhibit  the  ef- 
fects of  his  treatment.  While  the  horse  was  standins: 
quietly,  he  would  occasionally  put  his  mouth  to  the  horse's 
ear  as  if  whispering  something  to  him;  hence  the  term 


HISTOEICAL   FACTS. 


367 


"  Whisperer  "  Sullivan.  Many  people,  even  of  intelligence, 
supposed  that  Sullivan's  control  was  supernatural.  Though 
an  ignorant  man  of  the  lowest  class,  and  addicted  to  drink- 
ing, he  was  evidently  a  shrewd  fellow  in  making  the  most  of 
his  secret.  It  is  stated  as  a  fact  that  the  parish  priest, 
whenever  he  saw  Sullivan  coming  toward  him  in  the  street, 
believing  he  was  in  league  with  the  devil,  would  cross  him- 


FiG.  257. — As  the  horse  is  liable  to  rear  and  plunge,  in  his 
resistance  to  being  thrown. 

self  and  take  the  opposite  side,  to  protect  himself  from  his 
supposed  Satanic  influence. 

Sullivan  would  not  reveal  his  secret,  but  there  is  no 
doubt  but  that  his  method  of  treatment  was  the  same  as  that 
practiced  by  Jumper  and  Bull.  When  exposed  to  the  pub- 
lic, the  horse  was  always  sweaty,  and  exhibited  the  general 
effects  of  exhaustion  usually  produced  by  this  method  of 
treatment.     According  to  report,  he  claimed  to  have   ob- 


368  SUBJECTION. 

tained  the  secret  from  a  soldier  who  had  been  in  service  in 
America,  in  return  for  treating  him  to  a  gallon  of  porter. 

The  first  man  in  this  country  of  whom  I  have  any  ac- 
count, claiming  to  have  the  secret  of  taming  horses,  was  one 
named 

who  traveled  in  the  Southwest.  But  it  was  admitted  that 
circus  men  understood  and  used  it  long  before  his  time.  He 
seems  to  have  kept  his  knowledge  a  secret ;  for  we  find 
that  but  very  few  obtained  it  of  him,  and  those  only  at  very 
large  prices. 

The  next  was 

formerly  of  New  London,  Ohio.  He  claims  to  have  traveled, 
when  young,  through  Mexico  and  Texas,  and  to  have  lived 
for  some  time  among  the  Comanchee  Indians.  I  do  not 
know  positively  whether  he  learned  the  secret  of  Offutt, 
but  I  so  inferred.  At  least,  he  practiced  the  method  prior 
to  1844,  when  he  was  quite  a  young  man,  as  will  be  shown 
hereafter.  But  no  great  stir  was  made  by  any  one  in  this 
field  of  effort  until  the  advent  of 

in  England,  in  1858.  Rarey  was  the  son  of  a  country  ho- 
tel-keeper in  Central  Ohio,  at  a  place  called  Groveport. 
When  of  age,  he  went  to  Texas,  and  on  his  return  traveled 
as  a  horse-tamer.  Finally,  arriving  at  Toronto,  Canada,  a 
gentleman  named  R.  A.  Goodenough,  an  American  banker 
and  produce  broker,  who  carried  on  a  large  stock-breeding 
farm,  became  interested  in  his  mode  of  treatment,  and  took 
him  to  England  for  the  purpose  of  teaching  the  system. 

There  were  several  circumstances  which  seemed  to  give 
him  immediate  notoriety:  1.  His  being  permitted  to  give 
m  exhibition  before  the  queen  and  ro^al  family  j    2.  IIi§ 


HISTORICAL  FACTS. 


369 


bold  pretensions  to  being  able  to  know  a  horse's  every 
thought,  and  to  subdue  any  horse  or  animal  in  the  world. 
In  proof  of  these  claims,  he  subdued  Cruiser  so  that  he  coul(^ 
handle  him  with  safety  before  the  public.  This  horse  was 
said  to  be  so  vicious  that  an  iron  muzzle  was  kept  on  him, 
and  he  was  shut  up  in  a  building  built  especially  for  him. 
He  next  subdued  a  horse  called  the  Stafford  Stallion, 
owned  by  the  emperor  of  France,  so  that  he  was  driven  in 
the  streets  of  Paris  for  two  weeks  by  the  side  of  a  mare. 


Fig.  258. — Usual  position  before  being  thrown. 

This  horse  was  so  vicious  that  he  had  killed  three  men, 
and  had  been  kept  confined  in  a  building  for  two  years.  A 
still  more  surprising  feat  was  the  subjection  of  a  zebra  from 
the  zoological  gardens  of  London. 

So  great  was  the  interest  excited  among  all  classes  in 
England  by  this  apparent  success,  that  two  thousand  sub- 
scribers Avere  obtained  to  learn  the  secret,  at  $50  each. 
But  when  he  came  to  reveal  his  method,  it  was  found,  or 
claimed,  to  be  based  wholly  upon  disabling  and  throwing 
the  horse,  the  same  as  Bull's  method,  excej)ting  that  in- 
stead of  bringing  the  strap  Avhich  was  attached  to  the  off 

34 


370 


SUBJECTION. 


fore  leg,  over  the  back,  it  was  l)rought  under  the  body,  over 
the  surcingle.  (See  cut  254.)  The  horse  was  then  brought 
upon  his  knees,  and  held  there  until  he  would  lie  down, 
when  he  was  handled  and  caressed  until  reconciled  to  the 
restraint  and  submissive  to  control. 

This  treatment  was  so  simple,  and  the  change  produced 
in  so  short  a  time  seemed  so  remarkable,  that  it  Avas  surpris- 
ing, as  there  was  no  idea  at  that  time  that  a  horse  could  be 


Fig.  259. — The  horse  subdued. 

so  acted  upon  directly  as  to  change  his  character.  What 
little  knowledge  there  was  on  the  subject  was  possessed  by 
but  few,  who  kept  it  a  great  secret.  The  submission  was 
all  that  could  be  desired,  so  far  as  the  lying  down  and 
handling  afterward  while  on  his  feet  was  concerned,  but 
was  not  by  any  means  sufficient  in  the  management  of  bad 
cases  (which  was  not  explained)  to  hold  him  submissive 
afterward  in  other  positions.  (See  first  chapter,  "  First 
Method  of  Subjection,"  also  the  close  of  this  paper.) 

But  over  against  these  achievements  were  the  unpleas- 


HISTOEICAL  FACTS.  371 

ant  facts  that  the  cases  upon  which  he  claimed  his  reputa- 
tion, out  of  his  hands  became  again  as  vicious  as  before,  and 
that  Cruiser,  for  this  reason,  was  finally  presented  to  him  by 
the  owner.  In  showing  him  in  this  country,  as  an  evidence 
of  his  previously  bad  character,  Rarey  exhibited  the  big 
iron  muzzle  which  he  claimed  the  horse  had  worn  before 


Fig.  260. — The  first  step  in  the  improved  method  of  throwing. 

being  subdued  by  him.  I  include  here  illustrations  of  the 
treatment,  which,  with  the  explanation  gi^^en  of  it  in  the 
reference  to  Bull,  will  make  it  sufficiently  clear  to  the 
reader. 

Notwithstanding  the  method  was  well  known  and  taught 
in  this  country  before  his  return,  there  was  great  curiosity 
among  all  classes  to  see  Mr.  Rarey  himself  illustrate  the 
treatment ;  yet  in  spite  of  the  most  thorough  and  oft-re- 
peated trials  by  himself  and  others,  there  was  failure  to  give 
the  satisfactory  results  claimed  and  expected. 


372  SUBJECTION. 

Although  I  could  explain  the  mystery  of  his  success  in 
a  few  paragraphs,  yet  in  consequence  of  the  great  niiscon- 
cej3tion  in  regard  to  it,  and  to  the  merits  of  his  claims,  I 
consider  it  necessary  to  give  my  reasons  for  doubting  their 
genuineness,  as  well  as  the  way  I  was  finally  able  to  obtain 
the  facts. 

There  were  several  points  which  to  me  would  not  seem 
to  bear  close  investigation  :  First,  if  this  treatment  enabled 
Mr.  Rarey  to  perform  the  feats  claimed  in  Europe,  why  would 
it  not,  upon  thorough  trial  by  himself  and  others,  produce 
the  same  resrftts  here  upon  horses  only  moderately  vicious  ? 
Second,  Cruiser  and  the  other  cases  referred  to,  out  of  his 
hands  became  again  entirely  unmanageable.  How  was  it 
that  he  could  control  such  horses,  while  others,  using  the 
same  treatment,  utterly  failed  upon  them  ?  These  were 
questions  which  puzzled  and  misled  the  public,  making 
them  believe,  as  the  only  reasonable  explanation,  that 
Rarey  had  a  magnetic  or  psychological  power  over  horses 
that  others  did  not  possesf^and  which  enabled  him  to  con- 
trol them  as  he  wished ;  or  that  he  gave  them  drugs,  or 
something  that  gave  him  power  to  control  them  for  the 
time.  Another  fact :  Before  going  to  Europe  he  made  no 
especial  reputation  as  a  horse-tamer,*  and  after  dissolving 
partnership  with  Mr.  Goodenough  in  England,  or  after  his 
return  to  this  country,  he  made  no  special  stir,  nor  did  he 
make  the  improvements  to  be  reasonably  expected  from  a 
man  capable  of  the  resources  and  skill  necessary  to  attain 
the  success  with  which  he  had  been  credited.  He  simply 
repeated  the  same  method  of  treatment,  depending  mainly 
upon  the  prestige  of  his  European  reputation  for  enlisting 
attention   here.      It  also   came   out  after  his  return  from 

*  During  my  early  professional  career,  I  traveled  over  imith  country  that  had 
been  visited  by  Rarey  previous  to  his  going  to  Europe,  especially  in  Southern  Penn- 
sylvania, and  frequently  heard  of  him.  All  the  statements  concerning  him  sub- 
stantially agreed  in  the  fact  that  he  traveled  alone  from  town  to  town,  with  but 
very  indifEerent  success. 


HISTOEICAL  FACTS. 


373 


Europe,  that  he  learned  the  secret  of  Offutt,*  from  the  fact 
that  Oflfutt  sued  him  for  revealing  it,  claiming  large  dam- 
ages, at  first  getting  judgment,  but  upon  being  carried  to  a 
higher  court,  the  judgment  was  reversed. 

In  talking  with  Mr.  Fancher  about  Mr.  Rarey's  claims, 
as  proof  that  he  did  not  originate  the  system,  he  brought 


Fig.  261. — The  second  step  in  the  improved  method  of  throwing.     Objectionable 

from  danger  of  pulling  the  horse  over  backward,  &c.     Details  explained 

farther  on.     See  page  506  in  Personal  Experience. 

forward  indorsements  from  Henry  Clay,  Daniel  Webster, 
and  other  men  of  national  reputation,  showing  that  he  (Fan- 
cher) practiced  the  same  method  as  early  as  1844,  which 
was  long  before  Rarey  was  known. 

I  had  tried  the  treatment  upon  all  sorts  of  horses,  and 
had  studied  with  close  attention  the  effect  it  would  produce 
upon  horses  of  different  temperaments  and  habits.     While 

*  See  note  on  page  384, 


374 


SUBJECTION. 


it  would  insure  considerable  success  in  the  control  of  some 
horses,  it  would  utterly  fail  upon  others.  I  was  led  to  be- 
lieve that  possibly  there  might  be  some  secret  about  the 
treatment  that  I  did  not  understand.  To  satisfy  myself 
upon  this  jDoint,  I  had  a  great  desire  to  see  Mr.  Rarey  him- 
self explain  and  illustrate  it.  This  I  Avas  finally  able  to 
do  in  Pittsburg,  Pa.,  in  the  early  summer  of  1865,  when 
he  gave  a  series  of  exhibitions  there.     I   exhibited   there 


Fig.  262. — The  method  as  now  used,  giving  all  the  power  desired  to  throw- 
any  horse  with  ease,  and  without  danger. 

• 

the  week  before,  and  remained  over  to  see  him.  His  ap- 
plication of  treatment  was  precisely  what  I  had  long  un- 
derstood and  practiced. 

I  next  desired  to  see  Cruiser,  and  study  the  peculiari- 
ties of  his  disposition.     In  1868,  when  in  Columbus,  Ohio, 
and  neighboring  towns,  I  had  an  opportunity  of  submitting 
several  of  his  colts  to  treatment.     Two  of  them  were  con- 
idered  entirely  unmanageable,  having  resisted  all  efforts  to 


HISTOEICAL  FACTS. 


375 


break  them.  One,  an  eight-year-old  colt,  belonging  to  Squire 
West,  of  Reynoldsburg,  Ohio  (a  point  twelve  miles  south  of 
Columbus,  on  the  pike),  was  especially  vicious.  This  colt 
submitted  to  my  treatment  perfectly  in  less  than  an  hour. 
I  now  went  to  Groveport  to  see  Cruiser,  and  spent  two 
hours  studying  him  as  he  stood  in  his  paddock.  I  found 
him  a  medium-sized,  fine-grained  horse.  His  head  was  well 
proportioned,  wide  and  full  between  the  eyes,  which,  though 
not  large,  were  well  set  out  on  his  head.  The  eyelids  were 
thin,  and  the  distance  from  eyes  to  ears  noticeably  short. 


Fig.  263. — As  the  horse  usually  falls  by  this  method. 

The  ears  were  exceedingly  fine,  short,  and  pointed,  and  set 
close  together,  indicating,  like  the  other  parts,  great  sensi- 
bility and  courage,  and,  if  excited,  great  capacity  for  pro- 
longed resistance.  (I  give  a  sketch  of  his  head,  drawn  un- 
der my  direction  from  memory,  by  J.  C.  Beard  of  New 
York.  It  is  not  exactly  the  impression  I  had  in  my  mind, 
but  it  is  as  near  it  as  the  eminent  artist  could  catch  from 
my  description.)  Though  susceptible  of  being  easily  man- 
aged when  subjected  to  proper  treatment,  such  a  horse  I 
knew  I  could  not  make  gentle  and  hold  him  so  by  .the  treat- 
ment claimed  to  have  been  practiced  upon  him.     And  when 


87G 


SUBJECTION. 


I  took  into  consideration  the  character  of  the  Stafford  horse 
in  France,  which  I  know  to  be  that  of  a  savage,  bull-dog 
nature,  and  which  would  nut  by  iiny  uieuiis  be  amenable  to 
such  a  method  of  treatment,  also  that  of  the  zebra,  a  far 
more  difficult  nature  to  subdue,  I  was  fully  convinced  that 
they  never  were  controlled  by  the  method  of  treatment 
claimed  to  have  been  practiced  upon  them.  Also  at  this 
time  and  later  I  made  careful  inquiry  in  the  neighboring 
towns  in  relation  to  Rarey,  but  could  obtain  no  facts  show- 


FiG.  264. — Position  of  the  horse  when  down. 

ing  that  he  possessed  any  unusual  aptitude  or  ability  in  the 
control  of  horses  during  his  early  career. 

I  now  desired  to  see  Mr.  Goodenough,  Mr.  Rarey's 
partner  in  England,  from  whom  I  hoped  to  obtain  a  clue  to 
the  matter.  This  I  did  not  expect  to  accomplish,  not  know- 
ing whether  he  were  in  the  country,  or  even  living ;  but  I 
was  finally  so  fortunate  as  to  meet  him  under  the  following 
circumstances  :  In  1872  I  Q;ave  test  exhibitions  in  New 
York  City  (special  reference  to  which  is  made  in  Personal 
Experience)  before  lending  horsemen,  to  which  Mr.  Good- 
enough  was  incidentally  invited  by  a  friend.  A  few  min- 
utes before  commencing  the  exhibition,  Mr.  Goodenough 


HISTOEICAL  FACTS.  377 

was  introduced  to  me.  I  was  impressed  instantly,  "  Here 
is  the  key  to  the  whole  matter."  I  found  him  a  man  nearly 
six  feet  tall,  finely  proportioned,  of  a  strong,  vigorous,  pro- 
gressive nature,  and  just  the  man  capable  of  engineering 
and  making  a  success  of  such  an  enterprise.  I  immediately 
said  to  him  that  he  was  the  man  of  all  others  I  wished  to 
see,  and  that  I  would  like  a  few  minutes'  private  conversa- 
tion with  him.  This  he  kindly  granted,  when  I  said, 
"  There  is  one  question  I  wish  to  ask,  which  vou  alone  can 
answer.  You  were  with  Mr.  Rarey  when  he  subdued 
Cruiser,  and  I  would  like  to  knowjust  how  he  accomplished 
it;  for  I  am  sure  he  never  did  it  by  the  treatment  he  pro- 
fessed to  have  practiced  upon  him." 

Mr.  G replied,  "  How  do  you  know  ?  " 

I  said,  "  I  have  studied  Cruiser  carefully,  and  handled 
several  of  his  colts,  and  the  treatment  will  not  work  for  me 
with  anything  like  such  success  upon  a  horse  of  that  nat- 
ure and  temperament,  and  I  should  like  to  know  how  Mr. 
Rarey  was  able  to  subdue  him  by  such  a  method  of  treat- 
ment. It  will  make  no  difference  now  about  the  facts  be- 
ing known,  Mr.  Rarey  being  dead." 

Mr.  Goodenough  laughed,  and  said,  "  You  are  right ;  he 
did  not  subdue  him  by  that  treatment.  We  tried  it  thor- 
oughly upon  him,  and  failed.  I  then  advised  Rarey  to  tie 
him  down.  We  did  so,  and  let  him  lie  all  night  and  the 
night  following,  when  we  could  handle  him  as  Ave  pleased. 
This  was  the  only  alternative  that  suggested  itself  in  the 
emergency,  and  we  employed  it." 

After  writing  the  foregoing,  and  giving  the  facts  to  a 
well-known  literary  gentleman  (Mr.  Robert  Bonner  of  New 
York),  explaining  the  importance  of  the  discovery  I  had  made, 
and  adding  that  I  intended  to  publish  it,  Mr.  Bonner  asked, 
"  Is  Mr.  Goodenough  living  ?  " 

I  stated  that  I  did  not  know,  when  he  said  nt  once, — 


378  SUBJECTION. 

"  It  will  not  do  to  publish  it  unless  Mr.  Goodenough  is 
living." 

Not  haA'ing  any  clue  to  Mr.  Goodenough  beyond  having 
met  him  in  the  city  eight  years  before,  it  was  a  matter  of 
great  difficulty  to  find  him,  and  it  was  only  after  a  long  and 
diligent  search  that  I  was  by  the  merest  chance  finally 
successful.  I  found  him  still  in  vigorous  health  at  the  age 
of  seventy-two.  He  received  me  kindly,  but  on  stating 
the  object  of  my  visit,  he  manifested  a  decided  reluctance  to 
say  anything  about  the  matter  ;  and  it  was  only 
after  urgently  explaining  to  him  that  it  was  necessary,  not 
only  to  the  present  but  to  future  generations,  that  the  facts 
should  be  made  known ;  that  I  washed  to  give  in  this  book 
which  I  was  about  to  publish  only  such  simj)le  facts  as  were 
necessary  to  a  correct  explanation  of  the  principles  of  con- 
trolling and  managing  horses,  and  with  the  promise  that 
whatever  I  should  write  upon  the  subject  should  not  be  pub- 
lished until  first  submitted  to  his  inspection,  that  he,  after  two 
hours  f)leasant  conversation, — during  which  time  he  gave 
me  many  interesting  incidents  in  connection  with  his  efforts 
in  England, — gave  me  in  substance  the  following  state- 
ment : — 

First  becoming  interested  in  Uarey's  mode  of  treatment, 
and  desiring  to  go  to  England  for  his  own  pleasure,  and  as 
a  means  more  of  recreation  than  of  profit,  he  proposed  tak- 
ing Rarey  to  England  for  the  purpose  of  teaching  the  sys- 
tem, and  if  successful,  to  divide  the  profits  equally.  Should 
the  enterprise  not  pay,  he  was  to  return  Rarey  to  this  coun- 
try at  his  own  expense.  As  a  preparatory  step,  Mr.  Good- 
enough  had  exhibitions  given  before  the  chief  officers  of 
the  government,  which  were  highly  satisfactory.  He  then 
obtained  letters  of  introduction  from  the  Governor  General 
of  Canada  to  Sir  Charles  York  of  the  Horse  Guards  of  Lon- 
don, also  to  Sir  Richard  Airy,  Quartermaster  General,  to 


HISTOEICAL   FACTS.  379 

whom  he  explained  what  he  wanted  ;  and  by  them  he  was  in- 
troduced to  Col.  Hood,  Prince  Albert's  Chief  Equerry,  who 
had  charge  of  the  Queen's  farm  at  Windsor,  and  Lord  Al- 
fred Paget,  the  Queen's  First  Equerry,  who  were  made 
confidants,  and  to  whom  the  system  was  previously  ex- 
plained. By  them  he  was  introduced  to  the  Queen  and 
royal  family,  before  whom  he  performed  upon  a  four-year- 
old  colt  from  the  Queen's  farm,  and  also  upon  other  horses. 
These  gentlemen  permitted  their  names  to  be  used  in  the 
London  Times  as  reference  for  the  faithful  performance 
of  what  was  promised. 

Books  were  now  opened  at  Tatersall's  for  subscriptions 
to  learn  the  system,  and  two  thousand  names,  comprising 
the  nobility  of  England,  were  obtained,  at  ten  guineas  each. 
The  first  lesson  was  given  at  the  Duke  of  Wellington's 
private  riding  school,  upon  Cruiser. 

The  facts  in  relation  to  Cruiser  and  his  subjection  were 
as  follows  :  He  was  owned  by  Lord  Dorchester,  and  had 
been  vicious  from  a  colt.  He  was  kept  for  breeding  pur- 
poses at  Morrel  Green,  forty-one  miles  from  London,  in  a 
building  erected  especially  for  him.  He  had  on  a  simple 
watering-bridle,  to  which  were  attached  two  chains,  each 
about  twelve  inches  long,  having  buckles  on  the  ends.  The 
door  of  his  stable  was  cut  in  two,  and  when  they  intended 
to  lead  him  out  for  use,  they  opened  the  lower  half  and 
put  in  a  bucket  of  water  for  him  to  drink.  When  he 
plunged  his  nose  into  the  bucket  to  drink,  they  would 
quickly  buckle  to  these  chains  two  straps,  each  twenty 
feet  long,  when  he  could  easily  be  led  out  between  two 
men. 

I  asked  Mr.  Goodenough,  "  What  about  the  big  iron 
muzzle  which  it  was  claimed  Cruiser  had  worn  ?  " 

He  laughed,  and  said,  "  That  was  all  advertising  decep- 
tion. I  had  nothing  to  do  with  that.  There  was  no  muz- 
zle at  all  on  him," 


380  SUBJECTION. 

He  leased  the  horse  for  six  months  by  the  payment  of 
£100,  stipulating  that  he  should  break  the  horse,  and  re- 
turn him  in  good  order.  Should  he  fail,  he  was  to  pay 
£500,  which  he  subsequently  paid  Lord  Dorchester,  and 
brought  the  horse  to  America. 

Not  wishing  to  follow  the  plan  of  the  grooms  in  taking 
him  from  the  stable,  they  devised  the  following  one,  and 
nearly  failed.  They  backed  a  cart  up  near  the  door,  and 
tried  by  various  means  to  attach  the  straps  to  the  bridle ; 
but  after  an  hour's  effort,  failed.  Finally,  while  Mr.  Good- 
enough  stood  in  the  cart  and  attracted  the  attention  of  the 
horse  as  he  stood  near  the  door,  Rarey  succeeded  in  slipping 
the  strap  over  the  leg  and  arm.  Once  on  three  legs,  he  was 
speedily  brought  under  control  by  throwing.  He  was  now 
led  into  the  yard  on  three  legs,  and  Lord  Dorchester 
mounted  him.  They  now  repeated  the  treatment  out  of 
doors.  The  horse  finally  becoming  greatly  excited,  re- 
sisted with  the  greatest  fury,  to  use  Mr.  Goodenough's  ex- 
pression, "  fairly  roaring." 

At  this  point,  when  failure  was  inevitable,  Mr.  Good- 
enough  suggested  the  only  means  of  success  available, — 
tying  down,  and  letting  him  remain  until  exhausted  and 
submissive.  He  was  accordingly  led  into  the  stable  again, 
his  fore-legs  tied  up,  and  he  was  thrown  down,  a  collar  put 
on,  and  his  hind  legs  tied  forward  to  it.  In  this  condition 
he  was  left  until  the  next  morning,  when  they  gave  him 
water  while  down ;  but  behaving  gentle,  he  was  released. 
They  now  fed  and  groomed  him  carefully,  and  led  him  be- 
hind a  dog-cart  to  London,  forty-one  miles.  To  make  sure, 
that  night  they  tied  him  down  again,  when  afterward  he 
could  be  managed  without  difficulty.  After  this,  Rarey 
handled  and  trained  him  every  day  for  two  weeks,  when 
he  had  him  under  such  good  control  that  he  could  stand  in 
the  ring,  and  by  calling,  the  horse  would  come  out  of  his 
stall  to  him. 


mSTOBICAL   FACTS.  381 

The  Stafford  horse  was  the  worst  one  they  handled.  It 
was  only  after  being  subjected  to  treatment  in  the  most 
thorough  and  persevering  manner,  and  being  tied  down 
ten  nights  in  succession,  that  they  could,  by  using  the 
greatest  precaution,  handle  him  with  any  degree  of  safety. 
The  zebra  was  tied  down  every  night  for  two  weeks.  Of 
course  all  this  was  kept  a  profound  secret.  In  all  critical 
cases,  they  invariably  handled  the  horse  in  private  until 
successful.  Cruiser  and  the  other  horses  were  handled  al- 
most daily  for  two  weeks,  to  insure  their  reliable  manage- 
ment when  in  public. 

Another  fact  was  not  known  ;  namely,  that  the  entire 
subjection  of  the  zebra,  and  almost  the  entire  Avork  of  sub- 
duing the  Stafford  horse,  was  done  by  Mr.  Goodenough. 
At  the  conclusion  of  the  interview,  the  writer  asked,  "Who 
wrote  the  three  principles  upon  which  it  was  assumed  the 
system  was  founded  ?  "      His  answer  was, 

"  Oh,  I  fixed  those  up." 

c?Wf?  foiec^oin^  fia{>  €^en  <yu{>mitUcl  to  me  fot  UiHUon  and 
coii^cHofi,  and  J  find  U  a  Mmjtfa  Uahmenf  of  fach. 


Netv  York,  ^   \  ,  LU^   ^^^C^^^^^e^'-^-W^ 
June  2d,  1881.  '  /      ^  — — ~/r^ 

I  would  call  special  attention  to  the  far-reaching  skill 
and  boldness  of  conception  exhibited  by  Mr.  Goodenough 
in  the  management  of  every  detail  of  the  enterprise,  with- 
out which,  success  Avould  ha^e  been  impossible.  First,  in 
creating  such  great  interest  in  and  attention  to  tlieir  efforts  ; 
second,  the  ingenuity  capable  of  suggesting  such  means  of 
management  as  would  give  success ;  third,  the  skill  and 
care  with  which  every  point  of  weakness  was  guarded  and 
concealed  until  he  had  accomphshed  his  purpose.      This 


382 


SUBJECTION. 


certainly,  when  calmly  considered,  was  one  of  the  boldest 
and  best  executed  feats  of  management  ever  accomplished 
in  any  field  of  effort,  and  justly  entitles  him  to  whatever 
success  or  honor  there  Avas  in  the  achievement. 

It  struck  me  as  of  great  interest  to  give  a  portrait  of 
Mr.  Goodenough  in  connection  with  his  statement,  and  I  re- 


Mr.  R.  a.  Goodenough 
At  the  age  of  72. 

quested  his  permission  to  do  so.  This  he  at  first,  in  the 
most  positive  terms,  declined  to  permit,  but  finally,  after 
much  persuasion,  and  as  a  matter  of  personal  favor,  it  was 
granted. 

As  before  explained,  any  method  of  lowering  the  strength 
or  vitality,  such  as  bleeding,  starving,  depriving  of  sleep, 
etc.,  will  give  power  to  subdue  the  horse  to  any  de- 
gree for  the  time ;  yet  after  the  strength  is  regained,  the 
character  is  liable  to  become  as  bad  as  before.  This  is 
proved  by  the  cases  referred  to  again  becoming  vicious. 


HISTOEICAL  FACTS.  383 

The  Allegan  horse,  "  Case  No.  9,  Subjection,"  Avas 
starA^ed  to  the  point  of  helplessness,  with  other  extreme 
treatment,  without  being  able  to  hold  him  gentle  ;  yet  after 
a  course  of  proper  subjective  treatment,  he  was  held  gentle 
without  difficulty.  The  Hillman  horse,  "  Case  No.  7,  Sub- 
jection," is  another  striking  case.  The  most  severe  treat- 
ment failed  to  hold  him  gentle.  If  necessary,  the  same 
could  be  said  about  many  other  cases,  showing  such  limited 
imperfect  methods  to  be  entirely  inferior  to  the  regular 
treatment  here  given. 

As  to  the  method  claimed  to  have  been  used  (disabling 
and  throwing) ,  it  was  good  so  far  as  it  went,  but  it  did  not 
go  far  enough.  This  can  be  better  understood  when  it  is 
learned  there  was  but  one  method  of  treatment,  "  throwing," 
for  all  kinds  of  horses,  from  the  green  colt  that  had  never 
been  handled,  to  the  old  horse  of  the  worst  character ;  all 
were  treated  alike.  Of  course  it  is  easy  to  disable  and 
throw  a  horse  until  he  will  not  resist,  so  far  as  the  act  of 
throwing  is  concerned,  but  if  the  horse,  after  being  thrown, 
persists  in  the  habit,  which  may  be  expected  in  bad  cases, 
it  will  fail.  But  even  this  principle  of  subjection  we  have 
now  so  far  improA^ed  upon  as  to  make  it  immeasurably  more 
direct  and  powerful  in  effect. 

If  in  wrestling  a  man  could  be  thrown  directly  upon 
his  back  as  fast  as  he  could  get  up,  it  is  evident  a  much 
more  effectual  impression  of  his  antagonist's  mastery  would 
be  made  than  if  he  were  permitted  to  carry  on  a  doubtful 
struggle  for  half  an  hour,  that  Avould  only  occasionally 
bring  him  to  his  knees.  The  very  doubtfulness  of  the 
contest  would  stimulate  him  to  the  utmost  resistance  until 
exhausted.  But  if  he  Avere  thrown  at  once,  and  as  often 
as  he  could  get  up,  his  courage  and  confidence  Avould  be  at 
once  broken  up,  convincing  him  of  the  uselessness  of  con- 
tinuing the  struggle,  and  making  the  impression  of  mastery 


384  SUBJECTION. 

all  that  could  be  desired.  The  effect  upon  the  horse  is  the 
same.  It"  the  control  is  made  direct  and  positive,  throwing 
the  horse  on  his  side  as  often  as  he  can  get  up,  the  confi- 
dence which  stimulates  the  resistance  is  quickly  broken  up. 
Now  this  we  are  able  to  do  by  the  improvement  gi^^en 
in  the  First  Method,  which  gives  such  power  that  any  or- 
dinary man  can  throw  the  strongest  horse  as  quickly  and 
as  often  as  he  can  get  up  ;  in  addition,  he  can  hold  him 
down  or  roll  him  back,  as  lio  pleases,  thereby  making  it 
not  only  far  more  effective,  but  entirely  obviating  the  ob- 
jections of  the  old  method.  Yet  even  with  this  great  ad- 
vantage, it  is  seen  that  this  method  constitutes  but  a  small 
part  of  my  system,  and  is  far  inferior  to  the  other  methods 
introduced. 

The  ease  and  success  with  which  the  character  of  a  wild 
or  vicious  horse  can  be  changed  when  subjected  to  the 
proper  method  of  treatment  is  wonderful.  For  example, 
a  wild,  unbroken  colt  that  it  would  be  dangerous  to  touch 
or  even  approach,  and  which  it  would  be  entirely  impossi- 
ble to  control  in  harness,  can,  by  ten  to  thirty  minutes'  ju- 
dicious, subjective  treatment,  be  made  just  as  manageable 
and  gentle  as  any  well-broken  horse.  Or  a  runaway  kicker 
that  has  become  afraid  of  the  wagon,  and  perhaps  so  vicious 
in  his  resistance  as  to  be  entirely  unmanageable,  can,  by  a 

Note. — In  March,  1883,  after  the  foregoing  statement  was  in  type,  the  writer 
visited  New  York  City  for  the  purpose  of  having  new  illustrations  made,  and  obtain- 
ing assistance  in  the  preparation  of  the  medical  department  of  this  work.  While 
there,  he  was  incidentally  informed  by  a  prominent  gentleman  to  whom  he  submitted 
the  proof-sheet  of  the  article,  that  the  facts  concerning  Rarcy's  being  taught  by 
OfiEutt  would  be  found  in  the  issue  of  Tiirj\  Field,  and  Farm  of  Jan.  4,  1878.  To 
prove  the  assertion,  the  gentleman  sent  to  the  office  of  that  paper  for  the  files  con- 
taining the  issue  in  question,  and  read  the  article.  It  comprised  an  interesting  ac- 
count of  a  visit  by  the  editor,  ?/Ir.  Busbcy,  to  Mr.  A.  Kcene  Richards,  at  the  home  of 
the  latter  gentleman,  at  Blue  Grass  Park,  near  Georgetown,  Ky.  At  the  close  of 
this  chapter  (page  449)  I  give  the  substance  of  their  conversation  in  relation  to  the 
matter,  as  an  introduction  to  an  extract  from  Mr.  Offutt's  book,  which  clearly  shows 
that  Rarey  received  his  knowledge  from  Denton  Offutt. 


EFFECTS  OP  TEEATMENT. 


385 


little  treatment,  seldom  requiring  more  than  twenty  or 
thirty  minutes,  be  made  so  gentle  as  to  submit  even  to 
have  the  cross-piece  come  against  the  quarters, — a  test  that 
only  horses  of  the  very  best  character  will  bear. 

This  is  strikingly  illustrated  in  the  ease  with  which  the 
most  stubl^orn  horse  can  by  a  few  minutes'  treatment  be 
made,  without  the  least  restraint  of  halter  or  bridle,  to  fol- 
low or  run  after  the  trainer  with  the  docility  and  obedience 
of  a  pet.  It  is  also  shown  in  the  ease  with  Avhicli  a  nerv- 
ous, excitable  horse   can  be  made  indifferent  to  an  object 


Fig.  265. — Effect  of  fcood 
influences. 


Fig.  266.— Effect  of  bad 
iiiflueuces. 


that  had  ^jreviously  induced  in  him  the  greatest  terror.  But 
it  is  mainly  interesting  as  contrasting  the  facility  and  ease 
with  which  even  horses  of  extremely  bad  character  can  be 
made  entirely  gentle  when  treated  properly,  with  the  diffi- 
culty of  doing  it  Avhen  the  treatment  is  not  right ;  show- 
ing conclusively  that  the  main  causes  of  trouble  in  the  con- 
trol and  management  of  horses  are  ignorance  and  bad  treat- 
ment. 

Properly  considered,  the  art  of  taming  and  teaching 
horses  consists  in  appealing  to  or  acting  upon  the  brain 
most  forcibly  in  the  desired  direction.  This  can  be  done 
with  great  success,  even  without  the  use  of  much  physical 

85 


88G 


SUBJECTION. 


force.  Every  one  knows  that  a  single  word  may  often  be 
sufficient  to  make  such  an  impression  upon  the  brain  as  not 
only  to  destroy  all  kindly  feeling,  but  to  perpetuate  the 
greatest  enmity  ever  afterward ;  also  that  character  is 
formed  by  the  influences  to  which  the  mind  is  subjected. 
This  i.^  proA^ed  by  the  fact  that  children,  and  those  ex- 
posed to  coarse  or  abusive  influences,  have  the  stamp  of 
that  character  predominant,  while  those  subject  to  kind,  in- 
telligent treatment  have  the  better  nature  developed  ;  also 
that  even  the  most  intellisrent  men  and  w^omen  can  have 


Fig.  207. — Efiect  of  good  education 
and  influences. 


Fig.  36S. — Effect  of  bad  education 
and  influences. 


the  mind  so  perverted  and  weakened  by  the  use  of  narcot 
ics  or  unnatural  stimulants,  such  as  tobacco,  opium,  alcoholic 
liquors,  etc.,  as  to  make  it  very  difficult  to  overcome  the 
habit.  I  give  a  series  of  illustrations  showing  the  contrasts 
of  character,  the  results  of  good  and  bad  influences,  for  which 
I  am  indebted  to  the  courtesy  of  Messrs.  Fowler  &  Wells, 
of  New  York  City. 

On  the  same  principle,  the  horse  can  be  influenced  in 
the  formation  of  his  character  for  good  or  bad,  by  the  treat- 
ment to  which  he  is  subjected.  We  see  that  the  impres- 
sion of  CA  on  a  few  moments  is  sometimes  sufficient  of  itself 
to  change  the  whole  character  for  life.     This  is  shown  by  the 


EFFECTS  OF  TKEATMEl^T. 


387 


ease  with  which  many  fine  horses,  though  previously  of 
the  very  best  character,  have  been  changed  into  dangerous, 
unreliable  brutes,  by  a  little  carelessness  which  allow^ed  them 
to  run  away,  or  by  abusive  treatment  which  aroused  the 
temper  into  uncontrollable  resistance,  making  them  after- 
ward practically  unsafe  and  worthless  for  use.  And  on  the 
same  principle,  when  understood  and  properly  applied,  a 
bad  character  can  be  neutralized  and  overcome  so  as  to 
establish    a    reliable    condition  of   docility,  as  shown  and 


Fig.  200.— Result  of  good 
influences. 


Fig.  270.— Result  of  bad 
influences. 


proved  in  the  many  cases  recorded  in  this  and  other  chap- 
ters of  this  work. 

The  better  to  explain  this,  I  give  a  variety  of  illustra- 
tions showing  the  effects  of  bad  treatment  and  intensely 
exciting  influences  upon  the  nervous  system.  Understand- 
ing these  principles  and  applying  them  properly,  it  is  often 
wonderful  to  what  a  degree  the  brain  can  be  acted  upon 
in  making  a  horse  either  gentle  or  vicious ;  showing  that  it 
is  not  only  not  difficult,  but  even  easy,  to  make  the  most 
vicious,  unmanageable  horses  as  gentle  and  obedient  to 
control  as  if  they  had  always  been  of  the  best  character. 

It  is  a  recognized  fact  that  the  horse  partakes  largely 
of  the  character  of  the  owner.     If  he  is  kind  and  gentle^ 


388 


SUBJECTION. 


the  horse,  on  commg  under  such  influences,  though  pre- 
viously nervous  and  difficult  to  manage,  soon  becomes  do- 
cile and  gentle;  while  an  irritable,  passionate  or  impulsive 
man  will  often  speedily  impart  the  same  characteristics  to 
the  animal  he  undertakes  to  manage. 

To  explain  the  principles  governing  these  conditions, 
we  will  presume  to  make  a  few  simple  experiments.  First- 
suppose  a  horse  resists  being  shod;  if  the  foot  Avere  taken 
up  very  gently,  lifted  higher,  and  gradually  using  more 
force  as  there  is  sufficient  power  acquired  to  hold  and  re- 
strain it,,  until  submitted  to  be  pounded  upon  without  ex- 


citing   resistance. 


the  success  in  the   management   of  the 


Fig.  371.— Effect  of  good  influ- 
ences unci  training. 


Fig.  273.— Effect  of  bad  influ- 
ences and  training. 


case  would  be  easy  ami  simple.  But  if  there  is  not  suffi- 
cient tact  and  delicacy  in  taking  up  the  foot,  or  the  resist- 
ance becomes  so  great  that  it  is  pulled  away,  the  treat- 
ment, no  matter  how  successful  up  to  this  point,  would  not 
only  be  a  failure,  l)ut  to  some  extent  make  the  horse 
worse  by  teaching  him  his  power  of  resistance.  It  would 
be  necessary  in  such  a  case  to  use  such  simple  or  direct 
means  of  control  as  Avill  enable  holding  and  restraining  the 
foot  most  easily  ;  but  in  the  event  of  the  resistance  becom- 
ing so  great  that  the  foot  cannot  l)e  held  or  controlled, 
then  the  restraint  should  be  made  of  such  a  character  as  to 
first  enforce  general  submission,  when,  if  necessary,  the 
treatment  can  be  again  carried  directly  to  the  foot,  when 


EFFECTS  OF  TEEATMENT. 


389 


the  control  can  be  made  easy  and  simple.  In  this  we  find 
there  are  two  principles  involved:  1.  Tact  and  judgment 
to  hold  the  inclination  to  resistance  passive  until  the  atten- 
tion and  confidence  can  be  won,  or  until  there  is  submis- 
sion; 2.  In  using  means  of  subjection,  or  force,  to  make  ev- 
ery step  of  progress  so  sure  that  resistance  cannot  be  suc- 
cessfully made  until  all  inclination  to  repeat  the  habit  is 
overcome. 

Next,  in  the  case  of  a  wild,  unbroken  colt,  to  gradually 
overcome  his  fear  by  working  indirectly  to  the  point  of  his 
resistance  until  he  becomes  submissive.     For  example  :  If, 


Fig.  273. — Expression  of 
kindness  and  love. 


Fig.  274.  — Expression  of 
disarust  and  hate. 


after  haltering,  a  pole  were  brought  gently  to  the  nose 
until  there  is  no  fear  of  it,  then  passed  back  slowly,  at 
the  same  time  gently  rubbing  the  mane  and  other  parts 
until  it  can  be  passed  around  the  quarters  without  excit- 
ing his  resistance,  it  would  be  just  as  good,  if  not  better, 
than  if  subjected  to  more  severe  treatment.  But  if  he  re- 
sists, or  is  so  vicious  that  he  will  not  submit  to  this  treat- 
ment, then  he  must  be  subjected  to  such  treatment  as  will 
most  directly  neutralize  and  restrain  his  resistance  until 
this  can  be  done  and  the  impression  made  permanent,  when 
but  little  difficulty  will  be  experienced  in  enforcing  docil- 
ity in  even  the  most  vicious  cases. 


:}90 


SUBJECTION". 


The  principle  is  the  same  in  the  management  of  kick- 
ing, runaway,  biting,  striking  horses,  as  well  us  horses  of 
other  peculiarities  of  resistance,  the  point  being,  first,  to 
use  tact  in  addressing  the  animal's  intelligence  without  ex- 
citing his  fear,  or  to  the  least  possible  degree,  and,  as  in 
the  examjiles  referred  to,  resorting  to  such  means  of  re- 
straint or  power  to  impress  the  brain  sufficiently,  without  in- 
jury, to  compel  obedience,  and  fix  the  condition  of  docil- 
ity,— more  or  less  being  necessary  to  be  done,  according  to 
the  severity  of  the  case.     Although  I  have  given  in    the 


Fig.  37.5. — Primary  effects  of  intemperance. 

first  chapter  very  full  details  of  the  principles  and  best 
methods  of  doing  this,  which,  with  the  details  of  their  ap- 
plication for  the  management  of  the  various  habits,  to  be 
found  in  subsequent  chapters,  shovdd  make  it  sufficiently 
clear  to  the  reader,  still  I  think  there  are  some  points  that 
require  in  this  connection  more  full  explanation.  I  would 
allude  particularly  to  the  necessity  for  adapting  treatment 
to  conditions  of  intelligence  and  character,  the  importance 
of  not  neutralizing  or  counteracting  the  effects  of  the  treat- 
ment by  exciting  resistance,  the  effect  of  drugs,  inherent 
power,  etc. 

The  study  of  physiology  teaches  that  the  primary  units, 
or  protoplasm,  are  in  all  cases  the  same;  that  each  peculi- 


EEVIEW  OP  SYSTEM. 


301 


arity  of  action  or  sense  is  governed  by  aggregations  of  these, 
called  nerve  centers;  that,  for  example,  the  nerve  centers 
controlling  the  senses  of  smelling,  tasting,  feeling,  seeing, 
balancing,  etc.,  are  at  the  back  part  or  base  of  the  brain ; 
that  the  power  and  activity  of  these  senses  are  in  all  cases 
governed  by  the  strength  and  activity  of  such  ganglia  of 
nerves.  Thus,  a  hound  that  follows  the  scent,  or  a  bird- 
dog  that  has  the  power  of  smelling  game  at  a  distance,  has 
large  development  of  the  olfactory  nerve ;  while  the  grey- 
hound, eagle,  vulture,  etc.,  that  depend  upon  seeing  game 


Fig.  376. — Ultimate  etfects  of  intemperance. 

at  a  great  distance,  have  large  development  of  the  optic 
nerve;  and  others  that  depend  for  safety  upon  hearing, 
have  large  development  of  the  auditory  nerve.  Thus  e\- 
ery  peculiarity  of  animal  nature  has  some  special  excellence 
of  power,  adapted  either  to  aggression  or  defense.  The 
bee  has  its  sting,  the  viper  its  fangs,  the  bull  its  horns,  and 
the  horse  bites,  strikes,  kicks,  etc. 

The  front  brain,  or  cerebrum,  gives  the  power  of  sense, 
or  reason,  and  animals  of  but  small  brain  have  but  very 
little  capacity  for  being  trained  or  taught,  while  those  haA'- 
ing  considerable  brain  can  be  easily  taught.  For  example, 
a  fish  has  very  little  or  no  brain,  and  cannot  be  taught  any- 


89^ 


SUBJECTION. 


Fig.  277. — ^Expression  of  aggressive 
viciousness. 


thing,  while  a  dog,  elephant,  or  other  animal  that  has  con- 
siderable deA^elopment  of  brain,  can  easily  be  taught  a  great 
deal. 

In  like  manner  there  are  greater  or  less  degrees  of  a 

natural  tendency  in  horses 
to  viciousness  and  resist- 
ance, imposing  more  or  less 
difficulty  in  their  subjec- 
tion. Twenty  horses  may 
kick  or  run  away,  and  so 
far  as  the  act  of  resistance 
is  concerned,  there  is  prac- 
tically little  or  no  differ- 
ence. One  horse  may  yield 
to  treatment  in  a  few  min- 
utes, the  next  may  require 
a  much  longer  time,  while  the  third,  though  subjected  to 
the  same  treatment,  can  perhaps  be  controlled  only  after 
hours  of  extreme  effort. 
Consequently,  success  in 
the  subjection  of  any  par- 
ticular case,  or  in  over- 
coming any  special  habit, 
must  depend,  first,  upon 
the  amount  and  quality  of 
the  brain;  second,  the  de- 
gree to  which  tlie  nervous 
system  has  been  impressed 
or  deranged  ;  third,  upon 
the  pluck  and  endurance 
of  the  horse ;  and  fourth, 
the  directness  and  power 
with  which  the  resistance  can  be  restrained  or  controlled, 
and  the  skill  with  which  the  treatment  is  applied. 


Fig.  27S. — Expression  of  docility. 


BEVIEW  OF  SYvSTEM. 


SOS 


Fig.  279. — Expression  of  viciousness. 


It  is  evident  that  a  very  timid,  sensitive  nature,  whicli 
is  moved  entirely  by  fear,  can  be  controlled  best  by  patient, 
winning  treatment,  while  a 


stubborn,  aggressive  type  of 
character  must  be  met  by 
force,  or  the  fear  of  punish- 
ment. Hence,  in  propor- 
tion to  the  predominance  of 
these  peculiarities  llirro 
must  be  force,  or  winning 
treatment,  or  both  com- 
bined. To  illustrate:  A 
sheep  or  gazelle,  or  any  an- 
imal of  that  nature,  can 
be  managed  best  by  gentle, 
winning  treatment.  To  ex- 
cite them  in  any  way  would 
undo  the  effect  of  a  great 
deal  of  patient  work,  while  the  bear,  hog,  mule,  and  kin- 
dred natures,  will  bear  force  :  and 
punishment  in  many  instances  be- 
comes a  necessary  condition  of 
their  management.  The  horse 
possesses,  to  a  singular  degree, 
these,  with  other  remarkable 
modifications  of  character,  not 
only  making  a  combination  of 
kindness  and  force  necessary, 
but  this  force  must  be  of  a  char- 
acter not  to  excite  pain,  or  to 
stimulate  the  bad  nature,  as  this 
but  neutralizes  or  counteracts  the 
eflects  of  good  treatment.  This 
is  particularly  the  case  when  there  is  much  sensitiveness, 
or  where  there    is   much  tendency    to   the   strong,   wild^ 


Fig,  380. — Exprussiun  vi 
kindness. 


804 


SUBJECTION. 


courageous  type  of  nature.  These  conditions  show  that 
no  matter  how  good  and  perfect  the  treatment,  success 
must  depend  greatly  upon  the  skill  and  judgment  of  the 
trainer  in  properly  adapting  the  efforts  to  the  conditions  of 
the  case. 

First,  these  conditions  require  enforcing  submission  be- 
fore the  horse  boc-onies  greatly  excited  and  Avarmed  up. 
Should  there  be  failure  before  this  is  accomplished,  the  dif- 


*  Fig.  231.— Expressior.  of  rage  and  fear. 

ficulty  of  making  him  surrender  unconditionally  will  be 
greatly  increased. 

Second,  the  horse  must  be  made  to  understand  the  harm- 
less character  of  objects  and  sounds  forced  upon  his  notice, 
until  intelligently  reconciled  to  them. 

Third,  the  co-operation  of  his  intelligence  and  better 
nature  must  be  won  by  kindness  to  permanently  fix  the 
impression  of  control.  In  doing  this,  we  see  that  so  far  as 
we  can  show  a  horse  in  any  way  that  we  are  master,  he 
will  become  submissive  and  gentle.  Thus  by  disabling  and 
throwing  until  he  is  so  discouraged  that  he  will  not  try  to 
resist,  he  will  become  gentle  to  handle  j  but  ii'  he  is  allowed 


EEYIEW    OF  SYSTEM. 


395 


to  get  up  immediately  and  move  about  at  will,  he  may  again 
resist  with  the  greatest  courage.  To  make  him  reliably 
gentle  upon  his  feet,  he  must  be  controlled  in  this  position 
also.  For  exam- 
ple, should  he  re- 
sist the  bit  and 
run  away,  subject- 
ing him  to  any 
treatment  short  of 
direct  control  of 
the  mouth,  and 
that  at  the  time 
and  in  the  position 
of  his  resistance, 
Avould  be  defective 
or  entirely  useless. 
On  the  same  principle,  should  the  horse  kick,  balk,  or  show 
any  other  bad  habit,  sutHcient  power  must  be  used  to  com- 
bat or  overcome 
these  habits  direct- 
ly, or  there  cannot 
be  assurance  of  suc- 
cess. Of  course  it 
is  easy,  in  a  general 


Fig.  282. — Expression  of  strong,  determined 
character  when  mad. 


way. 


to    subdue    a 


horse;  but  the  diffi- 
culty is  to  do  it  so 
as  not  to  excite  his 
resistance,  or  to  do 
him  any  physical 
injury. 

In  teaching  a  colt  to  lead  by  the  halter,  or  follow,  if  the 
pull  is  brought  upon  the  head  sideways,  his  power  of  re- 
sistance in  this  direction  becomes  so  lessened  that  he  can 


Fig.  283. — Expression  of  nervous  excitability. 


396 


SUBJECTION. 


be  pulled  around  instantly  and  easily,  and  he  can  soon  be 
taught  to  come  around  and  follow  without  resistance.  But 
if  this  cannot  be  done  with  the  halter,  increase  the  power 
of  pulling  by  means  of  the  War  Bridle,  or  decrease  the 
power  of  resistance  by  tying  up  one  foot. 

If,  on  the  other  hand,  the  pulling  were  made  straight 
ahead,  which  is  the  more  common  method,  the  work  will 
be  done  at  a  great  disadvantage,  because  in  this  way  we 
stimulate  resistance,  if  we  do  not  give  power  successfully 


Fig.  284. — Effect  of  intense  fear. 

to  resist  us.  This  mode  of  pulling  would  retard,  if  not 
wholly  neutralize,  the  effort  to  control  the  horse,  as  he 
would  now  involuntarily  draw  backward,  bracing  himself 
with  his  legs,  thus  increasing  his  power  of  resistance,  which 
soon  shows  him  there  is  not  sufficient  strength  to  move  him. 
Hence  the  necessity  of  combating  the  resistance  in  such  a 
way  as  not  to  permit  this  to  be  done.  Either  or  both  the 
methods  combined  will  give  sufficient  power  to  compel  his 
following  without  causing  him  injury. 

The  principle    is  the  same  in  combating  a   habit,    or 
viciousness  of  any  character.     But  should  the  resistance 


KEVIEW  OF  SYSTEM.  397 

be  so  great  that  it  cannot  be  overcome  hy  simple  treatment, 
then  the  more  direct  means  of  obtaining  power  must  be 
used,  such  as  the  various  methods  of  general  subjection, 
using  one  or  more,  according  to  the  character  of  the  case. 

The  art  of  taming  horses,  or  the  principles  of  subjection, 
may  be  divided  into  four  general  classes.  The  one  entitled 
the  First  Method  of  Subjection,  in  the  first  chapter,  is  the 
most  sensational,  and  is  based  upon  making  the  horse  par- 
tially helpless  by  tying  up  the  fore  leg,  and  throwing. 
This,  though  necessarily  limited  in  its  effects,  when  prop- 
erly done  is  a  valuable  method  of  subjection.  Throwing 
him  repeatedly  and  rapidly  as  often  as  he  can  get  up,  and 
rolling  him  back  until  he  gives  up  unconditionally,  is  the 
full  extent  of  the  power  of  this  method.  If  the  horse  be 
of  a  nature  to  submit  fully  to  this  method,  the  result  will 
be  very  satisfactory ;  if  not,  it  should  be  followed  by  the 
other  methods. 

The  second,  called  the  Second  Method  of  Subjection,  is 
simpler,  and  is  based  upon  the  principle  of  preventing  the 
horse  from  concentrating  his  purpose  to  act  until  he  can  be 
rendered  helpless,  and  be  subdued.  In  the  subjection  of 
colts  and  some  strong,  dangerous  young  horses,  that,  when 
approached,  strike  and  kick,  and  upon  which  it  would  be  not 
only  extremely  difficult,  but  dangerous,  to  try  the  other 
methods,  this  method  will  be  found  especially  effective.  It 
is  also  a  reliable  reserve  to  be  used  in  connection  with  the 
other  methods,  particularly  the  first,  or  in  effecting  control 
when  the  others  prove  inadequate.  It  gives  the  true  key 
for  breaking  single  balkers,  as  it  not  only  gives  power  to 
move  the  horse  at  will,  but  disconcerts  the  mind  from  the 
purpose  of  resisting,  by  the  confusion  it  causes. 

This  form  of  subjection,  simple  as  it  is,  requires  very 
nice  discrimination  to  bring  out  its  full  effects,  especially 
in  the  management  of  very  bad  cases  ;  for  if  not  carried  far 


398  SUBJECTION. 

enough,  there  is  liability  of  failure,  and  even  when  carried  to 
the  fullest  extent  of  its  power,  there  may  in  some  cases  be 
resistance  to  it.  These  are  usually  cases  that,  when 
warmed  up  or  handled  carelessly,  become  desperate  in  their 
resistance  before  being  made  to  yield.  The  point  in  the 
management  of  such  is  to  follow  with  the  Third  Method, 
which  will  usually  make  the  horse  submit.  But  if  there  is 
much  resistance  to  it,  after  cooling  off,  another  sharp  or 
short  lesson  with  this  will  rarely  fail  to  produce  uncon- 
ditional submission. 

Third,  by  pressure  upon  the  spinal  cord,  which  grasps, 
as  it  were,  and  holds  in  subjection  at  will,  the  very  life  of 
the  horse.  This  is  called  the  Third  Method  of  Subjection. 
It  will  be  found  especially  adapted  to  the  subjection  of 
nerA^ous-tempered  horses  that  will  not  bear  excitement. 
For  example,  a  horse  that  in  an  attempt  to  throw  would  be- 
come so  irritated  and  excited  as  to  jump  and  resist  so  much 
as  to  endanger  straining,  or  if  subjected  to  the  Second 
Method  would  go  so  quickly  as  to  be  liable  to  fall  down 
directly,  or  be  made  to  yield  only  after  the  most  severe 
effort,  will  usually  submit  readily  to  this  method  of  treat- 
ment. If  a  kicker  in  harness,  that  exhibits  fear  when  any- 
thing is  brought  near  or  against  his  quarters,  subjecting 
him  to  pressure  of  about  three  cords,  and  touching  the  quar- 
ters gently  with  a  pole  until  indifferent  to  its  contact,  will 
usually  compel  submission  in  a  few  minutes.  Horses  of  an 
ordinary  bad  character  submit  in  from  eight  to  twelve  min- 
utes, but  exceptionally  bad  cases  may  resist  it  thirty  min- 
utes, even  with  the  use  of  four  cords  (100  feet)  ;  but  in  all 
cases  it  can  be  supplemented  by  the  other  methods. 

One  important  point  I  wish  to  impress  is  that  whatever 
is  intended  to  be  done  with  this  method,  must  be  done  at 
once,  and  carried  to  the  fullest  extent  that  the  horse 
will  bear.     If  he  resists  it,  it  must  at  once  be  abandoned, 


EEVIEW   OF  SYSTEM.  •  399 

because  it  is  liable  to  make  the  cheeks  more  or  less  sore : 


also  the  effect  is  not  satisfactory  when  repeated  next  day, 
or  at  any  time  afterward ;  so  that  if  the  point  is  not  made 
at  once,  other  treatment  must  be  resorted  to. 

I  seldom  use  this  method  in  the  management  of  colts, 
because  they  are  liable  to  bite,  or  chew  the  lips  or  cheeks. 
In  their  management,  the  Second  Method,  in  connection 
with  the  War  Bridle,  is  far  more  simple  and  easy.  Occa- 
sionally an  old  horse  will  do  this,  and  may  resist  the  treat- 
ment violently,  and  become  much  excited  over  it.  In  such 
a  case  it  must  be  at  once  abandoned. 

Next  come  the  various  modifications  of  the  War  Bridle, 
which  give  all  the. power  necessary  to  subdue  and  control 
more  than  half  of  the  average  of  vicious  colts  and  horses. 
It  is  all  that  is  necessary  for  nearly  all  horses  bad  to  shoe, 
harness,  etc.,  and  is  by  far  the  best  means  of  teaching  a 
horse  to  lead  or  follow.  It  is  one  of  the  most  effective 
means  of  overcoming  the  habit  of  balking.  Though  a  minor 
method  of  subjection,  I  regard  it  so  important  that  I  have 
given  a  careful  explanation  of  it,  very  fully  illustrated. 

The  Breaking  Bit  and  Patent  Bridle  are  equally  impor- 
tant in  their  places.  The  Breaking  Bit,  without  doing  in- 
jury, gives  power  to  train  the  mouth  so  that  it  will  yield 
to  an  ordinary  bit.  The  Patent  Bridle  was  invented  by 
me  for  the  purpose  of  enabling  persons  lacking  in  practical 
experience,  to  directly  control  headstrong,  lunging,  runa- 
way horses.  In  the  first  place,  the  extra  adjustment  over 
the  upper  jaw  gives  such  power  upon  the  mouth  that  the 
most  reckless  horse  cannot  successfully  pull  against  it,  and 
he  will  in  a  short  time  be  so  unnerved  as  to  become  sub- 
missive to  a  slack  rein.  Secondly,  the  pressure  upon  the 
spinal  cord  is  so  intense  that  courage  to  pull  cannot  be 
maintained  for  any  length  of  time.  When  he  gives  up,  it 
becomes  simply  a  common  bit  in  his  mouth,  but  ready  to 


400  SUBJECTION. 

instantly  bring  to  bear  the  same  terrible  pain  and  power 
before  felt.  I  also  give  illustrations  of  very  powerful  but 
simple  means  of  controlling  headstrong  horses  by  the  Half- 
Moon  and  other  bits. 

I  call  attention  in  a  general  way  to  the  application  cf 
these  methods,  because  much  depends  both  upon  the  way 
they  are  used  for  cases  to  which  they  are  specially  adapted, 
and  in  properly  following  with  the  next  best  suited  to  the 
case.  When  the  case  is  critical,  an  imjjortant  jjoint  is  to 
make  every  step  of  the  treatment  sure,  and  to  Yary  it  all 
the  horse  will  bear ;  for  the  more  ways  in  which  power  to 
enforce  obedience  can  be  applied,  the  more  impressive  and 
enduring  will  be  the  effect.  Consequently,  if  the  case  be 
bad,  it  may  be  necessary  to  apply  two,  or  even  all  three,  of 
the  methods  of  subjection.  Suppose  the  case  to  be  a  bad, 
young,  kicking  horse,  the  First  Method  will  usually  be 
found  applicable;  he  would  be  likely  to  resist  the  Second 
too  severely  to  make  it  successful.  The  best  course  would 
be  to  send  him  around  a  few  times,  enough  to  take  off  the 
wire  edge  of  his  courage,  then  put  on  the  throwing  rig,  and 
throw  him  rapidly  eight  or  a  dozen  times,  when  his  subjec- 
tion will  be  easy  and  simple.  When  on  his  feet,  and  espe- 
cially when  driven  around  in  harness,  if  it  is  discovered 
that  he  is  yet  so  sensitive  as  to  be  liable  to  kick  or  break 
over,  the  Second  or  Third  Method  should  at  once  be  used. 
Not  unfrequcntly  both  will  be  necessary.  The  First  will 
do  no  good  if  repeated,  for  the  reason  that  the  horse  Avill 
lie  down,  and  remain  passive  while  down,  but  when  up  may 
kick  as  viciously  as  before.  Sometimes  the  Third  Method 
may  be  tried,  and  the  horse  not  submit  to  it  uncondition- 
ally ;  then  the  Second  or  First  are  to  be  tried.  The  differ- 
ence between  the  First  and  Second  is  that  the  First  cannot 
be  repeated  with  success,  while  the  Second  can  be ;  and 
usually  in  very  bad  cases  I  hold  the  Second  as  the  reserve 


EEYIEW  OF  SYSTEM.  401 

powei'.  As  explained  in  the  first  chapter,  it  will  not  do  to 
use  the  First  Method  on  a  sullen  or  sulky  horse.  He  will 
usually  drop  down  upon  his  belly,  not  trying  to  get  up. 
In  such  a  case  dependence  must  be  placed  upon  the  Second 
and  Third  alternately. 

The  mustang,  of  a  wild,  dangerous  nature,  cannot  be 
safely  approached  and  subjected  to  the  Third  Method,  be- 
cause he  would  strike  the  moment  approached.  If  a  rig 
could  be  put  on,  and  the  foot  tied  up  (which  would  be  very 
difficult  to  do),  the  instant  freedom  is  given  again  he  would 
be  likely  to  bound  into  the  air,  or  drop  down  sullenly  upon 
his  belly,  either  doing  nothing  or  acting  like  a  desperate 
maniac.  For  such  the  Second  Method  would  be  just  the 
thing.  It  requires  very  little  effort  to  tie  the  halter  into 
the  tail,  and  send  around  until  helplessly  dizzy,  when  the 
subjection  of  the  case  becomes  simple  and  easy.  A  wild 
mule,  that  cannot  be  safely  touched,  can  frequently  be  made 
entirely  gentle  in  a  few  minutes  in  this  way,  and  after  this 
treatment,  if  necessary,  the  other  methods  can  be  used. 

If  space  permitted,  these  explanations  might  be  ex- 
tended indefinitely.  But  whatever  the  success  of  the  direct 
treatment,  it  is  important  to  hold  the  advantage  gained,  by 
kind  and  careful  after-treatment,  because  upon  kindness  must 
depend  fixing  and  holding  the  impression  made  upon  the 
brain  by  the  previous  treatment.  Without  this,  it  is  practi- 
cally impossible  to  hold  a  very  vicious  horse  gentle.  It  is, 
of  course,  easy  enough  to  compel  obedience  by  force,  or  by 
reducing  the  strength ;  but  unless  the  incentive  to  resist- 
ance is  overcome,  which  must  really  be  done  by  kindness, 
the  instinct  of  viciousness  is  liable  to  again  gain  the  ascend- 
ency. The  importance  of  this  is  repeatedly  urged  in  the 
previous  chapters.  Without  this,  the  best  results  of  direct 
subjection  can  easily  be  neutralized,  and  the  horse  be  per- 
mitted to  go  back  into  his  old  habits.     Should  this  occur, 

26 


402  SUBJECTION. 

the  difficulty  of  his  subjection  would  be  greatly  increased, 
as  such  failures  teach  the  horse  to  become  cunning,  and 
give  him  confidence  to  fight  back  at  every  opportunity. 
This  is  the  reason,  why  I  refused  to  handle  the  Portland 
horse  "Jet"  (Case  7,  Subjection),  until  I  could  remain  in 
the  city  long  enough  to  see  that  the  after-treatment  was 
properly  carried  out.  AVitliout  this  care,  there  w^ould  have 
been  failure  It  was  the  main  key  of  making  the  "  Arnd" 
horse,  of  Bath,  N.  Y.,  gentle.  I  refer  to  these  as  good  rej)- 
resentative  cases ;  for  without  this  care  neither  of  these 
horses  could  have  been  held  gentle,  and  it  is  equally  im- 
portant in  the  management  of  all  cases. 

The  great  power  and  eflectiveness  of  these  methods 
when  properly  applied,  will  enable  the  trainer  to  easily 
and  safely  control  the  most  powerful  horses  to  any  extent 
desired.  This  is  proved  by  the  success  of  my  experiments 
upon  all  kinds  of  horses  which  had  resisted  all  previous  ef- 
forts to  break.  Reference  to  a  few  representative  cases 
will  be  found  at  the  close  of  this  chapter. 

The  subjection  of  ''  Wild  Pete,"  the  "  Hettrick  Horse," 
"  Wilkins  Horse,"  "  Omnibus  Horse,"  "  Portland  Horse 
Jet,"  and  many  others  that  might  be  named,  equally  vicious, 
when  the  character  of  the  horses,  and  the  shortness  of  the 
time  required  to  produce  the  changes,  are  considered,  may 
seem  to  border  so  closely  upon  the  miraculous  as  to  appear 
incredible;  yet  these  results  were  accomplished  simply  by 
the  skillful  application  of  the  methods  of  treatment  here 
given. 

Many  people  suppose  there  is  a  medicine  or  something 
of  the  kind  that  will  make  vicious  horses  gentle,  or  enable 
the  r  control  at  will.  Sometimes,  when  unusually  success- 
ful in  the  subjection  of  an  exceptionally  vicious  horse  or 
colt,  though  the  treatment  had  been  carefully  explained  to 
the  class,  the  result  would  appear  so  wonderful  that  they 


MEDlCmES,  OR  DJIUGS.  40a 

could  not  realize  liow  sucli  a  cliano:e  could  be  brouo-lit 
about  by  the  treatment  employed.  It  Avas  not  unusual  to 
have  persons  smell  of  my  hands  or  clothing  to  see  if  they 
could  discover  some  peculiar  odor  about  me  to  account  for 
so  great  an  achievement. 

On  this  account,  I  think  it  advisable  to  explain  what 
medicines  are  supposed  to  do  this,  and  their  effects.  The 
main  object  in  the  use  of  odors,  or  scents,  has  been  to  attract 
attention,  and  divert  it  from  the  real  means  of  control. 
Many  odors,  or  scents,  will  in  some  instances  affect  the 
nervous  system  greatly.  Blood,  a  buffalo  robe,  or  any 
offensive  odor,  will  intensely  excite  many  horses.  In 
trapping  for  mink  or  other  animals,  it  is  no  uncommon 
thing  for  the  hunter  to  conceal  the  smell  of  his  hands  from 
the  trap,  and  attract  the  animal  to  it  by  using  some  odor 
that  is  agreeable  to  him.  Asafetida  put  on  the  bottom  of 
the  boots  will  cause  wolves  to  follow  the  wearer  eagerly. 
While  this  is  admitted,  there  is  no  odor  or  medicine  that  I 
know  of — and  I  have  experimented  carefidly  with  all  those 
supposed  to  have  this  power,  without  obtaining  decidedly 
satisfactory  results — that  will  make  a  wild  horse  approach- 
able and  induce  him  to  follow,  or  make  a  vicious  horse 
gentle. 

What  is  supposed  to  be  the  great  medicine  for  doing 
this  is  called  the  "  Arabian  secret,"  which  consists  of  two 
parts  of  the  oil  of  rhodium,  and  one  each  of  cumin  and 
anise,  to  be  kept  in  separate  bottles  and  corked  tightly; 
but  practically  it  makes  no  difference  whether  they  are 
kept  separate  or  not.  A  little  of  this  is  to  be  rubbed  on 
the  hands,  and  while  held  before  the  horse,  approach  from 
the  windward  side ;  when  near  enough,  rub  a  little  on  ]iis 
nose,  when  the  horse,  it  is  claimed,  will  follow  anywhere. 
Other  essential  oils  are  recommended  for  the  same  purpose, 
but  their  effect  is  really  no  better  than  good  apples  or  any- 


404  SUBJECTION. 

thing  of  which  the  horse  is  fond.'"''  Warts  or  ostlets,  grow- 
ing on  the  inside  of  a  horde's  leg,  dried,  and  pulverized 
with  a  coarse  rasp  or  grater,  and  about  a  thimble  full  blown 
into  the  nostrils,  is  also  claimed  to  make  any  horse  gentle. 
This  is  to  be  used  in  connection  with  the  oils  mentioned. 
The  oil  of  parsley  is  sometimes  used  for  the  same  purpose. 
A  few  drops  are  put  on  the  hands  or  handkerchief,  and  the 
horse  is  allowed  to  smell  of  it.  The  perspiration  from  under 
the  arms,  rubbed  on  the  horse's  nose,  or  breathed  into  the 
nostrils  from  the  hand,  is  also  held  as  quite  a  secret  for 
making  a  horse  so  gentle  that  he  will  follow  readily. 

Before  and  during  the  time  of  Rarey,  parties  under- 
standing the  secret  of  "  throwing,"  usually  managed  as 
follows  :  Force  the  horse  to  lie  down  on  the  barn  floor  until 
submissiA'e ;  and,  while  lying  quietly,  open  the  door  and 
allow  the  people  to  come  in.  Under  such  circumstances, 
much  curiosity  will  be  manifested  to  discover  what  has 
been  done.  The  operator  now,  while  pretending  that  he  is 
unobserved,  will  slip  a  jjiece  of  apple  into  the  horse's 
mouth,  and  rub  the  hand  over  the  nose.  This  will  of 
course  be  observed,  and  when  curiosity  is  sufficiently 
aroused,  the  pretended  tamer  will  say,  "  Yes ;  I  have  a 
secret  scent  by  which  any  horse  can  be  tamed,  the  effect 
of  which  you  see."  Then  he  will  offer  to  sell  the  secret, 
naming  a  large  price,  but  finally  taking  Avhat  he  can  get. 
I  have  found  in  my  travels  many  who  have  paid  from  ten 
to  fifty  dollars  for  the  "  Arabian  secret."  The  control  was 
obtained  by  throwing.  But  this  in  itself  being  too  simple 
to  inspire  much  faith,  the  medicine  dodge  was  added. 

*  Denton  Offutt's  book,  ■which  I  have  carefully  read,  and  the  best  features  of 
which  are  given  at  the  close  of  this  cliapter,  contains  some  secrets  for  taming 
horses  and  olhcr  animals,  for  the  virtues  of  which  he  claims  a  great  deal;  but  thc}' 
.are  practically  cf  no  more  consideration  than  other  treatment  of  the  same  kind. 
Still,  I  thought  it  advisable,  and  of  sufficient  interest  to  the  curious,  to  copy  them 
verbatim,  and  they  will  be  found  embodied  in  this  work. 


MEDICINES,   UP.  DKUCtS,  405 

The  man  who  was  most  instrumental  in  teaching  this 
method  of  "  throwing,"  was  Mr.  0*  H.  P.  Fancher,  before 
referred  to,  who  chiimed  to  have  given  Rarey  instructions 
on  the  practical  application  of  the  method  of  subjection 
which  he  practiced.  In  1865  and  '66,  I  traA^eled  through 
his  section  of  country,  and  hired  to  him  one  of  my  horses 
trained  to  drive  without  reins,  when  he  took  the  road, 
teaching  my  system,  and  abandoned  the  medicine  scheme. 
*  Catlin,  describing  his  travels  among  the  North  Ameri- 
can Indians,  mentions  the  manner  of  their  taming  horses 
as  follows  : — 

"  The  Indian  coils  his  lasso  on  his  arm  and  gallops 
fearlessly  into  the  herd  of  wild  horses,  and  soon  gets  it 
over  the  neck  of  one  of  the  number,  when  he  instantly  dis- 
mounts so  as  to  hold  him  dow^n  and  prevent  him  from 
turning  over  on  his  back.  He  now  gradually  advances 
until  he  is  able  to  place  his  hand  on  the  animal's  nose  and 
over  his  eyes,  and  breathe  into  his  nostrils,  when  the  horse 
becomes  so  docile  and  conquered,  that  by  removing  the 
hobbles  from  the  feet,  he  can  be  led  or  ridden  into  canqD 
with  very  little  difficulty." 

According  to  this  statement,  which  seems  reliable, 
covering  the  eyes  and  breathing  into  the  nostrils  of  the 
wild  horse,  was  the  princijDal  means  of  his  subjection ;  if 
true,  it  would  be  an  easy  and  simple  matter  to  make  a 
vicious  horse  gentle.  I  have  repeatedly  tried  the  experiment 
upon  all  kinds  of  horses,  and  found  it  would  not  produce 
any  appreciable  effect  for  me,  and  consider  it  practically  of 
no  more  account  than  merely  stroking  the  head  and  nose 
with  the  hand. 

I  might  add  many  other  pretended  secrets,  but  none  of 
them  are  worthy  of  much  consideration.  Ostlets,  before 
referred  to,  taken  from  a  vigorous  horse,  properly  prepared 
and  used,  may  produce  very  satisfactory  results,  especially 


406  .  SUBJECTION. 

ill  Ihc  management  of  balkers.  They  should  be  prepared 
as  follows  :  If  the  subject  be  a  mare,  the  warts,  fresh  and 
strong,  should  be  taken  from  a  healthy  horse.  Sometimes 
old  accumulations  lose  their  strength,  and  are  good  for 
nothing.  Dry  the  ostlets  carefully,  and  grate  them  to  a 
fine  powder,  and  keep  in  an  air-tight  bottle.  One  hour 
before  the  horse  is  driven,  blow  an  old-fashioned  thimble 
full  into  the  nostrils,  and  the  horse  will  usually  go  off  all 
right. 

This  secret  was  given  me  by  an  old  man  in  Western 
Ohio,  who,  with  his  sons,  about  ten  years  ago,  was  a  mem- 
ber of  my  class.  After  taking  me  one  side,  and  express- 
ing his  appreciation  of  the  information  I  had  given  him,  he 
said  he  would  give  me  a  secret  that  he  had  practiced  for 
forty  years,  and  had  never  known  it  to  fail.  "  Every  one 
around  here  knows,"  said  he,  "  that  I  can  drive  any  balky 
horse,  but  never  learned  the  secret  of  my  doing  it.  I  am 
now  an  old  man  of  seventy-four  years  ;  and  not  intending  to 
handle  any  more  horses,  I  will  give  it  to  you  for  your  ben- 
efit." He  said  he  had  never  in  any  case  found  it  necessary 
to  repeat  it  more  than  two  or  three  times. 

Sometimes  a  horse  that  has  learned  to  kick  his  mate, 
can  be  cured  by  giving  this.  It  would  also  be  good  when 
a  horse  objects  seriously  to  the  scent  of  a  buffalo  robe  or 
other  object,  to  blow  this  into  the  nose,  because  it  conceals 
the  repugnant  odor.  It  will  also  be  found  the  jDrincipal 
ingredient  in  the  remedy  for  the  cure  of  fits.  (See 
"  Medical  Department "  under  the  head  of  "  Miscellaneous 
Recipes.") 

I  would  here  add  that  I  have  had  so  little  trouble  in 
breaking  balkers  by  the  treatment  explained  under  that 
head,  that  I  never  used  this  ;  but  I  have  given  the  secret  to 
many,  and  reports  have  been  favorable.  A  great  secret 
amonff  some  doo;  fanciers  is  holding  a  little  of  this  in  the 


MEDICINES,  OR  DRUGS.    •  407 

hand,  and  letting  the  dog  smell  of  it,  when  he  will  follow 
anywhere.  The  secret  of  the  effect  of  these  ostlets  upon 
the  horse,  is  undoubtedly  the  strong  pungent  odor,  which 
has  a  remarkably  soothing  effect  upon  the  nervous  system, 
by  which  the  horse  is  disconcerted  and  won  from  his  pur- 
pose of  resistance. 

It  is  well  known  that  gypsies  are  very  successful  in 
managing  vicious  horses.  Their  method  of  management  is 
to  boil  a  plug  of  tobacco  in  a  gallon  of  ale,  until  the  strength 
is  extracted,  then  give  enough  of  it  to  make  the  horse  so 
sick  that  he  cannot  resist.'-'  He  is  then  driven  as  desired, 
and  when  over  the  effect  of  it,  the  dose  is  repeated,  if  nec- 
essary. 

I  never  but  once  resorted  to  the  use  of  medicine 
to  control  a  horse  before  a  class.  When  at  Howard 
Steuben  Co.,  N.  Y.,  a  strong,  wild,  unbroken  colt  seven 
years  old,  was  the  subject  of  experiment.  At  the  time, 
I  was  so  prostrated  by  ague  that  I  was  not  able  to  give 
the  horse  sufficient  treatment  to  drive  him  under  canvas  or 
in  the  street  with  safety.  The  class  insisted  upon  my 
doing  this.  I  therefore  proposed  to  the  owner  that  the 
colt  be  taken  to  the  next  town,  where  I  would  be  on  the 
following  day,  when  I  would  make  him  drive  gently,  promis- 
ing thatif  I  failed  to  do  so  satisfactorily,  I  would  return  them 
their  money.  Next  morning  I  was  more  prostrated  than  be- 
fore, but  as  my  failure  to  drive  the  horse  in  the  street  would 
necessitate  a  return  of  the  money,  and  make  it  impossible  for 
me  to  form  a  class  there,  I  was  compelled  to  resort  to  strat- 
egy. I  directed  one  of  my  men  to  go  to  the  drug  store  and 
get  two  ounces  of  tincture  of  lobelia,  and,  when  free  from 
observation,  give  it  to  the  horse.     In  about  half  an  hour, 

*  This  was  given  me  by  a  gypsy  who  was  a  member  of  m}-  class.  Gypsies  liave 
been  repeatedly  in  my  classes  since,  and  all  admit  that  this  was  their  principal 
secret. 


4(«  tSUBJKCTrON. 

wlieii  T  snpposcfl  he  felt  the  full  ofrecls,  T  subjected  him  as 
;i  Hi.Mttor  of  I'orni  to  the  Second  jNTethod  (ur  ;i  few  minutes, 
Mild  then  di'ovc  him  through  the  streets  perl'ectly  gentle. 
The  fact  was,  he  had  become  so  sick  that  he  could  not  resist. 
I  now  directed  the  man  to  put  him  in  his  team  and  dri^'e 
home.  Knowing  the  temperament  of  the  horse,  I  concluded 
he  would  submit  to  this  means,  which  he  did,  but  I  resorted 
to  it  only  because  of  my  weakened  condition. 

I  was  informed  by  the  owner  nearly  a  year  afterward, 
that  the  liorse  remained  entirely  gentle,  and  that  if  I  would 

return  again  to  II ,  he  would  warrant  me  a  large  class. 

I  haA^e  experimented  carefully  with  this  method  of  treat- 
ment upon  a  A\ariety  of  cases.  Sometimes  it  would  Avork 
exceedingly  well  on  those  of  a  cold  blooded  nature,  but 
courageous,  strong-willed  cases  are  liable,  Avhen  excited,  to 
resist  it,  even  when  given  much  larger  doses.  (Two 
ounces  should  be  about  the  maximum  dose  for  an  ordinary 
sized  horse.)  In  addition  to  making  violently  sick,  it  is 
liable  to  produce  severe  attacks  of  colic.  One  horse  I 
experimented  upon  in  this  way  became  subject  to  colic. 

Control  r.v  thk  Evk,  or  AVh-l. 

It  is  supposed  ))}'  many  that  certain  persons  possess  a 
peculiar  power  by  which  they  can  with  safet}^  approach 
and  control  a  vicious  horse  ns  if  by  magic.  In  the  sense 
understood,  this  cannot  be  done.  There  is  no  inherent 
power  beyond  that  of  nerve  to  conceal  any  impression  of 
fear  or- timidity,  and  the  ability  to  exercise  accurate  judg- 
ment in  determining  what  to  do  and  how  much,  so  cMS  not 
to  excite  resistance  until  tlio  horse  is  under  control.  For 
example,  standing  just  beyond  his  rejich,  and  looking  fix- 
edly into  his  eye,  saying  with  sternness,  "Get  around!" 
until  he  is  disconcerted,  then  approaching  the  shoulder  and 
passing  the  hand  (quickly  but  smoothly  up  to  the  halter  or 


CONTROL  BY  THE  EYE,  OR  WILL.  409 

bridle,  thence  to  the  nose-piece,  and  grasping  it  firmly, 
will  enable  one  to  approach  some  horses  with  safety,  which 
it  would  be  dangerous  to  go  near  without. 

It  is  an  undoubted  fact  that  a  certain  class  of  snakes 
can  so  charm  birds  as  to  disable  and  catch  them,  and  there 
are  well-authenticated  cases  of  their  charming  children  and 
men.  An  intelligent  lady,  in  whom  the  writer  has  perfect 
confidence,  stated  that  in  two  instances  she  had  seen  small 
birds  charmed  by  a  black  snake.  Once,  when  stepping 
over  a  log,  she  saw  a  bird  in  the  act  of  flying  into  the  open 
mouth  of  a  large  black  snake  which  lay  coiled  upon  the 
ground  at  the  opposite  side. 

I  copy  here  another  instance  of  this  kind  from  the 
Petersburg  (Va.)  Index-Appeal: — 

"The  Snake's  Ability  to  Charm. 

"  A  veritable  instance  of  the  peculiar  fascination  which  the 
snake  exerts,  was  witnessed  a  few  days  ago  within  a  short  dis- 
tance of  our  city.  The  gentleman  who  saw  this  says  he  was  walk- 
ing leisui'ely  along  the  road  when  his  attention  was  directed  to 
the  movements  of  a  brown  thrush  which  Avas  flitting  about  near 
a  small  plum  bush,  and,  at  intervals,  giving  a  cry  as  of  distress. 
He  walked  up  to  the  bush,  supposing  he  would  find  a  brood  of 
young  birds.  He  looked  carefully,  but  saw  nothing,  and  was 
walking  off,  when  he  noticed  that  the  thrush  had  returned  to  the* 
bush  from  which  he  had  frightened  it.  He  waited  a  moment  to 
watch  its  movements,  when  he  saw  it  fly  down  on  the  ground  be- 
neath the  plum.  There  it  stood  still  a  short  time,  then  began  to 
circle  around  the  bush,  still  crying  in  its  peculiar  tones.  This 
circling  was  kept  up  for  a  while,  and  then  the  thrush  seemed 
gradually  to  weaken,  and  at  length  stood  perfectly  still — immov- 
able, with  its  wings  partly  open,  and  its  head  bent  forward.  He 
drew  neai'er  to  the  bush,  when  he  heard  an  ominous  hiss,  and, 
looking  down  under  the  plum  he  saw  a  large  black  snake  coiled 
up,  and  about  to  spring  upon  the  bird.  He  frightened  the  snake 
away  and  picked  up  the  bird,  which  made  no  effort  to  escape,  and 
seemed  powerless.  In  a  few  minutes,  however,  the  bird  revived, 
and  shortly  afterward  flew  off" 

-  It  is  also  a  fact  that  some  men,  by  an  effort  of  the  will, 
can  control  others,  as  shown  by  the  art  of  what  is  termed 


410     .  SUBJECTION. 

psychologizing,  or  putting  into  a  stute  of  trance.  This  has 
led  to  a  very  general  belief  that,  in  like  mannei-,  certain 
persons  have  the  power  of  controlling  vicious  horses,  so 
that  they  can  be  rendered  completely  gentle.  I  haA'C  at 
different  times  seen  plausible  statements  by  diilerent  writers 
sustaining  this  theory.  But  notwithstanding  man's  intelli- 
gence and  will  power  are  greatly  superior  to  that  of  horses, 
I  never  have  known  of  a  horse  being  directly  controlled  in 
this  way.  I  think  I  may  assume,  without  presumption,  that 
I  have  subdued,  and  had  treated  under  my  supervision, 
more  exceptionally  vicious  horses  than  any  other  living  man. 
It  has  been  a  matter  of  hard,  practical  experience  with  me, 
and  I  know  it  is  impossible  to  control  wild  or  vicious  horses 
by  will  power  alone.  I  am  so  confident  of  this  that  I  will 
give  any  man  one  thousand  dollars  who  will  show  that  he 
can  control  wild  or  vicious  horses  in  any  such  way.  I  have 
many  hundreds  of  times  made  wild  or  vicious  horses  so 
docile  that  they  would  run  after,  or  follow  me  around,  with- 
out the  restraint  of  a  halter,  or  without  being  touched  in 
any  way, — a  feat  in  most  cases  not  at  all  difficult  to  per- 
form on  a  suitable  subject.  And  as  I  have  stated  in  an- 
other place,  though  the  principles  were  carefully  explained 
those  present  would  often  insist  that  it  must  have  been 
done  by  some  secret  power.  I  am  thus  emphatic  to  cor- 
rect this  false  impression,  which  seems  to  prevail  in  the 
minds  of  all  classes  of  society. 

As  explained  in  another  part  of  this  chapter,  any 
method  of  impressing  the  horse  with  the  sense  of  helpless- 
ness, such  as  disabling,  repressing  by  fear,  intense  pain,  or 
the  reverse,  quieting  the  nervous  irritation  by  scnitching 
the  mane  and  tail,  giving  apples,  etc.,  can  to  a  great  extent 
hold  passive  the  impulse  of  resistance.  The  principle  is  to 
so  change  or  disconcert  the  general  nervous  action,  as  to 
secure  the  more  easy  concentration  of  the  nervous  forces 


CONTEOL  BY   THE  EYE,  OR  WILL.  411 

in  the  direction  desired  ;  hence  every  method  of  repressing 
by  fear,  or  revealing  power  by  action  or  voice,  etc.,  may  be 
regarded  as  the  expression  of  this  power,  which  of  course 
no  one  denies.  But  that  by  will  power  alone,  the  character 
of  a  horse  can  be  held  completely  submissive  or  in  a 
marked  trancoydal  state,  is  entirely  impossible. 

Having  taken  lessons  in  psychology  many  years  ago,  I 
found  that  I  could  to  a  certain  extent  control  the  will  of 
others ;  yet  notwithstanding  the  greatest  etibrt,  I  never 
have  been  able  to  control  horses  without  first  impressing 
the  nervous  system  with  a  sense  of  physical  power.  The 
cases  which  are  most  likely  to  resist  such  management,  are 
stallions  wdiich  have  grown  into  viciousness  through  bad 
treatment,  and  mustangs,  or  those  of  a  fixed,  wild  nature. 
The"AVilkins  Horse,"  "  Hillman  Horse,"  and  "Mustang 
Pony,"  Cases  G,  7,  and  11,  Subjection,  and  the  "  Hettrick 
Horse,"  No.  4,  Kicking,  are  cases  in  point.  As  a  matter  of 
experiment,  while  the  "  Hettrick  Horse"  was  tied  to  the 
center  pole  of  the  ring,  I  tried  for  over  an  hour  to  even  get 
near  enough  to  touch  his  body  without  being  struck  or 
kicked,  and  if  my  life  depended  upon  it,  T  could  not  safely 
do  it ;  yet  by  less  than  twenty  minutes'  proper  subjective 
treatment,  his  submission  was  made  complete.  In  proof  of 
this,  reference  could  be  made  if  necessary  to  a  great  many 
of  like  character. 

When  a  horse  is  thoroughly  vicious  and  unmanageable, 
subjecting  him  fj[uickly  to  a  full  course  of  treatment,  sur- 
prises and  breaks  up  his  confidence,  on  the  same  principle 
that  the  eye  disconcerts  and  controls,  with  the  difference 
that  now  it  is  the  result  of  direct  physical  control,  when 
by  careful  management  he  can  be  held  gentle.  But  in 
doing  this,  as  I  have  repeatedly  remarked,  it  is  fiital  to 
success  to  let  the  horse  see,  at  any  point,  that  there  is  not 
sufficient  power  to  master  and   control  him.      Sometimes, 


412  SUIUECTION.— ILLUSTRATIVE   CASES 

Avheii  this  is  well  done,  the  will  of  the  horse  is  so  i4i)roughly 
broken,  and  made  so  submissive,  that,  though  previously 
so  vicious  as  to  be  entirely  unmanageable,  he  m.ty  become 
among  the  safest  and  gentlest  for  use.  The  mum  point  of 
success,  after  he  thoroughly  submits  to  coercive  treatment, 
is  to  win  his  affections. 

ILLUSTRATIVE   CASES. 

As  an  additional  aid  to  the  reader  in  studyirit,  this  sub- 
ject, I  include  the  details  of  treatment  in  the  management 
of  a  few  representative  cases. 

Case  1. — Mt.  Vernon  Horse. 

This  was  an  eight-year  old,  sorrel  gelding,  weighing 
about  1100  pounds.  He  had  an  exceedingly  strong,  tough 
organization,  but  was  most  remarkable  for  his  wild,  treach- 
erous, sullen  nature.  He  was  one  of  the  best  types  of  this 
peculiarity  of  character  the  writer  ever  treated.  His  head 
was  almost  the  exact  counterpart  of  that  of  the  "  Hett- 
rick  Horse,"  Case  4,  Kicking,  but  was  immeasurably  the 
worse  horse  to  subdue.  He  could  not  be  controlled  in  har- 
ness, double  or  single,  was  so  strong  and  tough  that  up  to 
the  time  of  his  being  brought  to  me,  his  temper  had  not 
been  subdued  by  any  treatment  given  him.  He  would  kick 
out  sideways  and  kill  a  hog  whenever  brought  near  one. 
He  was  in  fact  one  of  the  most  dangerous  and  difficult  horses 
to  break  ever  known  in  that  country. 

I  had  been  at  Mt.  Vernon,  Ohio,  over  a  week  when  this 
horse  was  brought  in  to  be  treated  before  the  class.  The 
moment  I  saw  him  across  the  ring,  I  made  the  remark, 
"  There  is  a  Averse  horse  than  I  have  ever  yet  treated  in 
the  State."  The  owner,  offended  at  my  giving  his  horse 
so  bad  a  character,  said  he  could  handle  and  drive  him. 
Though  I  knew  nothing  whatever  of  the    horse    beyond 


MT.   VERNON   HOHSE.  413 

what  I  saw  of  him  at  a  distance,  I  stated  that  there  was 
not  a  man  in  the  country  who  could  drive  him,  and  if  I  could 
not  prove  it,  I  would  charge  him  nothing  for  my  instructions. 
Upon  trial  with  a  severe  bit,  he  went  straight  along  in 
defiance  of  the  pulling  of  ten  men  upon  the  reins,  when  his 
bad  character  was  confessed. 

Had  I  not  been  able  to  prepare  the  minds  of  the  class 
to  see  the  true  character  of  the  horse,  he  would  have 
broken  me  down ;  but  in  fact  my  statement  was  accepted 
as  a  reasonable  explanation,  and  so  I  had  an  opportunity 
to  repeat  the  treatment  until  successful.  I  had  a  very 
large  class  of  experienced  horsemen,  and  it  became  a 
matter  of  deep  interest  for  them  to  see  whether  the  char- 
acter given  him  would  be  fully  proved  by  trial.  He  was 
subjected  first  to  the  First  Method,  which  he  resisted  Avith 
great  energy.  This  was  followed  by  the  Second  and  Third 
Methods,  carried  to  the  fullest  extreme,  when  he  would 
allow  his  quarters  to  be  touched  all  around  with  a  pole, 
and  could  be  handled  without  difficulty. 

He  Avas  next  taken  in  hand  for  over  an  hour  to  obtain 
control  of  the  mouth,  but  Avithout  making  the  least  impres- 
sion upon  him.  This  I  expected  and  explained  to  the 
class,  and  put  liim  over  till  the  next  day,  Avhen  he  Avas 
again  subjected  to  the  Second  Method  sharply,  and  the 
training  of  the  mouth  repeated,  as  before,  for  about  an 
hour,  Avith  but  little  apparent  success.  This  Avas  extraor- 
dinary, there  having  no  horse  been  brought  forward  for 
years  that  did  not  in  tAvo  lessons  yield  to  the  control  of  the 
bit;  but  I  promised  that  one  more  lesson  Avould  bring  him. 
On  the  day  folloAving,  he  was  again  subjected  in  part  to 
First  and  Second  Methods,  and  the  mouth  again  taken  in 
hand,  though  quite  sore  from  the  effects  of  the  previous 
treatment.  His  wonderful  pluck  and  nerve  enabled  him  to 
fight  it  Avith   the  utmost   desperation   for  nearly  an  hour, 


414  SUBJECTION.— ILLUSTEATIVE  CASES. 

when  he  at  la.st-  gave  up  unconditionally,  and  was  driven 
before  the  cla.ss  and  upon  the  streets  with  entire  success, 
afterward  remaining  perfectly  gentle  and  manageable. 

A  week  later,  he  was  exhibited  in  the  street  at  a  little 
town  eight  miles  distant,  where  he  was  owned.  His  good 
character  and  performances  enabled  me  to  make  a  large 
class  there. 

Case  2. — Gallopsville  Horse. 

This  was  a  seven-year  old  sorrel  gelding,  owned  in  Gal- 
lopsville, N.  Y.  He  was  a  remarkably  fine,  muscular  fel- 
low, weighing  about  1050  pounds.  I  refer  to  him  as  a 
good  type  of  an  extremely  bad,  unbroken  colt,  and  but  a 
slight  modification  of  the  previous  case.  In  the  preceding 
case,  when  the  horse  was  hitched  up,  he  would  go,  per- 
haps, some  distance,  and  then,  suddenly  and  without  warn- 
ing, pull  ahead,  or  kick  and  run  away.  And,  once  resist- 
ing, there  was  no  possibility  of  holding  him  afterward.  He 
was  a  snorting,  treacherous  brute  of  the  worst  kind,  and 
when  brought  forward  for  treatment,  Avas  considered  en- 
tirely unmanageable  in  harness. 

The  touching  of  the  harness,  or  anything  brought  against 
his  quarters  would  cause  him  to  jump  or  kick  with  great 
fury.  At  this  time  I  remained  but  one  day  in  a  place,  and 
taught  my  classes  in  any  kind  of  a  building  available.  At 
this  place  we  had  a  small  carriage  house  with  hard-wood 
floor,  which  Avas  so  unsuitable  that  to  attempt  the  subjec- 
tion of  such  a  horse  here  would  be  not  only  very  difficult, 
but  dangerous.  On  this  account  the  First  Method,  Avhich 
was  well  adapted  for  his  temperament,  could  not  be  used. 
Consequently  he  was  subjected  first,  cautiously,  to  the 
Second  Method,  which  was  a  necessary  step  toward  toning 
down  his  extreme  sensibility,  but  he  could  not  be  j)ushed  to 
its  limits  on  account  of  the  hard-wood  floor,  the  smallness  of 


OMNIBUS  HOESE.  415 

the  place,  and  the  large  crowd  present.  He  was  next  sul)- 
jected  to  the  Third  Method,  which  was  carried  to  its  fullest 
extent.  While  being  subjected  to  it,  if  touched  with  a  f>ole, 
the  energy  of  his  kicking  was  so  desperate  that  both  shoes, 
though  nailed  solidly  to  his  feet,  were  thrown  off  in  a  few 
minutes.  Not  submitting  satisfactorily  to  this  method,  it 
became  a  matter  of  necessity  to  subject  him  again  to  the 
Second.  The  place  was  partly  cleared,  and  the  chances 
taken  of  pushing  it  to  its  fullest  extent,  to  which  he  sub- 
mitted unconditionally.  The  rest  was  easy,  little  more 
being  necessary  than  putting  him  in  harness,  when  he 
drove  off  gently.  Next  day  he  was  taken  to  Central 
Bridge,  where  the  owner  and  class  were  promised  that  he 
should  be  driven  in  the  street.  It  being  quite  safe  now  to 
attempt  driving  him  while  w^arm,  he  was  put  away  till  next 
morning,  wdien,  after  testing  a  few  moments,  he  was  hitched 
up  and  driven  perfectly  gentle.  The  change  was  regarded 
quite  wonderful  by  those  who  had  known  and  witnessed 
his  previously  vicious  character. 

Case  3. — Buffalo  Omnibus  Co.'s  Horse. 

This  case  has  some  points  of  peculiar  interest,  for 
which  reason  it  is  included.  First,  it  shows  to  what  de- 
gree a  naturally  good,  gentle  horse,  can  be  made  vicious  by 
irritating,  bad  treatment ;  secondly,  the  ease  with  which, 
sometimes,  a  horse  supposed  to  be  very  vicious  can  be  made 
gentle.     The  particulars  of  the  case  are  as  follows  : — 

This  horse  was  nine  years  old,  a  bright  bay,  remarkably 
fine,  strong,  intelligent,  and  weighing  about  1200  pounds. 
He  was  regarded  one  of  the  best  in  a  large  stable  of  horses. 
He  had  been  worked  to  an  omnibus,  and,  it  seems,  gradu- 
ally became  Adcious,  requiring  great  care  in  harnessing  and 
handling.  He  finally  bit  and  crushed  a  man's  arm,  and 
inflicted  such  other  injuries  as  nearly  killed  him.    The  man 


416 


SUBJECTION.— ILI.USTEATIVE  CASES. 


was  rescued  only  ])y  the  prompt  interference  of  the  other 
men.  The  horse  was  so  furious  that  he  would  jump  at  and 
bite  other  horses,  and  it  was  finally  only  by  the  use  of 
pitchforks,  etc.,  that  the  stablemen  were  able  to  drive  him 
into  his  stall,  where  he  stood  with  his  collar  on  for  over 
three  months.    No  one  daring  to  go  near  him,  his  food  and 

water  were  let 
down  to  him  from 
above.  Unable  to 
work  him,  and 
fearing  he  would 
kill  some  one,  the 
superintendent 
had  ordered  him 
shot,  but  for  some 
cause  it  had  been 
put  off  until  the 
period  of  my  visit 
there. 
Before  commencing  my  exhibition  in  this  place,  a  gen- 
tleman who  was  especially  interested  in  my  efforts,  privately 
informed  me  of  this  case,  and  said  there  was  a  strong  fac- 
tion of  opposition  there.  They  asserted  they  might  consider 
it  worth  while  to  come  and  see  me  after  I  had  subdued 
the  horse ;  that  I  could  not  or  would  not  dare  attempt  it. 
I  at  once  informed  the  people  of  what  I  had  learned,  and 
promised,  if  I  could  obtain  the  horse,  to  take  him  in  hand 
before  the  class. 

At  my  earliest  opportunity,  I  called  at  the  stable,  and 
the  horse  w^as  pointed  out  to  me.  I  was  confident  I  should 
have  no  trouble  with  him,  and  told  the  superintendent  that 
if  he  would  let  me  have  the  horse  to  experiment  upon 
before  the  class,  I  would  subdue  him.  He  frankly  said 
that  the  horse  was  too  dangerous  to  take  any  chances  with, 


Fig.  285.— Omnibus  Horse. 


OMNIBUS  HOESE.  417 

and  he  did  not  wish  to  take  any  responsibility  in  the  mat- 
ter ;  that  if  he  permitted  me  to  take  him,  and  I  shouki  be 
killed,  or  injured  in  any  way,  the  public  would  censure 
him.  He  said  further  that  the  horse  was  of  no  value,  and 
he  had  ordered  him  shot. 

I  finally  convinced  the  gentleman  that  there  would  be 
no  diflftculty  in  tlie  management  of  the  case,  and  obtained 
permission  to  take  him  o^^er  to  my  building,  where,  in  the 
presence  of  leading  citizens  of  Buffalo,  I  made  him  entirely 
gentle  in  about  twelve  minutes.  He  was  simply  subjected 
to  First  Method,  followed  hy  War  Bridle.  His  collar, 
which  had  now  been  on  for  o^'er  three  months,  could  be 
taken  olT  or  put  on  at  i)leasure.  I  told  the  superintendent 
to  put  him  ;it  once  at  work,  and  have  him  treated  with  the 
greatest  kindness,  and  if  at  any  time  he  exhibited  the  least 
viciousness,  to  report  to  me.  In  about  a  week  he  was 
brought  back,  and  subjected  to  very  severe  tests  before 
them,  and  proved  perfectly  gentle.  I  include  here  an 
editorial  notice  of  this  case,  and  a  letter  from  Mr.  Ford 
written  three  months  afterward  : — 

•''  A  Horse  that  Killed  one  Man  and  Injured 
Several  Others. 

"We  yesterday  afternoon  visited  the  amphitheater  of  Prof. 
Magner,  the  noted  horse-tamer,  on  Carroll  street.  We  found  there 
a  Jarge  number  of  our  most  prominent  citizens  and  horse-owners, 
and  all  manifested  the  greatest  interest  in  the  doings  of  the  pro- 
fessor. A  horse  belonging  to  the  Omnibus  Company, — a  most 
vicious  brute,  with  the  habit  of  biting,  and  striking  with  his  fore 
feet,  and  from  which  those  in  charge  have  not  been  able  to  remove 
the  collar  or  bridle  for  over  three  months, — was  brought  for  treat- 
ment. We  understand,  by  the  way,  that  this  horse  (a  large  and 
powerful  bay)  once  killed  a  man  by  biting  and  trampling  him  un- 
der foot,  and  recently  bit  the  hand  almost  otf  the  person  having 
him  in  .charge.  In  about  twenty  minutes,  in  the  presence  of  be- 
tween two  and  three  hundred  persons,  Mr.  Magner  reduced  this 
brute  to  perfect  subjection,  so  that  the  groom  and  himself  har- 
B^sijed  ^■Tid  unharnessed  him,  put  their  hands  in  his  mouth,  aii(i 

8T 


418  SUBJECTIOX.— ILLUSTKATIVE   CASES. 

handled  hirn  in  every  shape  with  perfect  impunity,  the  former  fu- 
rious beast  beinij  as  docile  as  a  kitten.  It  was  a  wonderful  exhi- 
bition,  as  we  can  bear  testimony." — Buffalo  Commercial  Adver- 
tiser. 

''Buffalo,  Dec.  21,  1S69. 
"Prof.  Magner,  Dear  Sir :  I  consider  myself  in  duty  bound 
to  drop  you  a  few  lines  respecting  our  once  vicious  horse,  '  Man- 
eater,'  as  wo  called  him..  I  have  ofxni  said,  What  a  good  thing  it 
was  we  did  not  shoot  him.  He  was  taken  out  of  the  stable  twice 
for  that  purpose,  when  I,  on  both  occasions,  interceded  in  his  be- 
half. He  is  now  one  of  our  best  h  >rses,  as  docile  as  a  lamb,  and  all 
the  drivers  like  him.  AVe  woidc  him  double  or  single,  as  required. 
All  this  Avas  caused  from  your  few  minutes'  tuition.  You  are 
aware  of  his  past  history.  For  months  previous  to  making  your 
acquaintance,  we  could  not  get  a  man  to  Iiarness  him,  and  two  of 
our  drivers  were  disabled  by  him.  When  you  visit  our  city,  please 
give  us  a  call. 

"Believe  me,  yours  very  truly,  ,  M.  FoRD, 

"  Ayent  Buffalo  Omnibus  Co." 

Case  4. — Oxford  Horse. 

This  case  is  included  for  its  remarkable  peculiarity  of 
character,  the  writer  having  found  no  parallel  to  it  in  all  his 
experience.  The  horse  was  seven  years  old,  and  was  owned 
by  a  hotel-keeper  in  Oxford,  Miss.  He  was  remarkable 
for  his  extreme  sensibility,  courage,  and  fine  form.  Al- 
though perfectly  gentle  to  handle  or  approach,  he  would 
not  bear  the  least  abuse  or  excitement.  Being  a  fine  sad- 
dle-horse, he  could  be  mounted  or  dismounted  in  a  building, 
but  not  outside  the  building  Avith  safety.  If  an  effort  were 
made  to  lead,  mount,  or  dismount  him  outside  of  the  build- 
ing, he  would  jump  and  pull  away,  striking  and  jumping 
with  such  fury  as  made  him  not  only  unmanageable,  but 
really  dangerous.  ^Vs  an  illustration  of  his  sensitiveness, 
the  owner  stated  that  once,  desiring  to  shoe  him,  he  was 
ridden  to  the  bhicksmith's,  but  refusing  to  go  in,  h6  was 
struck  upon  the  shoulder  with  the  end  of  the  bridle-rein,  and 
spoken  to  sharply.     The  result  Avas,  he  took  such  a  dislike 


OXFOKD  HORSE. 


419 


to  the  blacksmith's  shop  that  he  never  couhl  be  ridden  near 
one  afterward,  and  was  shod  in  his  stable. 

Two  traveling  horse-taming  parties,  at  different  times, 
had  visited  Oxford,  and  tried  their  skill  upon  this  case, 
both  making  a  disastrous  failure.  When  I  visited  the  place, 
it  was  made  a  condition  of  success  that  this  horse  should 
be  led,  mounted  or  dismounted,  in  the  street.  And  so  it 
became  a  matter  of  either  giving 
up  the  town,  or  taking  him  in 
hand.  I  never  had  jumped  a 
to'wn  for  any  such  cause,  and 
concluded  I  would  not  now.  As 
a  matter  of  experiment,  I  put 
on  him  two  War  Bridles,  with 
over  fifty  feet  of  cord  to  each, 
and  with  the  aid  of  a  strong  man 
led  him  out  of  the  barn,  wdien 
such  a  desperate  struggle  com- 
menced, he  to  get  away  and  we 
to    hold  him,   as   was,  perhaps, 

never  seen  before.  The  moment  he  was  outside  he  rushed 
forward,  but  being  restrained,  he  lunged  into  the  air  more 
than  fifty  times,  when  we  were  glad  to  end  it  by  running 
him  into  the  stable  as  quickly  as  we  could.  Explaining  to 
the  class  that  he  could  not  be  successfully  treated  in  a  barn, 
he  was  mounted  and  ridden  to  a  field  a  mile  outside  the 
town,  follow^ed  by  the  class.  The  halter  was  now  put  on 
outside  the  bridle,  and  while  still  mounted,  the  rider  ready 
to  jump  off,  the  hitching-strap  was  cautiously  tied  to  his 
tail.  When  ready,  the  rider  instantly  jumped  from  his 
back,  when  he  commenced  the  most  violent  struggle  to  free 
himself.  As  he  went  round  wnth  great  rapidity,  he  struck 
and  kicked  with  intense  fury.  When  entirely  helpless,  he 
was  quickly  untied,  the  treatment  reversed,  and  carried  to 
the  fullest  extent  to  make  him  submit. 


Fig.  286  —Oxford  Horse. 


420  SUBJECTION.— ILLUSTRATIVE  CASES. 

The  first  form  of  War  Bridle  was  now  put  on,  when,  on 
his  being  untied,  1  instantly  took  him  off  his  feet  sidewise, 
following  up  so  sharply  that  he  could  not  resist,  when  he 
finally  submitted  to  it.  The  experiment  of  mounting  him 
was  now  made,  but  he  resisted  so  violently  by  wheeling, 
jumping,  and  kicking,  that  the  rider  barely  escaped  being 
killed.  He  was  again  subjected  to  general  treatment,  which 
was  carried  to  the  utmost  extreme  of  its  power.  The  pre- 
caution was  now  taken  to  mount  him  while  tied.  This  was 
successful,  and  he  was  soon  made  to  stand  gently  to  be 
mounted  or  dismounted  while  the  head  was  free.  On  the 
way  back  to  town,  the  better  to  test  him,  and  fix  the  im- 
pression, he  was  frequently  mounted  and  dismounted. 
Upon  arriving  at  the  public  square,  these  tests  were  re- 
peated, and  the  horse  led  to  the  stable.  This  case  caused 
me  a  great  deal  of  anxiety,  and  it  Avas  only  by  the  most 
careful  management  that  it  was  made  so  decided  a  success. 

Case  5. — Hermon  Horse. 

This  horse  was  a  seven-year  old  thoroughbred  stallion, 
owned  in  Hermon,  N.  Y.  He  was  a  bright  bay,  had  a  good 
head,  was  finely  formed,  and  looked  very  much  like  Cruiser. 
He  was  raised  in  Canada,  and  according  to  report  had 
killed  a  man  there.  He  had  not  beeen  broken  to  harness, 
and  was  kept  shut  up,  and  considered  a  very  difficult  and 
dangerous  horse  to  break. 

When  I  was  advertised  at  Hermon,  it  was  insisted  as  a 
condition  of  making  a  class  that  this  horse  be  subdued  and 
driven  in  harness.  I  was  unable  at  the  time  to  obtain  any 
particulars  about  the  horse,  further  than  that  of  his  being 
a  wild,  unbroken  stallion,^a  regular  "  man-eater."  I  had 
but  one  clue, — he  was  a  thoroughbred,  and  such  cases,  no 
matter  how  vicious,  I  always  found  the  best,  or  rather  the 
easiest,  subjects  to  subdue.     This  influenced  me  to  strike 


WILKINS  HORSE.  421 

boldly  for  a  large  class,  promising  every  man  his  money 
back  if  the  horse  could  not  be  made  perfectly  gentle  to 
drive  in  harness  in  forty  minutes.  Being  compelled  to 
work  in  a  barn,  which  was  entirely  unsuitable  for  such  an 
experiment,  the  treatment  had  to  be  limited  to  Second  and 
Third  Methods,  the  Third  being  depended  upon  the  most. 
He  submitted  to  treatment  in  about  thirty  minutes,  and 
drove  to  harness  with  entire  success.  Considering  the  pre- 
vious character  of  the  horse,  the  success  of  the  experiment 
was  really  remarkable,  and  far  better  than  was  expected 
by  any  one  ;  still  there  were  a  few  jockeys  who  were  bound 
to  find  fault.  They.claimed  that  the  horse  would  not  stay 
broken,  and  offered  to  bet  f  100  that  he  could  not  be  han- 
dled or  driven  the  next  day.  This  I  promptly  met  by  of- 
fering to  put  up  $500  against  it  that  it  could  be  done  in  a 
week  from  that  time,  when  they  backed  down. 

Two  days  later,  on  my  arrival  at  Russel,  eight  miles 
distant,  I  found  the  people  had  been  so  prejudiced  by  the 
parties  named,  that  it  was  necessary  to  make  a  special  ef- 
fort there.  To  counteract  such  an  impression,  which  I 
knew  would  spread  and  destroy  confidence  in  my  work,  I 
telegraphed  the  owner  to  bring  the  horse  there  at  my  ex- 
pense and  risk,  which  he  did,  leading  him  behind  an  open 
buggy.  Upon  testing  him,  which  I  did  carefully,  I  found 
him  perfectly  gentle,  hitched  him  before  my  buggy,  with 
the  breeching-straps  loose,  and  drove  him  up  and  down  hill, 
and  through  the  streets  generally  with  perfect  satisfaction. 

Case  6. — Wilkins  Horse. 

This  is  in  some  respects  one  of  the  most  interesting 
cases  which  has  been  referred  to,  on  account  of  the 
peculiar  character  and  notoriety  given  him  by  the  condi- 
tions of  his  subjection  by  me  (specially  referred  to  in  Per- 
sonal Experience,  page  511).    The  last  effort  to  break  him 


422  SUBJECTION.— ILLUSTEATIVE  CASES. 

Avas  two  months  before  my  visit  there,  when  he  was  brought 
to  a  pretentious  horse-tamer,  with  orders  to  break  or  kill 
him ;  but  after  a  week's  continuous  efibrt,  he  was  pro- 
nounced as  "  haA^ng  no  brains,"  and  impossible  to  subdue. 
As  a  test  experiment,  he  was  controlled  by  me  in  about 
thirty  minutes,  in  the  presence  of  the  owner  and  Mr. 
Bonner,  in  the  last-named  gentleman's  stable. 

He  Avas  a  Avell-brfed  trotting  horse,  nine  years  old,  a 
bright  bay  of  medium  size,  quiet  and  gentle  ordinarily,  but 
Avhen  excited  by  being  touched  or  handled,  he  AA^ould  kick 
and  strike  Avith  great  violence.  Touching  his  nose  or  head 
Avould  cause  him  to  strike  like  a  AAdld  mustang,  Avhile  to 
touch  his  feet,  or  to  attempt  to  take  them  up,  would  make 
him  kick  desperately.  A  singular  characteristic  in  this 
case,  rarely  to  be  found  among  domesticated  horses,  was, 
that  if  irritated  he  could  repeat  the  resistance,  if  he  tried, 
a  thousand  times  in  succession ;  there  seemed  to  be  no  let- 
up to  him.  When  studied  carefully,  at  such  a  time,  it 
would  be  seen  that  the  expression  of  the  eye  indicated  the 
untamable  nature  of  a  Avild  animal.  In  moving,  his  tread 
and  actions  seemed  to  be  like  those  of  a  cat.  While  stand- 
ing, he  Avould,  Avithout  moving,  or  changing  the  position  of 
his  ears,  out  of  the  corner  of  his  eye  Avatch  every  movement, 
seemingly  listless,  but  ready  at  any  moment  to  strike  or 
kick.  He  had  in  fact  the  true  mustang  nature,  Avith  any 
amount  of  endurance,  and  Avas  treacherous  to  the  last 
degree. 

This  horse  should  have  been  subjected  to  the  Second 
Method,  Avhich  Avould  have  made  his  control  simj)le  and 
easy  ;  but  the  circumstances  under  which  I  was  led  to  take 
him  in  hand  compelled  me  to  handle  him  in  a  box  stall,  and 
consequently  I  Avas  limited  to  the  Third  Method,  Avhich 
was  not  in  reality  at  all  adapted  to  his  case,  and  I  barely 
succeeded    Avith   it.     I  have  repeatedly  stated    that   this 


WILKINS  HORSE. 


423 


424 


SUBJECTION.— ILLUSTilATl  VE  CASES. 


method  must  not  be  used  when  the  character  is  such  that 
there  is  inclination  to  bite  the  checks  or  lips,  or  when  the 
head  is  interfered  Avith,  as  there  is  then  an  inclination,  as 
in  the  mustang  nature,  to  strike,  and  the  treatment  will  be 
difficult  to  ajiply.  In  this  case  the  result  Avas  that  both 
cheeks  Avere  badly  bruised,*  making  him  again  very  Adolent 
until  cured,  when  I 
applied  the  Second 
Method,  subduing 
him  in  about  twenty 
minutes. 

I  afterward  gave 
exhibitions  of  his 
good    character    in 

the  presence  of  Mr.  K^i&jM^^^  AJS 
Henry  Bergh,  Esq.. 
President  of  the  So- 
ciety for  the  Pre- 
vention of  Cruelty  to  Animals,  and  other  well-known 
gentlem-en,  when  he  Avas  turned  loose  in  the  ring  Avithout 
anything  on  him,  and  submitted  to  handling  Avith  the 
docility  of  any  gentle  horse.  This  was  one  of  the  fcAV 
excej^tional  cases  that  the  most  patient  and  kind  treatment 
Avould  have  no  effect  upon.  As  an  illustration.  Dr.  Braily, 
formerly  Chief  Veterinary  Surgeon  of  U.  S.  Cavalry,  a  man 
of  exceptionally  large  experience  in  handling  horses,  tried 
for  over  an  hour,  by  scratching  the  mane,  etc.,  to  get  his 
hand  upon  a  certain  part  of  the  head,  Avithout  being  able  to 
do  it.  He  had  claimed  that  there  Avas  no  living  horse 
Avhose  head  he  could  not  in  time  by  this  method  lay  his 
hand  upon.  I  told  him  it  could  not  be  done  in  this  case ; 
if  it  could,  I  would  give  him  one  hundred  dollars ;  that  the 
only  way  it  could  be  done  Avas  by  proper  subjective  treat- 


FiG.  2SS.-AVilkins  Horse. 


♦Proper  treatment  for  such  cases  will  be  found  in  Medical  Department. 


HILLMAN  HOES.E  ''JET."  42£ 

ment.  As  explained,  he  made  the  experiment,  and  failed 
completely;  yet  in  about  fifteen  mimites'  treatment,  I 
made  the  horse  stand  gentle  and  allow  his  head  to  be 
rubbed  or  caressed  in  any  manner.  In  these  as  well  as  in 
all  other  conditions  of  resistance  requiring  coercive  meas- 
ures, kind  treatment,  as  repeatedly  explained,  is  to  be 
depended  upon  as  an  aid  in  fixing  and  holding  the  character 
good. 

Case  7. — Hillman  Horse  "  Jet." 

When  the  facts  of  this  case  are  considered,  it  must  be 
accepted  as  by  far  the  most  remarkable  as  well  as  interest- 
ing case  yet  referred  to.  He  Avas  a  young  stallion  out  of 
one  of  the  best  trotting  horses  in  the  State.  He  was  but 
little  over  three  years  old,  and  of  beautiful  form.  Not- 
withstanding the  conditions  of  his  treatment  were  of  the 
best  character,  when  but  little  past  two  years  old,  in 
defiance  of  all  that  could  be  done,  he  developed  such  an 
extremely  vicious  character  as  to  become  at  once  wholly 
uncontrollable.  The  circumstances  under  which  I  was 
induced  to  experiment  upon  this  horse  were  as  follows  : 

In  the  early  summer  of  1875  I  made  a  chance  A^sit  to 
Portland,  Maine,  where  I  had  previously  been  in  1863,  as 
explained  in  Personal  Experience.  Meeting  Dr.  Tewkes- 
bury, a  leading  physician  and  prominent  citizen  of  that 
city,  he  said  :  "  There  is  one  of  the  most  vicious  young 
stallions  here  that  has  ever  been  known  in  the  country, 
one  of  the  worst  brutes  that  ever  lived.  He  is  shut  up  in 
a  building  to  prevent  his  injuring  or  killing  any  one.  He 
nearly  killed  one  man,  Eben  Howe,  and  seriously  injured 
several  others.  If  you  can  subdue  him,  you  will  prove 
your  ability  to  subdue  any  horse,  and  show  that  you  are 
the  greatest  horse-tamer  in  the  world." 

As  he  could  give  no  particulars  of  the  disposition,  and 


426 


SUBJECTION.— ILLUSTEATIVE  CASES. 


being  there  on  business  with  no  time  or  inclination  to  give 
the  matter  any  serious  consideration,  I  soon  after  left  for 
the  West.  A  few  weeks  after,  I  received  a  letter  from 
Rev.  A.  P.  Ililhuan,  the  owner,  asking  whether  such  a 
horse  could  be  broken;  saying  that  unless  I  could  come 
there  and  break  him,  he  must  be  shot.  I  wrote  him  that 
I  intended  to  visit  Maine  the  following  spring,  and  from 
the  explanation  given  of  the  horse,  I  thought  I  should  have 
no  difficulty  in  his  subjei^tion.  I  advised  him  not  to  allow 
the  horse  to  be  annoyed  or  molested  in  any  way,  to  give 


Fig.  289.— Hillman  Horse  "Jet." 

apples,  etc.,  occasionally.  Upon  arriving  in  the  State  in 
the  following  spring,  I  went  to  see  the  horse  privately ; 
and  upon  a  careful  examination,  concluded  I  could  not 
prudently  experiment  upon  him  before  a  class,  and  so 
announced  I  would  take  him  in  hand  immediately  after  the 
close  of  the  season's  business,  at  which  time  I  went  to 
Porthuid  for  that  purpose.  Desiring  to  make  the  experi- 
ment a  perfectly  fair  one,  I  appointed  a  special  committee 
of  three  leading  citizens  to  invite  a  few  representative 
horsemen  to  be  present  to  witness  his  subjection.  It  being 
feared  by  those  interested  that  I  would  play  some  under- 
handed game,  giving  the  horse  medicine,  or  something  that 
would  control  him  for  the  present,  a  special  committee  was 


HILLMAN  HOESE  ''JET." 


427 


428 


SUBJECTION.— ILLUSTRATIVE  CASES. 


appointed  to  accompany  me  from  the  time  I  got  up  in  the 
morning  until  the  horse  was  brought  forward  for  treatment. 
The  real  difficulty  in  the  management  of  this  case  was 
in  getting  to  him  safely,  and  taking  him  from  his  stable  to 
the  place  of  exhibition.  This,  however,  I  was  fortunate 
enough  to  do  without  accident.     Knowing  by  his  tempera- 


FiG.  2'.n.-  "Jet"  as  led  into  Portland  before  being  subdued. 

ment  that  the  First  and  Second  Methods  would  have  but 
little  if  any  effect  upon  him,  I  determined,  as  a  matter  of 
experiment,  to  try  by  the  Second  Method  to  influence  him 
sufficiently  to  enable  applying  the  Third  safely,  but  failed, 
lie  was  so  sullen  that  he  could  not  be  made  to  turn 
sufficiently  fast  to  affect  him.  It  being  entirely  unsafe  to 
give  his  head  sufficient  freedom  while  upon  his  feet  to 
apply  the  cord,  he  was  thrown  down  by  First  Method.   As 


HILLMAN  HOESE  "JF^T. 


429 


430  SUBJECTION.— ILLUSTEATIVE  CASES. 

expected,  he  did  not  resist  it,  proving  it  entirely  powerless  in 
his  case  as  a  method  of  subjection.  He  Avas  subjected  next 
to  full  pressure.  For  full  fifteen  minutes  his  resistance 
was  desperate,  running,  jumping,  and  throwing  himself, 
when  he  finally  ceased  all  resistance,  and  in  twenty-four 
minutes  all  pressure  was  removed.  He  was  now  hitched 
up  and  driven  perfectly  gentle,  after  which  he  was  turned 
loose  in  the  midst  of  the  crowd,  with  not  even  a  halter 
upon  him,  and  proved  perfectly  gentle  and  safe.  He  was 
then  taken  charge  of  by  a  good  practical  horseman,  Mr. 
Robinson,  whom  I  charged  to  treat  the  horse  with  the 
most  perfect  kindness  and  care,  and  to  go  to  his  stable  a 
dozen  times  a  day,  rub,  caress,  give  apples,  etc.,  which  in- 
structions were  carefully  carried  out. 

On  the  following  Monday,  as  a  matter  of  precaution,  he 
was  subjected  to  the  Second  Method,  to  which  he  now  re- 
sponded promptly,  after  which  he  was  harnessed  and  driven 
for  about  two  hours.  A  week  afterward,  as  previously  ad- 
vertised, he  was  taken  into  the  street  in  front  of  the  Prebles 
House,  unharnessed,  led  around,  and  shown  to  be  as  gentle 
as  any  ordinary  driving-horse.  Two  weeks  afterward,  on 
the  4th  of  July  morning,  he  was  driven  by  me  in  a  street 
procession,  proving  one  of  the  safest  and  gentlest  horses  in 
the  crowd. 

After  the  subjection  of  this  horse,  a  chance  occurrence 
nearly  destroyed  the  good  effect  of  all  I  had  done.  While 
the  horse  was  standing  with  a  crowd  arovmd  him,  I  was 
called  away  for  a  moment.  I  was  scarcely  outside  the 
building  when  I  heard  a  great  uproar  inside.  I  went 
quickly  back,  when  the  sight  that  presented  itself  was  most 
startling.  The  horse  which  I  had  left  there  so  quiet  and 
gentle  was  now  under  the  greatest  excitement,  running 
from  one  side  of  the  building  to  the  other,  with  head  up 
and  eyes  flashing  fire,  the  people  panic-stricken,  and  every 


HILLMAN   HOESE  '^JET."  431 

man  running  for  his  life,  and  climbing  up  the  sides  of  the 
building  for  safety.  The  better  to  understand  the  condition 
of  things,  I  will  explain  that  the  experiment  was  made  in 
a  building  about  75x100  feet  in  dimensions,  that  had  for- 
merly been  used  for  a  riding-school.  Back  of  this  was  a 
stable  running  across  the  entire  breadth,  with  an  open  door- 
way about  ten  feet  wide  between.  In  this  stable  were 
standing  about  twenty  horses.  While  I  was  out,  he  sud- 
denly became  conscious  of  the  presence  of  these  horses, 
and  went  racing  around  trying  to  get  to  them.  When  I 
reached  the  door,  I  saw  at  once  that  he  must  be  caught  in- 
stantly, or  the  effect  of  the  treatment  would  be  entirely  de- 
stroyed. In  addition,  should  he  get  into  the  stable  behind 
me,  the  result  would  be  very  serious.  Keeping  between 
him  and  the  horses  in  the  opposite  stable,  I  ran  quickly 
forward  to  his  shoulder  and  grasped  the  mane  firmly,  and 
as  he  ran  along,  passed  the  other  hand  down  over  his  nose 
and  succeeded  in  stopping  him.  Three  times  he  broke 
away,  but  by  great  effort  I  regamed  my  hold.  His  old  nat- 
ure was  fast  getting  control  of  him,  as  several  times  he 
tried  to  reach  back  and  bite  my  legs,  and  I  saw  that  I  must 
get  him  under  control  quickly,  or  run.  The  fourth  time  I 
held  him,  and  ran  him  into  a  corner  against  the  wall,  where 
was  a  high  manger.  While  holding  him,  I  induced  a  man 
who  was  standing  upon  the  manger  trying  to  get  away,  to 
put  on  the  halter,  which  was  with  some  difficulty  done. 
With  this  once  on,  he  was  immediately  as  docile  and  quiet 
as  if  nothing  had  occurred. 

This  incident,  trifling  as  it  may  seem,  caused  me  as 
much  anxiety  as  taking  him  out  of  his  stall  a  few  hours 
before,  but  occurring  without  accident,  it  passed  off  with- 
out a  comment.  To  show  the  great  interest  with  which  the 
subjection  of  this  case  was  regarded,  I  include  a  synopsis 
of  editorials  from  the  press  of  the  city,  also  an  article  from 
Mr.  Robinson,  a  well-known  citizen  : 


432  SUBJJ^CTION.— ILLUSTEATIVE  CASES. 

"  Horse-Training — Wonderful  Performance. 

"  The  announcement  that  the  well-known  Hillman  horse  was 
to  be  trained  at  the  South-street  stable  drew  a  large  crowd  yes- 
terday nioi'ning,  as  this  horse  is  known  to  be  one  of  the  worst 
cases  on  record.  Some  few  gentlemen,  including  representatives 
of  the  morning  papers,  took  carriages,  and  drove  out  to  the  resi- 
dence of  Rev.  A.  P.  Hillman,  near  the  Reform  School,  to  see  Pro- 
fessor Magner  in  his  first  attempt  to  handle  the  animal.     .     . 

"  Last  September  he  was  placed  in  a  large  box -stall,  and  had 
not  been  taken  out  until  yesterday  morning.  ...  In  this  condi- 
tion Jet  was  led  from  the  stall  for  the  first  time  in  eight  months. 
The  line  of  march  was  taken  up  for  the  city,  a  man  on  either  side 
holding  by  the  curds  attached  to  him.  All  the  residents  on  the 
way  were  in  waiting  to  see  the  wonderful  horse  pass,  and  on  reach- 
ing the  city  a  large  crowd  followed  the  horse  and  his  trainer  to 
the  stable. 

"  The  stable  was  thronged  on  the  arrival,  and  after  giving  the 
horse  a  slight  rest,  Mr.  Magner  commenced  upon  him.  We  can- 
not give  the  method  of  training,  for  it  would  be  telling  the  secret 
by  which  he  governs  hoi-ses.  Suffice  it  to  say  that  in  just  twen- 
ty-five minutes  the  sti-iking,  dangerous  hor.se  was  as  mild  as  a  lamb. 
He  was  turned  loose,  and  wandered  about  amono;  the  horsemen  as 
though  he  Avere  an  old  truck-h^rse.  The  trainer  j  umped  upon  his 
back,  and  afterward  harnessed  him  to  a  wagon,  and  drove  about 
without  the  least  strap  to  keep  the  wagon  from  striking  his  heels. 
The  gathering  was  composed  almost  exclusively  of  horsemen,  and 
each  and  every  one  of  them  pronounced  the  horse  under  perfect 
control,  and  they  voted  the  professor  a  vote  of  thanks." — Portland 
Press. 

"'Jet'  Conquered.     An  Interesting  Exhibition  of 

Horse-taming. 

"When  Magner  first  entered  the  stall,  the  demon  in  the  brute 
showed  itself  in  the  most  striking  manner  by  frantic  efforts  to 
seize  him  with  his  teeth,  rushing  around  his  narrow  quarters  like 
a  caged  tiger,  while  the  red  flash  of  his  wild  eyes  woukl  have  de- 
terred many  strong  men  from  appi-oaching  him.  But  the  pro- 
fessor paid  little  heed'to  the  wicked  manifestations  of  this  modern 
Bucephalus,  and,  taking  advantage  of  his  quiet  seconds,  firmly  se- 
cured his  head  with  cords,  slipped  a  large  hood  over  his  head;  and 
thus  blindfolded  and  fastened  in  the  strongest  possible  manner, 
handsome  'Jet'  was  led  in  triumph  to  the  city,  and  taken  to  the 
old  riding-school  on  South-street,  arriving  there  shortly  aft(3r  9 
o'clock.     A  large  number  of  people  interested  in  horses,  including 


HILLMAN  HOESE  "JET."  433 

nearly  every  physician  in  the  city,  were  assembled  at  this  place; 
and,  on  the  stallion's  arrival,  many  were  the  comments  on  his  re- 
markable beauty  of  form  and  color,  as  well  as  the  strength  and 
supple  grace  which  every  movement  revealed. 

"At  10  o'clock  Professor  Magner  cleared  the  place  of  all  spec- 
tators excepting  those  holding  tickets  of  invitation  from  the  com- 
mittee having  charge  of  the  exhibition,  and  proceeded  to  carry  out 
the  promise  of  his  circular. 

"  Of  course,  the  peculiar  method  by  which,  in  a  wonderfully 
brief  time,  one  of  the  most  savage  stallions  in  the  State  was  so 
completely  conquered  that  he  was  harnessed  to  a  carriage  and 
driven  around  the  enclosed  yard,  fast  or  slow,  as  suited,  as  well  as 
backing,  stopping  instantly  at  the  word,  '  Whoa ! '  besides  various 
other  things, — all  proving  that  the  demon  had  been,  temporarily 
at  least,  exorcised, — cannot  be  stated;  but  it  was  surely  done." — 
Portland  Argus. 

"Sketch  of  the  Noted  Hillman  Horse,  'Jet.' 

"  BY    C,    G.    ROBINSON,    ESQ., 

"  Whu  took  charge  of  him  after  hehig  subdued. 

"  I  have  known  '  Jet'  since  he  was  foaled.  He  has  been  known 
as  the  finest  and  most  promising  colt  of  his  age  in  the  State,  being 
of  the  best  trotting  blood.  He  has  attracted  the  most  widespread 
notice  for  his  remarkable  viciousness.  He  would  look  at  a  man 
pleasantly,  yet  bite,  strike,  or  kick,  as  soon  as  within  reach,  and 
would  fight  as  coolly  and  desperately  as  a  bull-dog.  If  he  could 
not  reach  the  pei'son  with  his  fore  feet  or  mouth,  he  would  wheel 
and  kick  with  the  quickness  of  a  mule.  Any  one  having  a  little 
experience  with  him  once,  let  him  alone  afterwards.  When  but 
eighteen  months  old,  ho  was  taken  for  exhibition  to  the  Lewiston 
fair.  It  was  with  great  difficulty  that  he  was  taken  out  after 
standing  in  the  car  two  days,  and  he  was  not,  in  consequence,  en- 
tered for  competition.  His  exploits  at  this  age  were  numerous. 
For  instance,  a  horseman  who  did  not  fear  any  horse,  could  not 
be  prevailed  upon  to  keep  away,  and,  though  warned  to  keep  out, 
incautiously  stepped  into  'Jet's'  department;  when,  quick  as  a 
flash,  upon  getting  near  enough,  'Jet'  cornered  and  crushed  him 
under  his  feet  with  mouth  and  hoofs.  When  that  man  was  res- 
cued, which  was  with  great  difficulty,  he  needed  no  more  admo- 
nitions to  keep  away.  At  different  times  foolhardy  individuals 
were  cornered  in  this  manner  at  Lewiston ;  and  each  time  the 
horse  had  to  be  clubbed  to  rescue  thein.  Though  notoriously 
vicious,  being  remarkably  fine  in  form  and  action,  a  great  effort 
was  made  to  use  him  for  l^reeding.  He  was  put  in  the  care  of 
Mr,  Jacob  Bailey,  of  Hiram,  a  horse-breaker  who  was  highly  rec- 

28 


434  SUBJECTION.— ILLUSTE ATI VE   CASES. 

ouimencled  in  the  language,  'If  he  cannot  break  him,  no  man  can.' 
Mr.  Bailey  had  him  but  a  short  time,  when  he  wrote  the  owner 
that  he  could  not  manage  him  at  all,  and  that  he  must  take  the 
horse  away;  in  fact,  the  hor.se  came  near  killing  him.  Then  a 
Southern  colored  man,  av ho  had  been  used  to  taking  care  of  blooded 
liorses  in  the  South,  was  recommended  very  highly  to  take  him, 
and  was  employed  by  the  owner.  He  had  him  but  a  few  days 
before  he  was  beaten.  Then,  with  much  diliiculty,  with  strapping 
and  binding  he  was  carried  to  Portland.  In  leading  him  from 
the  cars  to  the  stable,  he  got  the  man  under  him,  who  was  rescued 
with  difficulty  from  his  ferocious  fury. 

"  Mr.  Richardson  and  Eben  Howe,  two  of  our  most  experienced 
and  successful  horsemen,  now  took  him  in  hand.  They  attached 
ropes  to  his  feet  and  head,  tied  up  one  foot,  taking  every  precau- 
tion they  could,  and  undertook  to  lead  him  to  his  owner's  stable 
between  them.  In  hiseflbrts  to  resist,  and  of  the  men  to  hold  him, 
Mr.  Richardson's  rope  broke,  wdien  the  horse  at  once  jumped  for 
Mr.  Howe,  catching  him  by  the  breast  of  his  thick  overcoat,  lifting 
him  from  the  flooi-  as  if  only  a  mere  toy  (Mi-.  Howe  Mill  weigh 
about  180  pounds),  threw  him  down,  and  came  down  upon  him 
with  his  knees,  liolding  his  grip  with  the  tenacity  of  a  tiger  (Mr. 
Hillman's  words).  Mr.  J.  Jewell,  stable-keeper  on  Centre-street, 
grabbed  a  hay-fork  and  hit  the  horse  three  times  heavily  upon  the 
back  of  tlie  hea<l,  while  another  man  hit  liim  in  the  same  place 
Avith  the  butt  of  a  heavy  black  whip ;  but  his  grip  was  only  loos- 
ened by  thrusting  the  fork-handle  between  his  jaws  above  the  nip- 
pers, and  thus  his  mouth  was  pried  open.  Mr.  Howe  was  so  seri- 
ously injured  that  he  M^as  unable  to  attend  to  his  duties  for  a  long 
time;  indeed,  it  was  regarded  fortunate,  so  bad  were  his  injuries, 
that  he  was  able  to  regain  his  health  even  then.*  By  being  tied 
and  hampered  in  the  most  effective  manner  that  skill  and  ingenu- 
ity could  suggest,  he  was  led  to  Mr.  Hillman's  place  in  Cape  Eliz- 
abeth, where  he  was  kept  confined  for  nearly  nine  months,  until 
taken  out  two  weeks  ago,  and  subdued  in  the  presence  of  our  lead- 
ing citizens  by  Prof.  Magner.  Such  is  Ijut  a  brief  outline  of  the 
character  of  this  most  remarkable  horse.  It  is  admitted  by  all 
that  he  was  the  most  vicious  horse  of  any  age  ever  known  in  this 
country." 

Case  8. — Norwalk  Horse. 

This  case  is  referred  to  mainly  to  show  the  value  of 
proper  Ireatmenl.     .When  at  Norwalk,  Ohio,  I  had  a  large 

^Mr.  Howe  was  present  at  the  time  of  ".Tef?  '"  subjection,  and  was  still  an  in- 
Talld  from  the  elEects  of  his  injuries. 


ALLEGAN  "MAN-EATEE."  435 

class,  and  among  other  interesting  subjects  brought  in  for 
experiment,  was  one  having  the  following  history  : — 

A  gentleman  in  the  place  raised  a  fine,  four-year  old 
colt.  In  trying  to  break  him,  he  took  to  kicking  and 
running  away.  Several  horse-breakers  tried  to  break  him, 
but  failed.  The  last  trial  was  made  by  two  horse-tamers, 
who,  after  working  upon  him  two  weeks,  not  only  utterly 
failed,  but  injured  him  seriously  by  their  severe  treatment. 
Upon  my  arrival  there,  he  was  about  seven  years  old,  and 
had  been  running  loose  about  two  years. 

This  horse  was  medium  sized,  well  bred,  very  intelligent, 
and  naturally  easy  to  manage,  but  had  been  made  vicious 
by  ignorant,  abusive  treatment.  The  owner  brought  him 
on  condition  that  I  should  break  him.  Upon  looking  him 
over,  I  stated  to  the  class  that  there  would  be  no  trouble 
whatever  in  breaking  this  horse,  that  he  was  one  of  the 
best  subjects  yet  brought  in.  He  was  subjected  to  First 
Method,  to  which  he  yielded  readily.  But  as  a  matter  of 
precaution,  he  was  subjected  afterward  to  Second  Method, 
when  he  was  put  in  harness  and  driven  gently  without 
further  treatment.  Next  day  at  one  o'clock,  as  previously, 
announced,  he  was  driven  without  breeching  through  the 
streets.  Though  going  at  a  fast  trot,  and  distant  fully  six 
or  eight  rods,  he  could  be  stopped  or  started  by  word  of 
command.  He  was  afterward  used  as  a  family  driving 
horse. 

Case  9. — Allegan  "Man-Eater." 

In  explanation  of  this  case,  I  will  include  statements 
and  reports  published  at  the  time. 

"  The  Allegan  'Man-Eater,'  the  '  Cruiser'  of  America. 

"Science  vs.   Strength. 

"About  the  first  of  January  last,  Prof.  Magner  came  to  this 
place,  and  opened  an  amphitheater  for  the  training  and  subjugation 


436 


SUBJECTION.— ILLUSTEATIVE  CASES 


of  wild  and  vicious  horses.  At  first  his  claims  were  looked  upon 
with  suspicion  and  distrust  by  horsemen  and  the  public  generally ; 
and  only  after  the  most  exhaustive  and  convincing  proofs  of  his 
truly  wonderful  nerve  and  skill  were  exhibited,  was  he  enabled  to 
establish  himself  in  their  confidence. 

"  From  here  he  removed  to  Plainwell,  where  he  met  with  still 
greater  success,  receiving  a  public  testimonial  signed  by  one 
hundred  and  fifty  of  the  leading  citizens  of  that  place.  But  it 
was  reserved  for  Allegan  to  bring  a  final  test-case,  A  horse  by 
nature  of  the  most  desperate  and  vicious  character  was  brought 
in.  He  had  previously  killed  one  man,  and  crippled  several  for 
life,  and  severely  injured  many  others.  He  had  been  owned  by 
Dr.  Way,  of  Otsego,  an  accomplished  and  skillful  horseman. 


Fig.  293.— AUegan  "Man-eater." 

*'  When  brought  into  tlie  ring,  the  horse  exhibited  all  the  pecul- 
iar traits  of  his  character:  his  eyes  became  bloodshot,  and  gleamed 
like  balls  of  fire;  he  sprang  at  his  trainer  like  a  wild  beast,  biting, 
strikmg,  and  kicking  in  the  most  determined  manner,  breaking 
the  ropes  and  stakes,  springing  upon  the  seats,  and  throwing  them 
down,  teaiing  pieces  from  the  center-pole  with  his  teeth,  lunging 
at  any  person  who  met  his  eye,  actually  screaming  with  rage 
when  foiled  in  his  attempts  to  seize  his  intended  victims.  Nearly 
every  person  was  driven  from  the  tent,  some  in  their  haste  tearing 
holes  in  the  canvas,  and  escaping  through  the  roof.  It  was  a  truly 
exciting  and  desperate  struggle  of  science  against  strength,  which 
lasted  for  full  three  hours,  when  the  fury  of  the  beast  gave  way 
before  the  superior  intellect  and  science  of  man,  and  the  horse  be- 
came perfectly  docile,  allowing  himself  to  be  handled  with  ease 
and  safety,  triumphantly  vindicating  the  truth  and  practicability 
of  Prof.  Magner's  theory.     The  next  day  the  horse  was  handled 


ALLEGAN  "MAN-EATEK."  437 

by  strangers  with  perfect  safety,  and  driven  upon  the  streets. 
Altogether,  it  was  one  of  the  most  remarkable  cases  ever  witnessed 
in  this  country,  as  he  was  in  all  respects  as  vicious  as  the  noted 
English  horse  Cruiser.  We  do  not  write  this  as  a  pufF,  but  to 
illustrate  the  perfection  to  which  the  science  of  horse- training  has 
been  brought  by  Prof.  Magner.  Many  of  our  citizens  who  failed 
to  attend  his  lectures  here,  are  now  regretting  not  having  done  so. 
His  great  success  recently  in  New  York,  where  he  is  indorsed  in 
the  strongest  manner  by  all  the  best  horsemen,  including  Mr. 
Bonner,  Mr.  Bergh,  and  even  the  clergy,  proves  him  to  be  a  man 
of  real  merit  ;  and  were  he  to  come  here  again,  we  predict  for  him 
a  flattering  reception." — Kalamazoo  (Mich.j  Gazette. 

"  His  History  (by  Dr.  Way,  who  Owned  Him,  and  whose 

Brother  He  had  Killed),  which  was  Requested 

BY  the  Class  for  Publication. 

"  The  'Updike  Horse,'  better  known  as  '  Man-Eater,'  from  his 
remarkable  viciousness,  was  out  of  the  Canada  horse  '  Lyon  '  and 
a  Messenger  mare.  He  was  a  wonderfully  wild  colt,  and  would  kick 
and  strike  at  any  one  who  approached  or  annoyed  him. 

"  When  three  years  old,  he  was  caught  with  a  lasso  for  the 
purpose  of  castrating  him.  In  the  attempt  to  do  so,  after  being 
confined,  he  broke  the  ropes  by  which  he  was  tied,  and  got  away, 
and  it  took  several  men  with  horses  nearly  all  day  to  catch  him  and 
complete  the  operation.  It  was  found  impossible  to  take  the 
sticks  off"  next  day,  and  he  was  allowed  to  run,  to  die  or  not,  in 
consequence.  Ho  ran  wild  afterward  until  five  years  old,  when 
he  was  sold  to  Nathan  Austin,  who,  after  being  seriously  injured 
by  him,  succeeded  in  getting  him  in  harness  to  plow  by  the  side 
of  a  gentle  horse,  and  plowed  him  all  day  with  one  of  his  fore  feet 
tied  up,  notwithstanding  which  he  would  kick  and  strike  next 
morning  as  bad  as  ever. 

"  By  long-continued,  severe,  exhausting  work  of  this  kind,  he 
finally  could  bed  him  down  in  stall  and  handle  him  a  little. 

"  Mr.  E.  Higgins  g(jt  liim  next.  In  his  efforts  to  drive  him,  he 
kicked  himself  loose,  destroying  the  wagon,  and  defied  for  a  long- 
time the  utmost  efforts  of  three  men  to  catch  him,  and  after  being- 
put  in  stall  no  one  dared  to  approach  him.  In  two  weeks  he  was 
sold  to  Mr.  Lewis  Hadden,  from  whom  he  got  away  in  the  attempt 
to  drive  him,  and  it  was  with  the  greatest  effort  that  he  was 
finally  caught ;  and  after  the  most  violent  effoi't  could  finally  be 
handled  by  Mr.  Hadden,  but  by  no  one  else.  He  kicked  and 
nearly  killed  one  of  his  boys,  and  he  sold  him  to  John  Hogle.  In 
a  short  time  he  became  so  vicious  that  he  could  not  be  let  out  of 
the  barn  or  approached. 


438  SUBJECTION.— ILLUSTEATIVE  CASES. 

"A  company  of  horse-tamers  next  agreed  to  break  him.  They 
succeeded  by  a  lariat  rope  in  getting  some  of  their  rigging  on  him, 
but  he  soon  was  loose,  kicking  and  running  in  the  street  with  a 
number  of  ropes,  etc.,  attached  to  him.  After  a  great  effort,  and 
taking  nearly  all  day,  he  was  caught.  They  promised  to  break 
him  next  day,  but  that  night  they  left,  leaving  their  ropes  and 
straps  on  the  horse. 

"  I  bought  him  next.  He  was  very  poor  and  weak,  and  I  put 
him  in  the  barn,  did  nothing  to  aggravate  him,  tried  to  give  him 
some  oats  in  a  dish,  but  he  kicked  and  struck  at  me.  I  kept 
trying  him  in  this  way  for  several  days,  until  I  could  approach 
and  handle  him  a  little.  In  the  attempt  to  drive  him  in  double 
harness,  he  kicked  himself  loose,  breaking  the  wagon  to  pieces. 

'"  About  a  month  after  this  he  struck  and  kicked  me,  and  I 
only  saved  my  life  by  rolling  tinder  the  onanger,  where  I  had  to 
remain  until  relieved  by  neighbors.  He  would  now  kick  or  strike 
any  one  approaching  him,  injuring  quite  a  number,  one  man  from 
Kalamazoo  getting  three  ribs  and  one  arm  broken  by  him.  He 
kicked  and  struck  my  brother  when  he  was  attempting  to  feed 
him,  not  only  killing  him,  but  in  his  fury  literally  mangling  his 
body  by  striking  and  kicking  it  about  in  the  stall. 

"After  this  he  was  not  approached  or  touched  by  any  one  for 
several  weeks. 

"  Another  party  of  horse-tamers  next  took  him  in  hand,  and 
after  working  with  him  for  two  days,  could  not  do  anything  with 
him — not  even  put  a  blanket  on  him,  or  take  their  ropes  off.  After 
leaving  my  hands,  at  least  a  dozen  horsemen  and  horse-tamers 
tried  to  break  him,  and  all  failed,  and  he  was  recognized  and  be- 
came known  as  the  most  dangerous  and  vicious  horse  in  the 
State,  if  not  in  the  country. 

"  He  has  been  driven  every  day  since  you  handled  him  (one 
week).  He  is  not  in  the  least  injured,  and  continues  as  gentle 
and  manageable  as  he  was  the  day  you  handled  him. 

"  It  is  needless  for  me  to  say  that  all  your  class  here  wish  you 
the  greatest  success  in  your  humane  efforts.  All  would  be  glad  to 
have  you  come  back.     I  am,  with  great  respect, 

"  A.  B.  Way,  M.  D. 

"  Otsego,  Allegan  Co.,  Mich." 

All  the  methods  of  subjection  were  used  upon  this  case 
to  their  utmost  limit,  without  any  restrictions  as  to  injury, 
as  the  horse  was  considered  worthless,  the  question  of  in- 
terest being.  Can  the  horse  be  subdued  ? 


A  LLEGAN   '^  iVIA:N-EA  TEE." 


439 


440 


SUBJECTION.— ILLUSTRATIVE  CASES. 


Case  10. — Roberts  Horse. 

I  include  this  case  because  it  was  the  first  really  vicious 
stallion  subdued  by  nie  ;  also  to  show  the  bad  effects  of 
rough  treatment,  and  the  facility  with  which  a  horse  that 
has  been  even  very  vicious  can  be  made  gentle  when  the 
treatment  is  right. 

This  was  an  ''  Ethan  Allen "  stallion,  about  eight  or 
nine  years  old,  owned  by  a 
gentleman  named  Roberts, 
in  Utica,  N.  Y.,  at  the  time 
suj^ervisor  of  the  fifth  dis- 
trict of  that  city.  The 
horse  had  previously  been 
of  such  good  character  that 
he  was  used  as  a  family 
driver.  A  groom  in  the 
habit  of  drinking  occasion- 
ally, was  emj^loyed  to  take 
charge  of  him  ;  and  to  make 
him  show  up,  was  in  the 
habit  of  whii)ping  him  until 
he  grew  vicious  and  got  to 
fighting.  The  owner,  hearing  of  this,  discharged  the  man, 
and  took  charge  of  the  liorse  himself;  when,  the  first  he 
knew,  the  horse  pitched  suddenly  at  him,  luting  him,  and 
undoubtedly  would  have  killed  him  had  not  two  men  who 
happened  nenr  driven  the  horse  off  with  rails. 

When  I  visited  the  city,  the  horse  had  been  confined 
to  his  stall  for  seven  months,  fed  through  a  hole  or  window 
in  the  wall,  it  not  being  considered  safe  for  any  one  to  go 
near  him.  In  consequence  of  his  serious  injuries,  Mr. 
Roberts  Avas  yet  confined  to  his  room,  a  helpless  invalid. 
As  a  condition  of  doing  anything  there,  the  citizens  insisted 
that  I  should  first  subdue  this  horse.     Consenting  to  make 


Ym.  29.5.  -Roberts  Horse. 


EGBERTS  HOESE.  441 

the  experiment,  I  was  accompanied  by  the  Butterfield 
brothers,  one  of  them  proprietor  of  a  large  livery  stable, 
the  other  better  known  as  General  Butterfield,  Mr.  Golden, 
a  well-known  merchant  and  horseman,  and  the  reporters  of 
the  Telegrajoh  and  Utica  Herald,  to  Mr.  Roberts'  residence 
in  the  upper  part  of  the  city. 

When  these  gentlemen  saw  the  vicious  character  of  the 
horse,  fearing  I  would  get  injured  and  they  censured  for  it, 
they  unanimously  requested  that  I  would  have  nothing  to  do 
with  him,  saying  that  if  I  would  not,  they  would  do  all  they 
could  to  help  me  form  a  class.  I  told  them  to  borrow  no 
trouble  about  me,  to  keep  out  of  my  way ;  that  the 
experiment  must  now  be  made,  and  I  would  take  care  of 
myself.  I  was  fortunately  able  to  get  the  horse  out  of  his 
stall  without  serious  difficulty,  and  into  a  small  yard  or  open 
wagon  house,  on  one  side  of  which  was  a  loft  or  haymow, 
where  the  gentlemen  named  seated  themselves,  beyond  the 
reach  of  possible  harm.  It  is  necessary  to  explain  here 
that  at  this  time  I  had  no  well-defined  theory  of  manage- 
ment, simply  doing  the  best  I  could  to  adapt  my  efforts  to 
the  control  of  such  cases  as  were  brought  me  for  experi- 
ment. Usually  I  succeeded  fairly,  sometimes  quite  flatter- 
ingly, though  not  unfrequently,  when  compelled  to  take 
some  exceptionally  bad  case,  I  made  more  or  less  failure. 

I  had  repeatedly  heard  of  this  case,  but  was  cautioned 
by  friends  to  have  nothing  to  do  with  him.  But  having  a 
desire  to  see  the  horse,  and  not  knowing  just  how  to  pro- 
ceed, I  was  betrayed  into  the  promise  of  taking  him  in 
hand ;  and  once  starting  in  the  matter,  I  was  bound  to  go 
through  at  all  hazards.  Still  I  made  no  special  preparations, 
and  in  fact  had  with  me  but  a  simple  War  Bridle  cord. 
Having  the  horse  out  in  the  yard,  as  stated,  controlled  by 
two  long  ropes  fastened  to  his  bridle  and  held  by  myself 
and  assistant,  the  question  arose  in  my  mind.  What  shall 


442  SUBJECTION.— ILL  USTEATIVE  CASES. 

I  do  next  ?  I  could  not  safely  let  go  or  put  on  any  rigging. 
In  fact,  I  had  none.  Without  stopping  to  consider,  I 
resolved  to  take  the  only  chance  open  for  me,  that  of  com- 
bating him  in  the  most  simple  and  direct  manner.  He 
was  a  wonderfully  quick,  energetic  fellow,  and  just  as 
vicious  as  he  was  quick,  having  no  idea  but  to  jump  at  a 
man.  Should  I  succeed,  his  control  would  be  simple  and 
easy,  whereas  if  I  failed  I  should  be  completely  helpless 
and  in  his  power,  the  result  of  which  would  be  serious  if 
not  fatal  to  me.  A  supreme  effort  was  my  only  chance, 
and  I  prepared  to  make  it.  I  took  as  short  hold  of  the 
rope  as  I  could  with  safety,  measured  the  chances,  and  said 
to  the  other  man,  "  Let  go."  The  moment  the  horse  was 
given  freedom,  he  jumped  for  me.  At  the  same  instant  I 
sprang  for  his  tail,  which  I  was  barely  able  to  catch  and 
hold.  The  struggle  now  was  for  me  to  hold  on  and  keep 
upon  my  feet  while  going  around  rapidly.  I  barely  suc- 
ceeded, soon  making  him  so  helpless  that  I  could  safely 
let  go  and  reverse  a  few  times,  after  which  I  quickly  put 
on  the  War  Bridle,  and  made  him  feel  all  the  power  I  could 
exert  with  it.  The  whole  time  of  doing  this  was  not  more 
than  five  or  six  minutes,  when  he  became  completely  docile, 
following  me  around  and  allowing  me  to  handle  him  as  I 
pleased.  I  now  advised  that  he  be  treated  kindly,  given 
apples,  petted,  and  put  to  work.  He  was  driven  almost 
daily  afterward,  while  I  was  in  the  city,  by  members  of  the 
family,  proving  as  safe  and  gentle  for  use  as  he  was  in  the 
first  place. 

When  I  look  back  upon  this  experiment,  and  consider 
all  the  circumstances,  I  regard  it  as  one  of  the  most  sue 
cessful  I  ever  made.  It  was,  at  the  same  time,  so  fool- 
hardy that  after  mature  experience  I  would  have  hesi- 
tated long  before  taking  such  a  risk.  Tt  would  be  simple 
and  easy  enough  in  ordinary  cases ;    but  when  the  horse 


EOBEETS  HOESE.  443 

is  extremely  vicious  and  quick,  there  are  two  sources  of 
danger :  First,  of  being  kicked  while  catching  the  tail,  on 
which  account  it  cannot  be  safely  attempted  with  mustangs 
or  horses  of  this  character ;  second,  of  missing  the  tail,  or 
of  inability  to  run  fast  enough  to  keep  up  with  the  horse 
in  his  rapid  circular  motion.  In  which  case  there  would 
be  no  alternative  but  to  let  go  or  be  dragged  under  the 
fore  feet.  In  either  case,  should  the  horse  be  really  vicious, 
as  in  the  present  instance,  I  would  have  been  brought  within 
reach  of  his  mouth,  helpless  to  resist  his  biting  or  striking 
which  would  be  extremely  perilous. 


&? 


Case  11. — Mustang  Pony. 

The  question  is  frequently  asked.  Can  any  horse  be 
subdued  ?  Practically  there  is  no  horse  that  cannot  be 
subdued ;  but  I  will  refer  to  a  case,  the  only  one  I  ever 
found,  that  would  not  yield  to  treatment,  though  I  am  con- 
vinced that  with  time  and  proper  opportunity  there  would 
be  no  real  difficulty  in  making  even  this  case  manageable. 
Two  years  before  my  visiting  the  northern  part  of  New 
York,  there  had  been  shipped  into  that  part  of  the  country 
seven  car-loads  of  wild  mustangs.  Two  of  these  ponies, 
up  to  the  time  of  my  coming,  could  not  be  broken,  and  one 
of  these  is  the  subject  referred  to  here.  At  North  Lawrence 
I  had  for  subjects  a  six-year  old,  runaway,  kicking  mare 
that  had  not  been  harnessed  in  two  years,  and  a  cream- 
colored  mustang  pony.  As  was  often  the  case,  there  was 
nothing  said  about  the  bad  character  of  this  pony,  but  there 
was  something  about  his  appearance  that  I  could  not 
understand,  and  had  never  seen  in  any  other  horse.  He 
crouched  up  in  a  corner,  apparently  indifferent  to  all  around 
him,  his  head  down,  and  his  ears,  which  were  heavy  and 
long  as  a  mule's,  thrown  back  and  out.  His  under  lip  was 
large,  and  hung  down,  leaving  his  mouth  in  appearance 


444  SUBJECTION.— ILLUSTEATIVE   CASES. 

partly  open.  The  eyes  were  large,  showing  the  sullen 
expression  of  a  wild  animal.  A  very  noticeable  feature 
was  the  extreme  size  of  his  nostrils.  The  fist  could  almost 
be  put  in  one  of  them.  An  indifferent  look  at  him  would 
indicate  a  rather  scrawny,  low-necked,  pot-bellied,  dirty, 
long-haired  fellow ;  but  a  closer  examination  showed  won- 
derfully large  bone  and  muscle  for  a  horse  of  his  size. 

I  stated  there  would  be  no  difficulty  in  making  the 
mare  drive  gently  within  fifteen  minutes ;  but  I  did  not 
know  what  I  could  do  v/ith  the  mustang,  as  he  appeared  to 
be  one  of  the  worst  horses  I  ever  saw,  and  not  a  suitable 
subject  to  experiment  upon  before  a  class.  Upon  trial,  the 
mare  submitted  to  treatment  perfectly  in  about  twelve 
minutes,  was  driven  on  the  following  day  to  the  next  town, 
and  remained  gentle  afterward.  Upon  cautiously  testing 
the  mustang,  he  exhibited  the  most  fearful  resistance.  If 
a  stick  were  pointed  at  him,  or  he  were  touched  in  any 
part  of  the  body,  he  would  jump,  strike,  and  kick  several 
times  in  succession,  then  crouch  into  the  farthest  corner, 
rolling  his  eyes,  snorting,  and  blowing  like  a  bellows.  He 
was  with  great  difficulty  subjected  to  Second  and  Third 
Methods,  which  were  carried  to  the  farthest  limit  prudent. 

While  under  pressure,  he  would  sometimes  strike  and 
kick  desperately,  then  again  stand  sullen,  doing  nothing ; 
finally  seeming  to  submit,  the  moment  the  pressure  was 
removed  he  resisted  as  badly  as  before.  It  was  the  same 
in  relation  to  the  Second  Method ;  he  would  either  go 
rapidly  around  a  few  times,  or  stand  sullenly,  refusing  to 
go  around,  regardless  of  the  most  severe  punishment, 
several  times  dropping  down  upon  his  belly ;  yet  the 
moment  he  was  free,  he  would  fight  as  recklessly  as  ever. 
After  bringing  out  his  bad  character,  the  owner  stated 
frankly  that  the  horse  was  really  worthless,  and  could  not 
be  broken,  and  we  were  at  full  liberty  to  see  what  we  could 


MUSTANG   PONY. 


44: 


do  with  him.  Consequent!}^  it  became  a  matter  of  consid- 
erable importance  to  subdue  him,  and  the  full  force  of 
treatment  was  used  upon  him  for  two  hours,  without  seem- 
ing to  have  the  least  permanent  effect. 

It  is  proper  to  state  that  the  First  Method  was  not  at 
all  suitable  for  this  case,  as  this  class  of  horses,  when  the 
leg  is  tied  up,  will  either  throw  themselves  violently  or 
drop  down  upon  the 
belly  sullenly,  while 
the  War  Bridle  would 
have  no  effect  upon 
him.  The  better  to 
explain  his  peculiarly 
lithe,  desperate  char- 
acter, after  being 
treated  for  nearly  two 
hours,  with  one  leg 
tied  up,  he  dropped 
forward  upon  his 
head,  turned  clear 
over  like  a  wheel,  and 
came  forward  upon 
his  feet,  making  a  complete  somersault  without  any  seem- 
ing effort;  and  the  next  instant  he  jumped  clear  of  the 
ground,  struck,  and  kicked  out  furiously  with  both  hind 
feet.  I  give  a  good  portrait  of  his  head,  also  an  illustra- 
tion of  this  remarkable  feat,  which  was  witnessed  by  the 
entire  class. 

He  was  several  times  brought  under  sufficient  control 
to  be  harnessed  in  shafts  and  driven  quietly  for  perhaps  a 
minute,  but  with  the  first  freedom  he  would  fight  back 
with  tlie  same  insane  fury  as  before.  I  made  the  statement 
that  such  a  horse  could  not  practically  be  broken  before 
the  class,  and  I  doubted  whether  anybody  could  break  him. 


Fig.  296.— The  mustang. 


446 


SUBJECTION.— ILLUSTEATIVE  CASES. 


The  owner,  a  strong,  practical  man,  laughed,  saying  he 
belieA^ed  he  could  break  him,  anyhow  he  should  make  a 
thorough  trial ;  as  much  as  to  say,  I  will  show  you  that  I 
can  break  a  liorse  that  you  cannot.  Weeks  afterward,  he 
informed  me  that  ho  made  the  most  thoroush  trial,  not 
only  working  with  liim  for  days,  but  actually  almost  starv- 
ing him,  without  having  the  least  effect  upon  him. 

My  time  being  limited,  I  could  not  continue  the  treat- 


FiG.  297. — The  Mustaug  iu  the  act  of  turning  over,  as  described. 

ment  longer.  In  addition,  an  indispensable  condition  of 
success  was  stopping  when  greatly  excited,  and  repeating 
when  cool,  and  treating  him  slowly  in  connection  with  the 
utmost  kindness.  But  not  being  able  to  make  a  perfect 
success  of  the  experiment,  about  half  of  the  class  demanded 
a  return  of  their  money,  and  received  it.  This  made  a  good 
deal  of  stir  and  talk,  as  it  was  considered  a  great  thing  to 
find  a  horse  that  we  could  not  manage  ;  and  I  knew  it  would 
go  like  wild  fire,  and  prejudice  the  people  against  me  in 
that  part  of  the  country.    I  made  a  special  request  that  all 


MUSTANG  PONY.  447 

present  would  meet  me  at  the  next  town,  and  bring  their 
friends  with  them.  On  the  day  following,  there  was  a  big 
crowd  assembled,  and  evidently  the  tide  of  feeling  was 
decidedly  against  me.  It  was  my  usual  custom  to  simply 
explain  what  I  could  teach  and  do,  then  amuse  the  audience 
by  the  performances  of  the  ponies,  Avhich  was  of  itself  one 
of  the  best  illustrations  that  could  be  given,  showing  the 
value  of  intelligent  treatment.  But  on  this  occasion  some- 
thing more  substantial  Avas  needed,  and  I  prepared  myself 
for  the  emergency.  I  had  the  people  assemble  in  a  hall, 
'and  commenced  by  explaining  the  singular  adaptation  of 
the  domestic  animals  to  the  wants  and  requirements  of  the 
people  among  whom  they  are  found  in  the  different  -parts 
of  the  world.  I  then  referred  to  the  different  peculiari- 
ties of  character  common  to  each  family  or  class,  and 
followed  by  an  explanation  of  the  changes  produced  by 
chance  causes,  making  the  inference  clear  that  exceptions 
were  possible,  either  from  a  lack  of  intelligence  or  extreme 
wildness,  which  would  make  their  training  and  management 
extremely  difficult.  I  pointed  to  the  fact  that  one  of  the 
horses  treated  the  day  before,  and  driven  there  that  day 
by  the  owner  perfectly  gentle,  was  broken,  as  promised,  by 
less  than  fifteen  minutes'  treatment,  a  horse  that  twenty- 
four  hours  before  it  Avas  not  supposed  could  be  successfully 
managed  by  any  man  in  the  country. 

I  then  took  up  the  principles  of  subjection  with  their 
effects  (as  explained  in  this  and  in  first  chapter),  and  finally 
referred  to  the  general  success  and  appreciation  of  my 
efforts.  All  seemed  to  see  the  point,  and  I  made  a  largo 
class.  Even  those  of  the  day  before  who  took  their 
money  back,  voluntarily  subscribed  anew.  The  result  of 
this  was  an  overwhelming  success,  and  interest  that  was 
almost  unprecedented  in  my  experience  throughout  the 
country. 


448  SUBJECTION.— ILLUSTRATIVE  CASES. 

The  other  pony  referred  to  was  found  a  few  weeks 
afterward  at  Brush's  Mills,  in  the  same  county,  where  I 
had  a  large  class.  The  case  yielded  to  treatment  in  about 
thirty  minutes,  allowing  himself  to  be  ridden  or  driven 
gently.  His  subjection  was  so  thorough  that  on  the  day 
following  he  was  driven  to  a  buggy  to  the  next  point  of 
engagement,  about  eight  miles  distant,  proving  perfectly 
gentle  and  manageable. 


CHECKING  AND  BLINDERS."- 


Cruelty    of    Checking. —  In    sitting,    walking,    or    standing, 
every  person  knows  how  tiresome  it  is  to  maintain  one  posi- 
tion very  long,  and  that  a  frequent  change  of  position  is  equiv- 
alent   to     resting.     It 
would  be  comparatively 
easy  to  move  the  hand 
up  or  down,  which  could 
be  done  almost    indefi- 
nitely with  out  much  in- 
convenience ;     but    to 
hold   it   in  one  position 
Fig.  39S.-The  horse  with  over-check.  perpendicularly  or  hor- 

izontally, would  soon  be 
come  extremely  tire- 
some and  difficult  ;  in 
fact,  so  much  so  that 
it  would  be  impossi- 
ble to  hold  it  out  hor- 
izontally longer  than  a 
few  minutes.  A  French 
subordinate  officer,  as 
a  punishment,  marched 
his  soldiers  all  day  with- 


Fio.  oOO.  — Let  the  (liiveis  try  it. 

♦This  article  i.s  HupjilruR'nlMry. 


Firr.  299. — Horse  iu  nature. 


out  allowing  them  the 
regulation  freedom  of 
changing  the  position  of 
their  arms,  which  so  in- 
jured them  that  it  was 
regarded  sufficient  cause 
for  inflicting  upon  him 
the  penalty  of  death. 

Now,  checking  hors- 
es, and  forcing  them  to 
hold  their  heads  unnat- 


[ij 


CHECKING   AND   BLINDERS. 


urally  high  and  keeping  them  thus  arbitrarily  in  a  fixed 
position,  as  I  notice  to  be  generally  practiced,  frequently  all 
day,  while  perhaps  being  rapidly  driven  or  worked  hard,  must 
be  almost  equally  trying  and  painful  for  them  to  bear,  and  in 
connection  with  the  use  of  blinders  is  so  much  of  a  fault  that  it 
cannot  but  be  regarded  as  the  greatest  ingratitude  and  a  crime 
to  so  faithful  and  useful  a  servant. 

But    custom,   when 
once   fixed,  no  matter 
how    unreasonable    or 
cruel  it  may  be,  would 
seem  to  transcend  even 
^     the  limits  of  reason  and 
//     common    sense.     It 
{/      may  be  mentioned  that 
even  the  prime-minis- 
ter of  England  would 
not  have  the    door  of 
his  house    opened    by 
the  hand  of  a  woman  in 
Fig.  301.— Both  methods  of  cheeking.  answer  to  the  call  of  a 

visitor  ;  it  must  be  done  by  a  liveried  servant.  Neither  would 
he  appear  in  Fleet  Street,  London,  without  a  regulation  hat 
on  ;  for  so  inexorable  is  the  custom  of  society,  that  either  would 
be  regarded  sufficient   to   ostracise  him  socially. 

In  China  the  so- 
cial standing  of  a 
lady  is  determined 
by  the  extreme 
smallness  of  her 
feet,  and  to  reduce 
their  size  to  the 
smallest  degree 
possible,  they  are 
subjected    to   the 

most     cruel    com-  Fig.  302. — Long  nails.     Absurd  Chinese  custom, 

pression  from  infancy,  which  leaves  her  little  more  than  a 
helpless,  hobbling  cripple  ;  while  the  social  standing  of  the 
men  is  regulated  by  the  length  of  the  finger  nails,  which  are 
protected  with  the   greatest   assiduity,  until   they  grow  to   a 


CHECKING   AND   BLINDERS.  3 

degree  that  interferes  in  a  very  serious  manner  with  the  use 
and  freedom  of  the  hands.  Even  the  lowest  savages  are  en- 
slaved by  the  same  inexorable  law.  This  we  see  shown  in  a 
thousand  different  ways,  many  of  them  at  the  expense  of  even 
the  most  extreme  and  long-continued  torture.  Thus,  certain 
tribes  of  the  American  Indians  flatten  and  compress  the  head 
of  the  child  with  a  board,  while  savages  in  other  portions  of  the 
world  distort  different  parts  of  the  body  in  different  ways, 
tattooing,  filing  and  coloring  the  teeth,  wearing  rings  in  the 


Fig.  303. — As  the  heads  of  gentle  driving  horses  are  frequently  checked  up, 

as  referred  to  in  text. 

nose  and  lips,  inserting  blocks  of  wood  or  rings  in  the  under 
lip  and  some  parts  of  the  face  —  the  greater  the  extreme,  the 
higher  the  proof  of  gentility. 

Now  this  custom  of  using  arbitrary  checks  upon  horses  for 
giving  fictitious  style  to  them  in  driving,  at  the  expense  of  a 
great  deal  of  comfort,  freedom,  and  vital  force,  is  of  the  same 
foolish  character,  which,  in  the  hands  of  ignorant  people  espe- 
cially, has  become  so  very  common  as  to  demand  the  most  seri- 
ous effort  to  prevent  it. 


CHECKING   AND   BLINDERS. 


Cropping  aud  Docking. — In  accordance  with  these  ridiculous 
notions,  introduced,  perhaps,  by  some  titled  fool,  it  was  the 
custom  in  England,  about  forty  years  ago,  to  crop  horses'  ears 
and  manes,  illustrations  of  which  are  given  from  an  old  English 
work,  showing  the  method  of  doing  it.  Thirty  years  ago,  in 
this  country,  it  was  common  in  every  neighborhood  to  see 
horses  with  their  tails  "cut  off  and  nicked,"  which  required 
their  standing  for  weeks. in  the  stable  with  the  tail  drawn  up 
with  pulleys,  and  this  even  at  the  risk  (which  often  occurred) 
of  so  much  inflammation  setting  in  as  to  cause  the  falling  out 
of  the  hair  of  the  tail,  or  of  producing  tetanus  and  the  loss  of 


Fig.  304. — The  head  as  usually  drawn  up  with  the  overdraw  check. 

the  horse,  which  was  not  infrequent.  This  was  carried  to  such 
an  extreme  by  many,  that  it  became  the  point  of  ambition  of 
the  professional  dealer  to  have  a  horse  with  the  shortest  and 
most  elevated  tail,  with  a  short  tuft  of  hair  hanging  to  it.  To 
show  that  this  is  true,  I  give  an  illustration  of  such,  copied 
from  the  English  work  before  named.  This  custom,  absurd  as 
it  may  seem,  was  as  common  about  a  generation  ago  as  the 
overdraw  check  is  now. 


CHECKING   AND   BLINDERS. 


HighCheckiug. —  Soon  after 
the  inauguration  of  trotting,  it 
was  found  that  horses  of  cer- 
tain temperament  and  form  could 
be  made  to  trot  more  reliably 
and  faster  by  holding  the  head 
checked  high,  and  soon  consid- 
erable ingenuity  was  displayed 
in  the  development  of  the  best 
methods  of  doing  this.  This 
was  resorted  to  with  the  same 
object  with  which  toe  weights  Fig.  30.5. — A  gentle  family  horse;  showing 
and  other  means  are  now  used,  the  discomfort  and  pain  of 

111  1   r  1-11  liigh  checking. 

to  hold  and  lorce  more  reliably 

in  the  trotting  gait. 

Down  to  about  fifteen  years  ago  the  check  in  general  use 

consisted  of  a  simple  strap,  the  ends 
of  which  were  attached  to  the  rings  of 
the  bit,  passed  through  the  lugs  on 
each  side  attached  to  the  throat-latch, 
and  back  to  the  saddle-hook.  The 
shorter  the  strap,  and  the  higher  these 
lugs  were  placed,  the  higher  the  head 
was  necessarily  drawn  up  and  back. 
A  good  illustration  of  the  extreme  of 
such  checking  is  shown  in  Fig.  316. 

Various  improvements  were  made 
on  this  method,  based  mainly,  now 
in  addition  to  the  points  explained 
in  raising  the  lugs,  or  in  attaching  them  well  up  near  the 
head-piece  of  the  bridle  ;  next,  in 
passing  the  strap  through  the 
rings  of  the  bit,  and  attaching  to 
the  cheek  pieces  of  the  bridle, 
making  the  purchase  straighter 
up  on  the  head,  and  giving  con- 
siderable pulley  purchase  up  and 
back  upon  the  bit.  Various  mod- 
ifications have  been  made  of  this 

form,  in  connection  with  powerful      ^^^  307.-One  position  of  head  of 
curb  bits,  with  the  object  of  ele-  the  horse  referred  to  in  text. 


Fig.  306.— The  family  horse  trying 
to  relieve  himself  from  the 
restraint  of  the  (heck. 


e 


CHI^XKING   AND   BLINDERS. 


Fig.  308. — The  horse  trying  to  re- 
lieve him.self  from  the   tor- 
ture of  the  overdraw  check. 


vating  the  heads  of  fancy  carriage 
teams  in  the  principal  cities  of  this 
country  and  England.  Figs.  318 
and  321  are  fair  representations  of 
the  modern  popular  form. 

Finally  a  change  was  made, — 
that  of  passing  the  strap,  one  end  of 
which  was  divided  and  connected 
with  the  rings  of  the  bit,  back  over 
the  head,  and  attaching  it  to  the  sad- 
dle-hook, which  was  called  the  Kim- 
ball-Jackson check.  The  next  change  was  that  of  placing  an 
extra  small  steel  bit  in  the  mouth, 
with  a  strap  attached  across  the  nose 
to  hold  it  in  place,  which  was  con- 
nected to  an  extra  strap  passed  up 
to  the  top  of  the  head  piece,  on 
which  a  patent  was  taken.  It  was 
introduced,  I  believe,  by  a  man 
named  Carroll.  This  was  improved 
upon  by  an  extra  strap,  bringing 
the  check-lugs  rather  high  on  the 
bridle,  and  connecting  the  rein  di- 
rectly with  this  extra  bit. 

The  next  step  was  to  attach  branch- 
es of  a  straight   strap   directly  to   the    nose-piece  or  rings  of 

this  extra  bit,  and  pass  it  back 
over  the  head  to  the  water-hook, 
as  now  used,  not  only  simplifying 
it,  but  giving  the  m.ost  arbitrary 
power  of  keeping  the  head  ele- 
vated. No  matter  what  the  form 
or  temper  of  the  horse,  this  form 
of  check  holds  the  head  up  so  ar- 
bitrarily that  the  horse  is  helpless 
to  resist  it,  giving  the  appearance 
of  style,  especially  in  those  that 
carry  the  head  rather  low,  and 
hence  their  popularity  with  deal- 
ers.   These    improvements    were 


Fig.  309.— Throwing  the  head  up  to 
obtain  relief  from  the  check. 


Fig.  310. — One  of  the  positions 

the  horse  assumes  in  trying  to 

obtain  relief  from  the  pain 

of  the  check  referred 

to  in  text, 


CHECKING   AND   BLINDERS. 


brought  into  use,  as  has 
been  stated  before,  by  the 
professional  trainer,  for 
the  sole  purpose  of  mak- 
ing horses  trot  steadier 
and  faster  ;  but  on  account 
of  the  appearance  of  style 
which  they  forced  the 
horse  to  indicate,  and  the 
pride  most  people  exhibit 
in  trying  to  give  their 
horses  the  semblance  of 
superior  form  and  style 
which  it  conveys,  as  well 
as  to  imitate,  as  far  as  they 
can,  the  efforts  of  the  pro- 
fessional  trainer    of  trot- 

,  1.1.         1-  J       •         i.u     Fig.  311. — Common  method  of  pulling:  the  tail  up 

ters,  they  have,  durnig  the  ^.     ,  -       ,  ,  i, 

■'  °_  after  bemg  nicked. 

past    decade,    come    into 
very  general  use. 

It  may  be  worthy  of  mention  that  this  check  is  peculiar  to 
this  country,  not  being,  as  far  as  I  know,  used  in  any  other 

country,  only 
the  old  form, 
with  its  modi- 
fications, being 
used  in  Europe. 
In  England  it  is 
known  as  the 
"  bearing-rein." 
In  originally 
usingthischeck, 
or  bearing-rein, 
upon  driving 
horses,  the  ob- 
ject has  been  to  use  only  so  much  restraint  as  w^ould  pre- 
vent the  horse  from  throwing  the  head  down  below  the  breast, 
and  to  curtail  the  head  to  its  natural  position,  or  slightly 
below  it,  which  is  not  seriously  objectionable. 


Fig.  312. — One  of  the  methods  used  to  hold  the  tail  up  after 
beioff  nicked. 


8 


CHKCKING    AND    1UJND1<:KS. 


Ill  tra illinium  Colts,  a  simple  method  of 
trainin;^  tlie  mouth  is  that  of  bitting,  or 
puttini^  on  what  is  termed  a  "bitting- 
rig,"  and  accustoming  the  colt  to  submit 
the  head  up  and  back  to  the  restraint 
of  the  bit,  an  illustration  of  Avhich  I  give 
in  the  chapter  on  "Colt  Training." 
When  done  properly,  it  is  a  valuable  aid 
in  training  the  mouth  ;  but  it  is  not 
sufficient  in  itself,  because  by  this  means 
the  advantage  of  a  dead  pressure  onl}- 
can  be  obtained  ;  whereas  it  is  necessary 


Fig.  314. — Horse  with  h  loopd  mane. 


Fig.  .'ilJ.—Tail  dockcrl   and 
nicked. 

to  teach  him  to  sub- 
mit to  flexible  re- 
straint, which  is  the 
real  object  to  be 
attained,  and  this 
can  be  done  best 
by  direct  training 
with  the  bit.  When 
this  is  done,  pulling 
gently  but  firml}' 
upon  the  mouth 
Avith  the  bit  will 
bring  the  head  up 
and  back,  and  keep 


it,  without  an)-  ap- 
parent restraint, 
even  higher  than 
can  be  accomplished 
with  a  check,  w^here- 
as,  if  dependent  up- 
on checking  only, 
and  especially  if 
checked  rather  high, 
the  muscles  of  the 
neck  becoming  fa-- 
tigued,  to  ease  and 
relieve     this,     the 


Fig.  31.5. — A  oroppod  horse,  referred  to  in  text. 


CHPXKING  AND  BLINDERS. 


d 


IS 


horse  ma)-  learn  to  rest  the 
head  upon  the  bit,  thereby 
inducing  liim,  when  pulled 
upon,  to  learn  the  habit  of 
lugging  or  throwing  the 
head  down  upon  the  breast, — 
a  very  objectionable  habit, 
and  one  which  really  defeats  _. 
the  v^ery  object  of  bitting. 

Another  point  :  If  the  colt    J 
is  checked   up  very  high    at 
first,  or  so  much  as  to  irri- 
tate and  madden  him,  in  his 

struggles  to  free  himself  from  Fig.    316.— The    position  of  the  head  as  it 
the   pain  and    restraint    he    is  frequently  drawn  np  by  a  severe 

liable  to  throw  himself  over  form  of  side  che.k. 

backward   and  be  killed,  an  occurrence  known  by  any  one  of 
experience  to  be  very  common. 

The  want,  also,  of  this  training  of  the  mouth  (which  is  fully 
explained  in  the  chapter  on  "Colt  Training")  frequently  leads 
plucky,  spirited  horses  to  so  lunge  or  pull  recklessly  against  the 

bit  as  to  make  them  un- 
manageable and  dangerous. 
This  it  is  sought  to  over- 
come  by  different  forms  of 
severe  bits.  When  giving 
instructions  and  making  ex- 
periments, I  had  almost 
daily  lunging,  kicking,  and 
runaway  horses  of  the 
worst  character  brought 
forward  to  be  experimented 
upon, — horses  that,  Avhen 
used  at  all,  could  only  be 
driven  by  the  most  severe 
form  of  bit  ;  and  I  was  invariably  able  to  drive  such  without 
a  check,  giving  the  head  entire  freedom,  and  I  may  say,  without 
breeching  as  well,  the  most  interesting  feature  of  which  was 
the  simplicity  of  treatment  with  which  it  could  be  done. 

In  a  certain  class  of  lunging,  headstrong  horses,  I  call  atten- 


I-"k;.  yi7. — Freedom  and  comfort. 


10 


CHECKING  AND  BLINDERS. 


Fig.   318. — The  extreme  torture  of  the  Bedouin  or  gag  bearing  rein. 

tion  under  that  head  to  checking  the  head  high  to  repress  re- 
sistance ;  but  it  is  given  as  palliative  treatment,  in  the  absence 
of  a  better.     I  call  attention  to  it  also  to  prevent  a  horse  from 


Fig.  319. — Form  of  bit  in  Fig.  320. — Form  of  bit  used  in  connec- 

general  use.  ^^°^  '^'^'^  check  sliown  in  318  and  321. 

kicking,  because  it  is  difficult  for  .a  horse  to  kick  when  checked 
high.  But  it  is  given  as  a  simple  means  of  control,  as  other 
treatment  is  given  for  objectionable  habits,  and  does  not  apply 


CHECKING  AND  BLINDERS.  11 

at  all  to  the  use  of  the   check  upon   gentle  horses  in  their  driv- 
ing. 

Even  those  most  humane  in  intentions  and  feelings  are  liable 
almost  daily  to  subject  the  most  gentle  horses  to  this  very  seri- 
ous cause  of  discomfort  and  pain.  To  illustrate  somewhat  the 
extent  of  this,  I  will  refer  to  two  cases  coming  to  my  notice  in 
one  evening,  just  previous  to  writing  this  paper.  A  banker, 
who  had  a  promising  three-year-old  trotting  colt,  which  he 
purchased  for  his  own  driving,  having  him  hitched  up  one  day, 


Fig,  331. — Discomfort, 


invited  me  to  ride.  The  colt's  head  was  checked  so  extremely 
high  as  to  make  it  unpleasant  for  me  to  witness  the  pain  and 
discomfort  of  the  horse  in  trying  to  relieve  himself  from  the  re- 
straint. Fig.  303  is  a  good  illustration.  I  took  particular 
pains  to  explain  to  the  gentleman  that  this  was  not  only  entirely 
unnecessary,  but  a  cause  of  real  cruelty,  and  that  I  was  confi- 
dent he  would  not  intentionally  subject  his  colt  to  such  need- 
less pain  and  discomfort,  when  brought  to  his  notice.  He,  like 
thousands  of  others,  had  scarcely  an  idea  what  the  check  was 
for.  He  **  liked  to  see  the  head  kept  high,  as  it  made  the  colt 
appear  better;"  "it  was  the   method  of  hitching  up  trotting 


12 


CHECKING  AND  BLINDERS. 


horses,  and  his  colt  ought  to  trot,  etc."  But  notwithstanding 
my  utmost  efforts,  I  could  not  persuade  him  to  leave  off 
the  check. 

The  same  evening  I  saw  a  gentle  family  horse  driven  by 
two  girls.  The  horse,  one  of  the  kindest  of  animals,  was 
checked  as  high  as  he  could  be  made  to  carry  his  head  ;  and 
while  driving  on  a  walk  it  was  really  painful  to  notice  the 
strained  manner  in  which  the  poor  creature  stepped,  taking  up 
his  feet  and  putting  them  down  almost  like  a  blind  horse,  be- 


FiG.  322 


cause  the  nose  being  pulled  up  so  high,  the  blinders  prevented 
his  seeing  the  ground  before  him,  at  the  same  time  working 
the  mouth  and  throwing  the  head  right  and  left  in  the  effort  to 
free  himself  from  the  severe  restraint.  For  a  good  illustration 
of  these  positions,  see  Figs.  305  to  310. 

This  is  only  a  fair  illustration  of  how  many  favorite  driv- 
ing and  family  horses,  including  even  some  work  horses,  are 
unintentionally  checked  up,  and  compelled  to  remain  so  for 
hours  at  a  time,  no  matter  how  worked. 

Geo.  T.  Angell,  Esq.,  President  of  the  Massachusetts  Hu- 
mane Society,  in  a  paper  showing  the  injurious  effects  of  the 
check,  says : — 


CHECKING  AND  BLINDERS. 


13 


"  If  a  man's  head  were 
to  be  tied  to  a  belt  around 
his  body,  so  that  he  could 
not  bend  forward,  he  would 
lose  the  advantage  of  his 
weight,  and  could  only 
pull  or  push  with  his 
muscles  ;  so,  also,  the  ox 
or  horse.  If  a  man's  head 
were  thus  kept  in  a  per- 
pendicular position,  he 
could  not  so  readily  see 
where  to  step,  and  would 
be  apt  to  stumble  ;  so  with 
the  horse." 

But   while   the   check    is 
ess  objectionable  for  light 

driving,  it  is  not  only  abuse  but  real  cruelty  to  use  restraint 
upon  the  head  of  the  draft-horse  in  this  way,  as  it  to  a  great 


Fig.  .32.3. — Horses  excited  by  the  torture  of  the 

burrs  shown  below. 


Fig.  334. — Burrs,  one  half  size. 


Fig.  325. — Side  view  sliowing 
length  of  taclcs,  drawn 
half  size. 


extent  disables  the  horse  from  di-awing  heavy  loads.  This 
need  not  be  demonstrated  ;  any  man  of  observation  can  see 
it,    and    it    is  finely  illustratctl  in  Fig.  32!.). 


u 


CHECKING  AND  BLINDERS. 


A  running  horse,  called  upon  to  do  his  best,  never  has  his 
head  tied  up,  and  no  one  would  think  of  doing  so,  because  it 
would  probably  lose  him  the  race.  I  copy  from  the  "  London 
Horse  Book,"  which  says  : — 

"The  check  rein  is  in  nearly  every  case  pjtinful  to  the  an- 
imal and  useless  to  the  driver,  because  it  fastens  the  head  in  an 
unnatural  position,  and  as  the  horse's  head  and  shoulders  fall  to- 
gether, cannot  be  of 
any  real  support  in 
stumbling.  When,  from 
some  defect  in  the  ani- 
mal or  other  cause,  the 
check  rein  is  used,  it 
must  be  slackened,  be- 
cause, in  addition  to  an 
easier  position  of  the 
neck,  a  greater  portion 
of  the  weight  can  be 
thrown  onto  the  collar, 
thus  saving  a  great  and 
unnecessary  expendi- 
ture of  muscular  power. 
That  the  check  is  incon- 
sistent with  the  action 
of  the  horse's  head,  is 
clearly  shown  by  the 
fact  that  when  the  horse 
Fig.  32(5. — A  dog  bitten  and  chewed  in  pieces,  res-  falls  it  is  always  bro- 
cued  by  Mr.  Bergh,  of  N.  Y.     Drawn  from  life.       I^pn  " 

Dr.  Fleming,  the  highest  English  authority,  says  : — 
"  I  think  nothing  can  be  more  absurd  than  the  check  reins  ; 
they  are  against  reason  altogether.  They  place  the  animal  in 
a  false  position  ;  the  horse  stands  with  a  check  rein  exactly  as 
a  man  would  stand  with  a  stick  under  his  arms  behind  his  back 
while  trying  to  write.  It  is  also  extremely  cruel.  I  have  no 
doubt  if  the  public  could  only  realize  the  fact  that  it  throws 
away  a  large  portion  of  the  horse's  power  altogether,  and  is  very 
cruel  besides,  this  rein  would  be  discontinued.  It  is  not  only 
his  head  that  suffers,  but  from  his  head  to  his  tail,  from  his  shoul- 
ders to  his  hoofs,  and  over  his  whole  body  he  suffers  more  or  less." 


CHECKING  AND  BLINDERS. 


15 


Another  high  English  authority,  Prof.  McBride,  says : — 
'*  I  most  heartily  concur  in  what  has  been  said  about  the 
bad  effects  of  the  foolish  custom  of  using  the  check  rein.  It  is 
a  very  common  cause  of  roaring  in  the  horse,  which  statement  is 
indorsed  by  all  veterinarians,  seven  hundred  in  England  alone." 
Figs.  303,  30-i,  were  drawn  and  engraved  expressly  for  me, 
showing  the  great  discomfort  of  horses  checked  high,  though 
the  artist  did  not  fully  catch  my  ideas  in  his  orders,  and  conse- 


FiG.  ::i-^ 


-Tortures  of  hiffb  checkino;. 


quently  did  not  express  the  position  as  fully  and    clearly  as 
desired  ;  in  any  event,  they  are  not  overdrawn. 

For  the  privilege  of  copying  Figures  298,  299,  300,  301, 
327,  and  328,  which  tell  the  story  very  plainly,  I  am  indebted 
to  Hon.  Thos.E.  Hill,  of  Chicago,  111.,  the  author  and  publisher 
of  "  Hill's  Manual  "  and  other  works.  It  is  but  just  to  add  that 
the  friends  of  the  horse  are  especially  indebted  to  Mr.  Hill  for 
giving  the  most  striking  series  of  illustrations  showing  the 
abuses  and  cruelty  of  checking  of  any  that  I  have  hitherto  found 
published,  and  which,  by  his  courtesy,  I  am  permitted  to  copy 


IC 


CHECKING  AND  BLINDERS. 


here.  They  are  taken  froni  "  Hill's  Album,"  a  very  fine  family 
work.  He  has  not  only  done  much  himself  in  this  direction, 
but  contributed  largely  to  correct  these  and  other  prevalent 
abuses,  for  which  he  is  entitled  to  a  high  consideration  from  the 
friends  of  the  horse. 

Figs.  818,  321,  are  from  a  work  called   "Bits  and   Bearing 


Fig.   .328. — The  ordinary  side  cbecl<,  giving  an  easy  rein. 

Reins,"  issued  in  England,  but  now  out  of  print,  which  was 
published  to  show  the  extreme  cruelty  of  their  use  in  that 
country.  The  bit  is  a  large,  curbed  one,  of  the  most  powerful 
character.  The  rein,  or  strap,  as  explained,  is  given  a  pulley 
purchase  ;  and,  i)ulled  short  as  represented,  it  is  not  difficult  to 
see  that  it  must  necessarily  keep  the  animal  in  a  position  of  ex- 
treme discomfort.  These  are  in  no  way  exaggerated,  as  horses 
checked  in  this  manner  can  be  seen  daily  by  any  observant  per- 
son in  the  larger  cities,  more  particularly  in  New  York.  For  the 
electroes  of  three  of  these  I  am  indebted  to  the  kindness  of  Mr. 
Henry  Bergh,  of  New  ^'ork  Cit\\ 

Fig.  330  illustrates  the  position   of  a  favorite  horse   bought 


CHECKING  AND  BLINDERS. 


17 


by  the  author  of  the  work  referred  to,  showing  the  position  of 
the  head  pulled  up  and  back,  which  necessarily  shortens  the 
back  and  extends  the  limbs  to  such  a  degree  as  to  subject  the 
horse  to  the  most  uncomfortable  and  painful  position  of  restraint. 
This  engraving,  the  author  tells  us,  was  made  from  a  photo- 
graph of  the  horse  as  he  appeared  when  purchased.     Fig.  331 


Fig.  329. — The  check  rein  on  work  horses. 


shows  the  same  horse  with  the  head  and  neck  free,  being  also 
engraved  from  a  photograph  of  the  horse,  in  the  position  he 
appears  ;  so  that  these  figures  do  not  exaggerate  facts. 

Figs.  324,  325,  are  photographs  of  what  are  termed  "  burrs" 
that  have  been  used  by  the  drivers  of  that  city  upon  the  bits  of 
their  horses,  and  are  here  given  for  the  purpose  of  showing 
their  effect  upon  the  horses.  The  side  view  (Fig.  325)  shows 
the  ends  of  the  tacks  as  they  extend  through  the  leather. 
These  burrs  were  placed  on  the  bit  on  each  side  of  the  mouth, 
so  that  the  least  pull  of  the  reins  would  force  the  ends  of  the 
tacks  against  the  cheeks,  thereby  producing  great  excitement 
and  pain.  The  one  copied  from  was  taken  from  hundreds  of 
others  like  it  in  Mr.  Bergh's  office,  which  had  been  taken  by  his 


18 


CHECKING  AND  BLINDERS. 


officers  from  horses  upon  which  they  were  used.  Fig.  329  is 
given  to  show  their  effect  upon  the  horses.  It  is  copied  by 
permission  from  a  plate  in  the  Humane  Society's  office  of  that 
city. 

Fig.  326,  which  hardly  belongs  here,  is  made  from  a  photo- 


FiG.  330. — Fashion  and  torture.     The  attitude  and  harness  of  this  figure  are  copied  from 
a  photograph  of  a  horse  as  it  appeared  when  bought  by  author  of  "Bits  and  Bear- 
ing Reins."     Taken  from  "Horse  and  Man,"  by  J.  G.  Wood,  Lippincott. 

graph  of  a  dog  which  had  been  rescued  by  Mr.  Bergh.  The 
black  spots  represent  the  wounds.  This  dog  was  almost  liter- 
ally bitten  and  chewed  in  pieces  in  a  dog  fight.  The  figure  is 
inserted  to  show  to  what  degree  it  is  possible  for  even  intel- 
ligent, well-disposed  people  not  only  to  submit  to,  but  to  coun- 
tenance, abuses,  which,  it  would  seem  when  presented  to  their 
attention  in  their  true  light,  would  excite  in  them  the  kindliest 
sympathy.  Now  in  all  candor,  what  will  more  quickly  gather 
a  crowd  in  any  town  or  village  than  a  dog  fight — than  to  see 
two,  perhaps  favorite  pets,  splendid  dogs,  chew  and  tear  them- 


CHECKING  AND  BLINDERS. 


10 


selves  in  pieces  ?  And  what  would  more  quickly  fire  the  pas- 
sions of  the  best  men  so  that  they  would  almost  be  ready  to 
fight  themselves?  Thus  it  becomes  a  cause  which  in  every 
sense  perverts  and  debases  the  finer  feelings. 

In  the  same  sense,  horses  are  unintentionally  subjected  to 
equally  cruel  abuses  by  ignorant,  thoughtless  persons,  a  fair 
illustration  of  which  is  shown  in  Figs.  332,  333.     What  a  story 


Fig.  331. — Nature  and  comfort.     The  horse  in  preceding  cut  shown  vrithout  restraint. 

Made  from  a  photograph  by  the  owner  after  being  owned  by  him  a  few  weeks. 

In  the  preceding  cut,  the  tail  is  nicked  and  raised — the  ordinary  custom. 

it  tells  !  What  a  degree  of  abuse  of  a  fine  horse  is  here  shown  ! 
See  his  head  tied  in  the  air  while  pushed,  perhaps  abused,  to 
gratify  the  pride  of  a  couple  of  simpletons  !  See  the  effect  as 
shown  by  Fig.  333  !  and  yet  this  is  only  what  can  be  seen  almost 
daily  by  any  observant  person  in  every  village  and  town  in 
the  country. 


20 


CHECKING  AND  BLINDERS. 


By  far  the  finest  and  most  expressive  feature  of  the  horse's 
head  are  his  eyes.  They  are  also  the  most  useful  ;  he  depends 
upon  them  most  largely,  and  he  should  have  the  greatest  free- 

-,       dom  in  their  use.     The 


better  to  prove  this,  and 
to  show  their  location 
and  position  in  the  head, 
I  give  illustrations  cop- 
ied from  life.  Figs.  334 
-336,  showing  how  sin- 
gularly well  adapted 
they  are  to  enable  a 
horse  to  see  not  only  on 
each  side,  but  behind 
and  before,  as  may  be 
required,  and  the  ne- 
cessity for  giving  them 
Nature,  who  does  every- 


FiG.  332. — In  the  hands  of  fast  young  men. 
the  utmost  freedom  for  doing  this. 


thing  right,  most  wisely  requires  this,  and  it  is  but  the  hight 
of  ignorance  and    folly 
in    any  one  to  assume 
to    change    or  interfere 
with  her  plans. 

The  Horse's  Eyes 
Binocular.— The  eyes 
are  what  is  termed 
"binocular,"  that  is,  en- 
abling the  horse  to  see 
with  either  eye  inde- 
pendently of  the  other. 

Why  blinders  should 
have  come  into  such 
general  use  is  one  of  the 
"conundrums"  which  I  cannot,  and  which  I  have  never  found 
any  one  who  could,  satisfactorily  explain.  Their  use  certainly 
seems  to  me,  if  anything,  more  absurd  and  senseless  than  that 
of  checks.     No  one  would  think  of  using  blinders  upon  saddle 


Fig.  333.— Ruined  afterwards. 


CHECKING  AND  BLINDERS. 


21 


Fig.  334. — Showing  the  position   of  the  eyes  in 
the  head. 


horses,  and  why  should  it  be  more  necessary  to  use  them  upon 
horses  in  harness  ?  In  fact,  it  is  not  difficult  to  see  that  they 
are  of  a  piece  with  other  absurd  customs  referred  to  in  a  pre- 
vious part  of  this  chapter. 
Origin  of  Blinders. — It 
seems  that  a  nobleman  in 
England  had  a  fine  horse 
with  a  defective  eye,  to 
conceal  which  he  attached 
blinders,  or  **  winkers,''  as 
they  called  them,  to  the 
bridle,  so  as  to  partly 
cover  the  eyes.  This 
finally  led  to  their  use  by 
others,  when  it  was  found 
that  the  outside  surface 
was  a  good  place  to  put 
on  the  crest  of  rank. 

During  my  early  public 
experience,    when   I   gaye 
exhibitions    in   driving  horses   without    reins,   it    was    notice- 
able that  every  motion  of  the  whip,  though  held  directly  over 

the  horse's  back,  was  promptly 
obeyed, — that  the  horse,  in  fact, 
could  be  controlled  quicker  and 
better  by  the  simple  motions  of 
the  whip  than  he  could  by  bit 
and  reins,  giving  the  very  best 
demonstration  of  this  singular 
power. 

Instead    of  making    the    horse 

unsafe,    he    is    really  made    safer 

and  more  tractable  by  his  being 

^^^     able    to    see    everything  around 

him  plainly,  that  is,  when  he  is  so 

trained,  this  being  the  important 

Fig.  3.S5 — Showing  the  position  of     condition   in   making     him     safe. 

the  eyes.  Now,   not    only    are    blinders    a 

serious  obstruction  to  the  horse's  seeing  clearly,  but  they  are 

often  a  cause  of  much  injury  by  striking  against  the  eyes,  or 


22 


CHECKING  AND  BLINDERS. 


by  being  pressed  upon  them.  In  pointingf  out  this  cause  of 
harm  lately,  I  found  a  piece  of  wire  connected  with  the  orna- 
ment of  the  blind,  which  became  raised  and  pressed  into  the 


Fig.  336  — The  position  of  the  eyes. 

eye  almost  a  quarter  of  an  inch,  so  as  to  cause  serious  injury. 

The  blinders  had  been  pressed  close  up  to  the  side  of  the  head, 

and  against  the  eye  to  such  a  degree 
as  to  attract  my  notice.  This  is  a 
common  occurrence,  as  the  clinch 
of  the  wire  holding  the  ornament 
either  extends  beyond  the  surface  of 
the  leather,  or  becomes  raised  more 
or  less,  and  hence  is  a  very  common 
cause  of  injury  to  the  eye.  I  have 
frequently  found  the  outer  edge  of 
the  eye  abraided  and  raw  from  this 
cause. 

A  horse  is  naturally  suspicious 
and  afraid  of  anything  he  does  not 
plainly  see,  or  does  not  comprehend 
the  nature  of,  and  hence  he  must 
\^  either  be  prevented  from  seeing  ob- 
jects at  all,  or  be  permitted  to    see 

Fig.    337.-Fashion.     The   blinds  ^^em  plainly.     Any  one  can  under- 
as  now  formed.     The  eyes 

completely  covered.  ^tand     that     if    compelled     to     look 

through    a   small    slit    or    narrow 

space,   it  not   only  in  the  first  place  increases  the  difficulty  of 

seeing,  especially  while  moving,  making  it  very  trying  on  the 

eyes,  but  it  makes  it  clearly  impossible  to  see  things  as  plainly 


CHECKING  AND  BLINDERS. 


23 


Fig.  338. 


-The  eyes  so  covered  that  the  horse 
cannot  see. 


as  if  the  eyes  had  entire  freedom.     This  is  just  the  effect  blinds 
have  upon  the  horse's  eyes. 

Now,  of  late  years, 
in  the  large  cities  espe- 
cially, the  fashion  has 
become  quite  common 
of  making  the  blinders 
not  only  very  large, 
but  in  the  form  of  a 
bowl,  that  is,  hollow  in 
the  center,  and  the 
edges  brought  forward 
in  saucer  shape,  car- 
rying it  to  such  an  ex- 
treme that  they  really 
cover  up  the  eyes  and 
prevent  the  horse  from 
seeing  at  all,  or  but 
very  little  out  of  the 
front  corner  of  the  eye  ;  and  harness-makers  throughout  the 
country  are  adopting  this  plan  of  forming  blinders.     They  seem 

to  think  it  looks 
dignified,  or  is  an 
expression  of  in- 
creased style  and 
character  to  have 
the  blinds  come 
well  forward  and 
around  the  front  of 
the  eyes. 

RepresentatiTe 
Cases.— I  made  a 
special  effort  to 
obtain  the  aid  of 
an  artist  to  make 
photographs  of 
r  e  p  r  e  s  en  tati  ve 
cases,  so  as  to  have  an  absolutely  correct  illustration  of  a  good 
average  of  them,  but  found  it  so  diflficult  to  secure  one  to  do 
this  that  I  was  compelled  to  be  satisfied  with  drawings,  which, 


Fig,  339. — The  fashion  in  the  country. 


24 


CHECKING  AND  BLINDERS. 


while  not  just  what  I  wanted,  give  a  very  good  idea  of  the  form 
and  position  of  blinds  upon  the  head,  including  the  opposite 
of  rough  specimens  to  be  often  seen  in  the  country,  which  will 
be  noticed  with  interest. 

In  experimenting  upon  such  horses  as  were  brought  to  me, 
I  always  gave  the  fullest  freedom  of  sight,  no  matter  what  the 
object,  and  cpuld  always  soon  make  the  horse  entirely  indiffer- 
ent.    This  is,   in  fact,  one  of 
the  most  important  essentials 
of  success. 

The  Danger  of  Blinders.— 
A  horse  can  be  driven  to  a 
top  carriage  with  close  blind- 
ers, when  he  cannot  be  with- 
out ;  this  is  because  he  was 
never  permitted  to  see  the 
top  while  in  this  position, 
and  if  permitted  to  see  it 
suddenly  or  unexpectedly,  it 
would  be  liable  to  frighten 
or  excite  him  very  seriously, 
and  would  be  dangerous  to 
have  him  do  so.  This  is  fre- 
quently illustrated  very  for- 
cibly by  taking  off  or  changing  the  bridle  on  a  horse  while 
hitched  to  a  carriage.  The  horse  being  thus  permitted  to 
suddenly  see  the  top  behind  him,  which  is  now  an  entirely  new 
object  to  him,  will  often  show  such  violent  fear  as  to  resist  all 
restraint  and  run  away.  One  of  two  things  must  be  done  ; 
viz.,  eithc.  cover  up  the  eyes  so  that  he  cannot  see  the  top,  or 
give  him  entire  freedom  in  seeing  it,  when  the  cause  of  the 
trouble  will  be  easily  overcome. 

It  is  true  that  blinders  may  be  used  in  certain  cases  to  over- 
come natural  defects,  the  same  as  other  appliances  are  used  to 
overcome  certain  difficulties ;  but  they  are  only  necessary, 
when  at  all,  on  account  of  improper  or  defective  education. 

First,  a  lazy  horse  will  drive  steadier  and  better  when  he 
cannot  see  the  motions  of  the  whip,  because  such  will  learn  to 
watch  the  whip  when  raised  for  punishment,  and  jump  to  avoid 
it,  and  then  slack  up  again  until  the  effort  is  repeated.  But  it 
blinders  are  used  upon  such  horses,  they  should  be  so  formed 


Fig.  340. — The  old  farm  horse  with   blinds. 


CHECKING  AND  BLINDERS. 


25 


that  they  will  not  interfere  sidewise  or  forward,  or  in  any  way 
injure  or  touch  the  eye.  They  should  merely  prevent  him 
from  looking  back. 

Secondly,  a  horse  which  has  an  ugly  looking  head,  or  a  seri- 
ous defect  in  an  eye,  or  has  suffered  the  loss  of  an  eye,  will 
be  improved  by  the  use  of  skillfully  applied  blinders,  v/hich 
will  serve  to  conceal  the  defects,  and  which,  as  before  explained, 
was  the  cause  of  their  introduction. 

Thirdly,  if  the  horse  is  but  imperfectly  trained,  and  not  ac- 
customed when  hitched  to 
a  top  carriage  to  see  it, 
the  careful  covering  of  the 
eyes  with  blinders  will 
enable  driving  of  the  horse 
with  comparative  safety 
so  long  as  the  blinds  are 
kept  so. 

The  Frequent  Cause  of 
Accidents- — But  let  me 
here  call  attention  to  a 
very  frequent  and  serious 
cause  of  accidents,  which 
is  not  understood,  and 
which  is  frequently  a  cause 
of  much  mystery.  The 
horse    has    been    driven 


Fig.    341. — The  corners  of  the  blinds  dangling 
against  the  eyes. 


perhaps  months  or  years  to  a  top  carriage  with  success. 
Unexpectedly  one  of  the  blinds  becomes  misplaced  or  loose, 
or  the  bridle  becomes  changed  for  one  the  blinders  of  which 
cover  the  eyes  but  imperfectly,  or  perhaps  in  changing  har- 
nesses the  bridle  proved  too  short,  and  in  letting  out  the 
cheek  pieces  the  blinders  were  brought  too  low  for  the  eyes  ; 
in  any  event,  the  horse  is,  in  a  chance  way,  as  he  throws  up 
his  head,  enabled  to  see  the  top,  and  the  consequence  is  a 
most  dangerous  kicking  runaway  scrape.  What  is  supposed 
to  be  a  gentle  horse,  without  any  cause  has  become  suddenly 
excited  and  unmanageable,  and  the  result  is  a  serious  acci- 
dent, that  both  destroys  the  character  of  the  horse  and  results 
in  serious  injury  and  loss.  These  accidents  are  of  almost  daily 
occurrence  in  every  r^eighborhood. 

c 


26 


CHECKING  AND  BLINDERS. 


Here,  at  the  mere  chance  of  a  blind  getting  out  of  place, 
you  are  at  the  mercy  of  a  dangerous  horse  ;  and  yet,  at  least 
one-third  of  the  carriage  horses  in  general  use,  if  subjected  to 
the  trial,  would  do  this  very  thing,  which  would  be  entirely 
prevented  by  first  training  and  using  the  horse  without  blind- 
ers,—the  proper  course  to  pursue,  the  treatment  for  which  is 
fully  explained  in  other  chapters. 

A  Horse  will  Drive  Better  without  Blinders.— Then  a  sen- 
sitive, intelligent  horse  will  always  drive  pleasanter  and  better 

when  the  eyes  are  left  entirely  unob- 
structed, because  he  is  able  to  see 
and  understand  better  the  commands 
of  his  driver.  And  certainly  if  the 
bridle  is  properly  constructed,  wath 
small  round  straps,  of  light  or  russet 
leather,  so  as  to  conceal  the  head  as 
little  as  possible,  the  horse  will  look 
better ;  for,  as  before  stated,  the 
eyes  are  the  most  expressive  and 
striking  features  of  the  whole  head, 
and  covering  them  up  seems  like 
trying  to  conceal  an  objectionable 
defect.  When  blinders  are  used 
for  any  purpose  beyond  what  I  have 
intimated,  they  are  nothing  but  a 
senseless  nuisance,  in  addition  to 
Fig.  342.— Blinders  striking  against  adding  considerable  needless  ex- 
the  eyes.  pense  to  the  harness. 

But  these  may  be  rated  as  exceptional  cases,  the  same  as 
certain  methods  may  be  employed  to  prevent  a  horse  from 
kicking,  or  of  holding  an  exceptionally  headstrong,  pulling 
horse  by  the  use  of  a  bit  that  gives  increased  power.  I  would 
repeat  that  there  would  be  no  more  necessity  nor  sense  in  using 
bhnders  upon  horses  driven  in  harness,  if  properly  trained,  than 
there  is  in  using  them  upon  horses  under  a  saddle  ;  and  who 
would  think  of  disfiguring  and  encumbering  a  horse's  head,  no 
matter  how  poor,  with  blinders  when  used  for  the  saddle  ? 


CHAPTER   XI  Y. 


Denton  Offutt,  Rarey's  Instructor. 

After  the  information  given  me  in  relation  to  Mr.  Rarey 
being  instructed  by  Offutt,  referred  to  on  page  384,  I 
called  at  the  office  of  the  T%irj\  Field,  and  Farm,  and 
requested  the  privilege  of  examining  the  files  containing 
the  issues  in  which  Mr.  Offutt's  book  was  published.  This 
was  kindly  granted,  and  I  read  it  through  with  great  care. 
It  struck  me  that  the  dialogue  between  man  and  horse,  and 
the  recipes  for  scents  or  drugs  given  for  approaching  and 
controlling  wild  or  vicious  horses,  would  be  of  interest  to 
my  readers,  and  worth  preserving,  so  I  determined  to  ob- 
tain the  copy  for  publication,  if  I  could. 

With  this  object  I  called  upon  the  chief  editor,  Mr. 
Hamilton  Busbey,  and  placed  the  Rarey  matter,  before  re- 
ferred to,  in  his  hands  for  perusal,  at  the  same  time  stat- 
ing my  desire  for  the  matter  mentioned.  During  the  con- 
versation, he  gave  me  the  facts  in  relation  to  Mr.  Richards' 
statement  regarding  Offutt  and  his  instruction  of  Rarey,  as 
follows  : — 

In  October,  1877,  he  (Mr.  Busbey)  was  dining  with  Mr. 
Keene  Richards  at  Blue  Grass  Park,  when  the  subject 
of  horse-taming  came  up.'''  Mr.  Richards  stated  that  the 
founder  of  the  horse-taming  school  was  a  native  of  George- 
town, Ky.,  and  that  his  name  was  Denton  Offutt.     Mr. 

*  Keene  Richards,  Esq.,  a  leading  breeder  and  turf  patron  of  Kentucky,  died 

March  19,  1881. 

39  (449) 


450        DENTON  OFFUTT,  EAREY"S  INSTEUCTOR. 

Kichards  himself  was  a  pujjil  of  Offutt,  whom  he  described 
as  uneducated,  but  full  of  originality ;  that  when  quite  a 
young  man,  John  S.  Rarey  came  to  Georgetown  and  stud- 
ied with  Oilutt,  and  later  on  j)racticed  the  system  in  Ohio, 
before  going  to  England  with  Mr.  Goodenough.'-' 

The  conversation  was  continued  in  the  library,  when 
Mr.  Richards  handed  Mr.  Busbey  a  book  which  Offutt  had 
published  for  the  benefit  of  his  pupils,  all  of  whom  he 
pledged  to  secrecy. 

Mr.  Busbey  was  very  much  interested  in  the  book,  and 
carried  it  with  him  to  New  York.  One  day  he  let  Mr. 
Robert  Bonner  have  it  to  examine,  and  the  next  morn- 
ing he  received  the  following  note  from  that  gentleman  : — 

"  There  are  many  interesting  things  in  Offutt's  book, 
some  things  that  are  entirely  new  to  me,  and  Avell  Avorth 
copying.  The  dialogue  between  man  and  horse,  beginning 
on  page  37  and  ending  on  page  46,  contains  the  essence  of 
all  that  Rarey  ever  taught.  He  evidently  based  his  sys- 
tem on  that." 

Mr.  Busbey,  beginning  with  January,  1878,  published 
the  work  of  Denton  Offutt  in  the  Turf,  Fields  and  Farm, 
and  it  attracted  much  attention.  The  dialogue,  which  I 
thought  worth  preserving,  and  which  Mr.  Bonner  found  so 
interesting,  by  the  kindness  of  Mr.  Busbey  I  have  copied, 
and  here  present  to  the  readers  of  this  work. 

Dialogue  between  Man  and  Horse. 

"  Man.  I  wish  to  put  my  hands  on  your  face,  and  come  near 
you. 

"Horse.  If  so,  you  must  let  me  see  that  you  will  not  hurt 
me,  nor  will  have  anything  about  you  that  will,  nor  anything 

*  Of  the  partnership  of  Rarey  and  Goodenough,  Mr.  Richards  was  fully  aware. 
He  was  in  London  at  the  time  of  their  operations  there,  and  upon  being  asked  by 
Mr.  Pembroke  whether  he  would  advise  him  to  subscribe  to  learn  the  secret,  replied 
that  he  need  not  go  to  that  expense,  as  he  could  explain  it,  all  to  him,  which  he  did, 
also  loaning  him  a  copy  of  Offutt's  book  that  he  had  with  him. 


DIALOGUE  BETWEEN  MAN  AND  HOESE.  451 

that  smells  badly.  I  am  a  stranger  to  you ;  all  that  will  offend 
any  of  the  five  senses,  I  will  be  compelled  to  guard  against,  and 
those  senses  must  have  the  proof  that  you  will  not  hurt  me,  before 
I  will  allow  them  to  be  on  me, 

"  M.  I  wish  to  put  my  hands  all  over  you. 

"  H.  This  you  may  do,  by  commencing  at  the  face.  Com- 
mence rubbing  on  the  face,  and  repeat  it;  then  pass  on  down  the 
neck,  first  as  slight  as  possible,  and  as  I  become  used  to  it,  rub  the 
harder.  Remember  always  to  rub  the  way  the  hair  lies  smooth. 
My  tail  is,  when  I  play,  to  be  held  up  high ;  as  my  pride  and  beauty, 
you  must  be  careful  in  handling  it.  But  after  you  raise  it,  be 
sure  to  repeat  it,  and  raise  it  and  put  it  down  several  times,  until 
it  goes  up  quietly.     It  becomes  habituated  by  use. 

"  M.  Then  the  more  I  rub  you,  and  repeat  it,  the  quieter  you 
get? 

"  H.  It  is  so  with  all  beasts. 

"  M.  I  wish  to  show  you  a  pretty  blanket,  to  teach  you  to  let 
a  man's  coat  or  lady's  dress  hang  down  by  your  side,  and  in  win- 
ter to  keep  you  warm. 

"  //.  You  have  shown  me  that  you  would  feed  me,  and  have 
also  shown  me  other  new  things  that  have  not  hurt  me.  I  will 
let  you  use  the  blanket  about  my  face  as  soon  as  I  can  see  and 
smell  it,  and  then,  when  I  feel  it  and  hear  the  rattle,  I  will  better 
understand  it.  If  you  change  it  for  one  of  another  color,  I  want 
to  look  at  it  and  examine  its  quality. 

"M.  I  will  then  spread  it  quietly  over  you,  and  repeat  it, 
then  let  it  hang  down  at  the  tail,  and  let  it  fall  off  at  the  heels 
and  sides  for  a  while ;  then  I  will  fasten  it  to  the  tail.  This  will 
make  you  used  to  things  falling  off  your  saddle  or  person,  so  that 
they  will  not  frighten  or  make  you  kick.  Will  you  let  me  hang 
a  rope  over  you — about  the  creases  of  your  neck — so  as  to  let  it 
drag  along  by  your  legs,  and  then  over  the  back,  to  hang  against 
the  hips,  and  as  you  turn  to  rub  the  hocks ;  then  to  put  on  the 
gear  and  fasten  a  rope  to  the  ends  of  it,  to  get  you  accustomed  to 
them,  and  put  lines  on  your  back? 

"  H.  Yes,  sir;  if  you  will  do  it  quietly,  and  not  have  the 
rope  too  hard  or  rough,  so  as  to  make  me  think  it  is  a  snake  bit- 
ing, or  thorns  sticking  in  me.  If  you  put  on  the  gear  and  lines 
(there  are  so  many  things  about  me  at  one  time),  I  want  you  to 
put  me  by  the  side  of  my  old  acquaintance,  Ball,  for  I  have  often 
seen  him  in  the  wagon,  and  the  side  that  is  against  him  I  am  not 
afraid  of  being  hurt,  and  where  he  goes  I  will  go.  Young  horses 
are  fond  of  following  their  old  friends;  but  you  must  remember 
not  to  have  me  encumbered  by  a  lot  of  gear,  and  then — or  to  have 
things  knocking  and  jerking  about. 

"  M.  How  shall  you  be  started?     If  you  will  go  before,  I  will 


452       EXTKACT  FEOM  OFFUTT'S  BOOK. 

follow.  I  want  to  feel  my  way  five  steps  at  first,  or  less  than 
that.  If  alarmed,  then  let  me  know  if  anything  is  wrong  by 
rubbing  m<!  over  the  face  and  neck,  then  after  starting  and  stop- 
ping some  three  or  four  times,  you  will  undci'stand  that. 

"  H.  If  you  fasten  me  to  such  things  and  rush  me  ofi"  and 
commence  fighting  me,  I  will  then  commence  rearing  and  jerking 
to  get  loose  and  free  from  such  abuse.  Remember  that  confidence 
lost  is  hard  to  restore.  Remember  that  all  have  to  learn,  and 
practice  is  important  in  exercise. 

"  M.  With  your  practice  of  the  use  of  the  bridle,  and  friendly 
acquaintance  witli  me,  will  you  not  allow  mo  to  ride  you  ? 

"  H.  Yes,  if  you  will  show  mo  that  you  will  not  hurt  me. 
This  is  done  by  your  rubbing  me  over  the  face,  neck,  and  body  ; 
then  get  along  by  my  side,  rising  quietly  in  the  stirrup,  then  down 
in  the  same  place,  until  I  can  know  your  will.  Now  I  am 
inclined  to  go  with  Ball  round  the  fields,  to  learn  how  to  walk  and 
to  turn  to  tlie  light  and  left.  There  are  cases  that  we  learn  to 
turn  but  one  way,  sometimes  from  sore  mouth,  other  times  from 
the  tongue  of  the  Avagon  striking  against  us,  other  times  from 
alarm  of  gear,  others  from  whips,  so  as  to  pull  more  than  I  know 
how  ;  consequently  I  look  for  the  whip,  and  begin  jumping  up  in 
confusion. 

"  M.  How  shall  we  teach  you  better  than  by  taking  level 
pieces  of  ground  ?  The  wagon  can  be  drawn  slowly  and  quietly, 
and  repeatedly  practiced  until  it  is  well  done.  To  be  well  done 
nuist  be  well  practiced,  for  the  mind  to  comprehend  or  design. 

"  H.  How  can  you  teach  me  to  stand,  if  you  have  no  plans  or 
signs  for  me  to  comprehend  the  difference  between  going  or  stand- 
ing ?     I  am  always  looking  for  the  whip  or  a  jerk  of  the  bridle. 

"  M.  If  you  are  to  know  my  will,  I  cannot  let  you  know  but 
by  first  letting  you  know  my  design  until  understood  ;  as  for  your 
stopping,  I  then  speak  to  let  you  know  I  wish  you  to  go  along  ; 
but  if  you  repeat  this,  you  know  that — 

"  H.  If  I  am  to  stand  while  you  get  on  me,  or  for  you  to  get 
seated  in  your  carriage,  or  otherwise,  you  must  first  take  the  reins 
in  your  hand,  then  speak  to  me  to  let  me  know  when  to  go  ;  for 
if  I  am  always  to  bo  on  the  look  foi-  the  whip  for  the  sign  to  start 
by,  I  will  be  oft'  in  time  to  keep  clear  of  it  ;  for  between  two 
opinions,  doubting  both,  it  is  certain  to  be  as  often  wrong  as 
right,  but  guess  if  you  are  ready  or  not  ;  but  as  soon  as  you  come 
to  mo  and  commence  whipping  me,  and  halloo,  Whoa,  I  then  look 
for  the  wliip  ;  whenever  you  halloo,  Whoa,  confidence  is  lost  in 
you,  and  I  am  looking  for  the  whip,  and  friend  horse  shows  signs 
for  us  to  be  oflf! 

"  M.  How  shall  I  teach  you  the  acquaintance  of  umbrellas, 
handkerchiefs,  my  hat,  my  gun,  or  buffalo  skin,  and  many  other 
things  you  will  meet  with  ? 


DIALOGUE  BETWEEN   MAN  AND  HOESE.         453 

"  H.  All  these  things  are  easy  ;  first,  you  must  rub  me  in  the 
face  to  get  my  attention,  and  then  let  me  look  at  it  in  a  quiet 
manner,  and  not  get  me  scared  and  fearful  of  it,  for  I  cannot 
always  relieve  myself  of  it  at  my  will  ;  after  I  look,  I  want  to 
smell  of  it,  then  to  feel  it,  then  hear  the  rattle  of  it  ;  if  I  feel  at 
the  time  you  rattle  it,  I  more  clearly  comprehend  it.  First  com- 
mence slowly  and  continue  until  understood.  Fire  off  the  gun  ; 
at  first  it  vshould  be  upward,  as  this  is  a  new  thing  to  mo. 

"  Let  the  smoke  and  all  be  blown  from  the  face  of  the  horse, 
for  in  all  cases  are  changed  as  soon.  In  various  cases  he  will  stand 
while  the  fire  goes  up  when  under  foot,  or  at  the  nose,  though  it 
causes  much  alarm  ;  some  stand  well  in  the  woods,  others  will  not 
let  persons  stand  round  them  and  fire.  In  all  cases  of  noise,  keep 
the  face  in  the  direction  of  the  noise  ;  steamboat  or  car,  as  it 
passes,  turn  their  face  to  it  ;  it  is  a  natural  desire  to  see  all  things 
that  they  hear  or  smell. 

"  M.     How  do  you  like  the  drum  ? 

"  H.  It  is  pleasing  to  the  organ  of  combativeness,  as  soon  as 
I  find  it  will  not  hurt  me.  Let  me  look  at  it  and  smell  it,  then 
rub  it  against  my  neck  and  shoulders,  and  where  it  is  to  rub  me 
as  you  ride  ;  then  lightly  tapping  it,  then  smell  it,  and  rub  it  on 
me  ;  soon  I  will  be  after  you  with  it,  for  I  am  inclined  to  give  my 
attention  to  new  things  ;  keep  my  eyes  in  the  direction  of  the 
sound,  it  is  easy  to  get  me  to  follow  the  drum  or  any  other  music 
in  like  manner. 

"if.     A  flag  is  pretty  in  the  breeze  and  sunshine  ? 

"  H.     Yes,  it  is. 

"  M.     You  are  fearful  of  its  motion  ? 

"  H.     Yes,  I  am. 

''M.  Now  the  best  way  is  to  use  the  senses  God  has  given 
you  for  your  safety,  for  one  failure  would  lose  your  life  by  poison, 
as  you  are  surrounded  by  poisonous  snakes  ;  but  remember  to  see 
you  are  right,  then  go  ahead  ! 

"  H.  It  is  in  this  case  as  in  all  others  ;  or  let  it  be  the  cover- 
ing always  flying  about  ;  fold  it  up,  let  me  see,  smell,  and  rub  it 
over  my  face  ;  then  commence  slowly  by  waving  it  over  me,  and 
as  soon  as  the  proof  is  enough  all  is  right. 

"  In  many  casas  it  is  better  to  put  on  first  the  bridle  with  the 
gagerarian  side-reins,  martingales  and  crupper,  to  hold  the  head  and 
all  in  one  attitude,  that  he  is  more  willing  to  hear  your  friendly 
and  quiet  ofiering.  In  this  manner  you  will  soon  let  him  know 
your  will  in  repeated  proofs,  and  all  is  right  then.  As  soon  as  it 
is  done,  you  then  change  the  bridle  ;  3^ou  should  begin  by  showing 
the  same  ;  if  he  then  receives  it  quietly,  you  may  forever  depend 
upon  him  if  there  be  no  cause  for  change. 

"  M,     AVhy  do  you  pull  back  when  I  go  into  your  stall  ? 


454  EXTRACT  FROM  OFFUTT'S  BOOK. 

"  H.  I  am  fearful  of  you  ;  if  you  will  put  your  hand  on  my 
hip  before  you  come  in,  and  let  me  know  you  will  not  hurt  me,  I 
will  stand. 

"il/.  You  appear  to  have  been  displeased  with  this  stall  ever 
since  you  got  hurt  and  scared  here, 

"  H.  I  never  like  misfortune  nor  the  places  that  cause  them, 
for  it  is  bad  memory  that  forgets  them. 

"  M.     Why  are  you  fearful  of  the  bridle  ? 

"  H.  My  mouth  has  been  hurt  by  it  and  the  fingers,  my  ears 
pulled,  sometimes  my  eyes — flies  have  hurt  them  ;  I  am  trying  to 
take  care. 

"  M.  I  will  put  on  the  bridle  to  let  you  know  my  will  ;  check 
reins,  martingale,  and  crupper  to  hold  all  fast  ;  so  you  are  com- 
pelled to  hold  still  ;  then  qv^ietly  handle  the  ears  and  lips  ;  I  find 
there  is  no  hurt,  all  is  right.  I  will  in  this  case  put  on  and  take 
ofl"  another  bridle  over  this  until  all  is  right.  It  may  be  important 
in  some  cases  to  do  so  with  other  things,  or  to  spread  a  blanket 
over  them,  and  over  the  head,  and  one  down  tke  back  to  the  heels. 

"  H.  I  am  more  cautious  than  fearful.  I  do  not  fear  the 
blanket  ;  after  examining  it  closely  you  may  fasten  it  to  my  tail 
after  putting  it  over  the  head  and  down  the  back  to  the  heels,  and 
letting  it  fall  at  the  heels  and  sides  ;  but  be  careful  in  opening  and 
spreading  it  over  the  body,  and  frequently  letting  it  go  to  the 
tail  ;  if  it  does  not  cause  me  to  stir  up  the  dust,  or  in  some  degree 
tend  to  alarm  me,  you  may  know  it  is  all  right.  If  you  wish  it 
to  drag  after  me,  first  let  there  be  a  piece  of  cloth  hung  on  each 
side  of  me,  some  six  or  eight  yards  long,  so  as  to  rub  each  side  of 
me  at  the  saine  time  ;  after  this  is  done,  fasten  it  to  my  tail.  Let 
me  be  as  wild  as  I  may  in  all  cases,  have  me  by  the  bridle,  and 
rub  me  in  the  face,  speaking  kindly  to  me,  and  not  make  me  move 
only  by  my  own  will. 

"  M.  If  you  are  alarmed  at  anything  around  you,  and  will 
not  move  off  quietly,  the  best  way  is  to  show  you  that  you  will 
not  be  hurt  ;  then  you  will  move  off  quietly  ;  so  when  you  are 
alarmed,  you  had  best  stand  until  the  alarm  is  over,  to  prevent  a 
fright. 

''  H.  When  you  wish  me  to  get  on  a  bridge,  ice,  or  in  a  boat, 
or  into  a  strange  stable  or  narrow  walk,  how  will  you  manage  to 
accomplish  your  design  ? 

"  M.  I  will  go  before  you  and  show  the  best  way.  I  am  in- 
clined to  look  around  at  it  in  as  many  different  ways  as  possible, 
so,  by  turning  about  and  leading  up  on  one  side  of  the  place,  and 
then  the  other,  sometimes  the  width  of  the  door,  the  trial  will  suc- 
ceed gently.  Be  careful,  the  less  you  suppose  the  better  ;  as  like 
begets  like,  he  is  soon  to  contend. 

"JT.     Remember   that   all   animals   are   desirous   of   regular 


DIALOGUE   BETWEEN  MAX  AXD  HORSE.         455 

exercise  to  wear  off  the  unpleasant  feelings  produced  by  standing 
and  want  of  water  and  motion  ;  it  is  necessary  to  quiet  and  com- 
pose the  system,  for  those  cause  a  horse  to  be  gentle  ;  is  in  a  better 
condition  to  i-emain  in  dry,  but  that  he  may  be  hungry  and  ready 
to  receive  your  kind  ofter  of  some  good  food,  and  then  exercise 
prepares  them  foi-  further  teaching.  In  many  cases  you  exercise 
the  horse  and  teach  him  the  use  of  the  blanket  on  his  back,  or  to 
the  rope  over  his  body  and  along  his  sides  and  legs,  to  teach  him 
not  to  kick  ;  you  should  not  fasten  the  rope  to  anything,  as  it 
only  tends  to  scare  him. 

"iV.  Will  you  lie  down  on  a  sandbank,  or  plowed  land,  or 
on  a  snow  pile,  that  is  free  from  sticks  or  stones,  and  all  that  is 
calculated  to  hurt  you  ? 

'■'  Zf.  I  am  cautious  where  I  place  my  body,  so  I  will  look 
around  me  to  see  if  there  is  anythino-  in  the  wav  before  I  lie  down. 

"  M.     How  shall  I  teach  j'ou  to  lie  down  ? 

"  H.  First  rub  my  fore  leg  on  the  inside  and  out,  until  I  find 
you  will  not  hurt  it ;  then  take  it  up  and  put  it  down  until  I 
know  there  will  be  no  hurt  ;  then  loop  around  the  leg,  to  hold  it 
up,  for  fear  of  its  slipping  off  ;  then  tie  a  string  between  the  leg 
and  foot. 

"  M.  What  advantage  is  there  in  teaching  you  to  lie  down  ? 
In  some  cases  there  is  none,  but  all  horses  are  aware  of  their  con- 
dition ;  some  that  are  Avild,  after  being  handled  in  this  way  seem 
to  be  convinced  that  they  will  not  be  hurt,  and  as  they  become 
more  convinced  by  rubbing  their  legs  and  flanks,  or  any  other 
part  that  will  tend  to  quiet  them  while  down  ;  but  if  any  accident 
has  previously  happened  to  him,  you  can  fasten  him  and  do  what 
is  necessary  ;  so  all  that  will  make  him  docile  is  calculated  to 
make  him  more  useful  and  safe. 

"  H.  All  teaching  is  best  that  is  quietly  performed,  and  then 
repeated  until  well  understood  ;  all  would  perform  this  ;  after  it 
is  practiced  some  several  times,  you  may  take  hold  of  the  foot  and 
the  bridle,  and  cause  them  to  lie  down  ;  and  you  may  by  fasten- 
ing up  the  leg,  then  gently  tapping  them  on  the  front  pai-t  of  the 
leg,  cause  them  to  lie  down  at  your  command  ;  if  you  wish  them 
to  sit  upon  their  hips,  you  must  place  their  fore  feet  out  before 
them,  then  let  them  rise  gently,  ancl  you  should  stand  closely  to 
the  sides  to  hold  the  bridle  and  press  against  them  that  you  may 
steady  them  up.  In  some  instances  of  this  kind,  it  is  better  to 
use  the  curb  bridle,  yet  you  should  be  cautious  not  to  hurt  the 
mouth,  as  it  is  calculated  to  produce  bad  habits. 

"Jf.  You  have  long  been  rearing,  kicking,  pitching,  ancl 
placing  your  head  between  your  legs. 

"  H.     All  creation  resents  mistreatment,  and  this  is  the  cause 


456       EXTEACT  FEOM  OFFUTT'S  BOOK. 

of  these  actions  ;  some  are  inclined  to  practice  them  more  than 
others. 

"  M.  You  say  in  some  cases  they  are  forced  to  do  wrong,  and 
some  you  are  forced  to  make  them  do  right  ;  there  are  various 
ways  to  force  them  to  obedience.  The  first  is  to  fasten  them 
together  with  a  strong  rope  around  their  neck,  giving  them  not 
more  than  one  foot  apart,  so  that  they  cannot  rear  up  and  fall 
down,  then  leading  them  about  to  let  them  know  they  are  fast, 
mount  them  and  dismount  them  ;  in  this  manner  no  horse  can 
throw  his  rider.  Another  method  is  to  have  a  leather  strap,  so 
strong  that  it  cannot  be  broken,  and  draw  around  the  waist  so 
tight  that  he  cannot  rear  up.  Another  is  to  put  on  them  side  lines 
to  teach  a  horse  to  pace. 

"  H.  Our  reason  and  observation  teach  us  that  a  thing  to  be 
done  well,  the  mind  must  well  comprehend  the  subject  of  it,  and 
practice  makes  it  the  more  perfect." 

"Recipes  for  Taming  with  Medicine.     (Verbatim.) 

"To  catch  a  horse,  mule,  or  cow,  take  oil  of  rhodium,  oil  of  an- 
ise, oil  of  cinnamon,  three  equal  parts,  mix  them  together,  and  let 
them  smell  it  by  putting  it  on  your  finger  ends,  and  rubbing  it  on 
or  in  the  nose,  and  in  ten  or  twenty  minutes  they  are  ready  to  re- 
ceive your  kindness  and  your  plan  of  teaching,  etc.  It  has  an  as- 
tonishing effect  on  the  animals  of  the  world.  I  have  managed 
dogs  in  a  wonderful  manner  by  it.  It  soothes  the  wild  and  timid. 
With  a  cow  I  have  never  failed  to  do  all  that  may  be  required. 

"TO   SICKEN   HORSE   WITH   TOBACCO. 

■'  Washing  a  horse  with  a  strong  decoction  of  tobacco  will  sub- 
due his  viciousness.  One  quart  will  make  a  nervous  horse  very 
sick.     Others  of  a  bilious  temperament  require  a  gallon. 

"GREAT   SECRET   FOR    TAMING. 

"  One  pound  of  oatmeal,  a  quarter  pound  of  honey,  half  Law- 
rance,  made  into  a  cake  and  baked.  Put  the  cake  into  your  bo- 
som and  keep  it  there  until  it  sweats,  and  when  the  horse  has 
fasted  twelve  oi-  twenty-four  hours,  give  it  to  him  to  eat.  Then 
use  him  kindly  and  gently. 

"  The  second  best  plan  is  to  use  the  chestnut  or  scurf  from  the 
leg  of  another  animal.  It  is  found  on  the  inside  of  the  fore  leg, 
above  the  knee,  and  on  the  hind  legs  adjoining  the  hocks.  By 
drying  and  pulverizing  it,  and  putting  it  into  a  goose  quill  that 
will  hold  a  dose  for  each  nostril,  it  serves  to  sicken  or  stupefy  him. 

"Third.  The  Spanish  manner  is  to  milk  the  mare  and  mix 
salt  in  it,  and  give  it  to  them  to  lick  from  your  hand  some  three 
or  four  times  a  day.     In  three  days  they  become  fond  of  you," 


CHAPTER  XT. 


FAMILIAR  TALK  WITH  THE  READER. 

It  may  be  asked,  "  Have  you  given  in  this  work  all  the 
secrets  of  your  system?"  I  answer,  Yes,  without  any 
reservation  whatever.  In  the  development  of  the  principles 
presented  in  these  pages,  I  was  compelled  at  first  to  grad- 
ually feel  my  way,  as  it  were,  following  up  every  clue  that 
promised  success,  until,  by  practice  and  experience,  the 
principles  and  methods  of  treatment  herein  given  were  de- 
veloped, which  must  be  considered  as  constituting  a  com- 
plete system. 

The  one  important  point  in  which  I  was  most  interested, 
and  of  which  I  made  a  specialty,  was  the  art  of  direct  suh- 
Jedion,  to  learn  how  far  I  could  be  successful  in  changing 
and  holding  the  character  as  desired.  With  a  variety  of 
the  most  difficult  cases  to  treat  almost  daily,  I  was  com- 
pelled to  demonstrate  the  practical  value  of  every  phase  of 
treatment  that  promised  good  results,  even  including  the 
various  kinds  of  drugs  supposed  to  be  effective  in  taming 
horses. 

In  time  I  noticed  the  peculiarities  of  disposition  and 
character  upon  which  certain  lines  or  combinations  of  treat- 
ment would  have  the  best  effect,  until  I  was  able  to  system- 
atize the  treatment,  with  great  accuracy,  to  every  condi- 
tion of  temperament  and  character  of  resistance.  If  not 
sure  of  the  best  treatment  to  use,  I  soon  learned  it  by 
what  I  termed  testing,  or  exciting  the  horse  sufficiently  to 

(457) 


458  FAMILIAR    TALK 

have  him  reveal  his  true  character,  when  I  could  easily 
determine  the  line  of  treatment  to  pursue. 

For  nearly  twenty  years  I  have  been  experimenting 
almost  continually  in  this  way  upon  all  kinds  of  horses,  so 
that  I  have  been  able  to  prove  beyond  doubt,  by  the 
most  exact  experimental  tests,  the  effectiveness  and 
superiority  of  the  methods  of  treatment  given.  I  was  at 
first,  like  others,  greatly  misled,  by  the  pretensions  and 
assumed  success  of  Rarey,  into  believing  that  there  must 
be  more  in  that  method  of  treatment  than  I  had  yet  been 
able  to  discover.  On  this  account  I  was  induced  to  try  the 
treatment  hundreds  of  times  in  cases  upon  which  I  had  prac- 
tically failed,  with  the  hope  of  catching  this  hidden  secret, 
until  I  was  able  to  comprehend  beyond  all  doubt  its  exact 
effect  upon  all  kinds  of  horses.  This  ultimately  brought 
me  to  the  conclusion  that  back  of  it  was  gross  trickery, 
which  it  was  necessary,  if  possible,  to  unearth  and  explain. 
Indeed,  the  fascination  and  mystery  in  the  public  mind  in 
relation  to  this  treatment  was  constantly  a  source  of 
embarrassment  to  me.  The  question,  "  Is  your  treatment 
anything  like  Rarey's  ? "  was  quite  common.  Or,  if  I 
hinted  the  least  doubt  of  being  able  to  control  as  by  magic 
the  most  difficult  case  brought  me,  it  would  be  made  the 
basis  of  the  unpleasant  assertion  that  Rarey  claimed  to  be 
able  to  subdue  any  horse  in  the  world.  If  I  could  not 
assume  to  do  as  much,  it  w^as  j)lain  evidence  that  my  treat- 
ment was  not  so  good  as  his.  Of  course,  when  once  able 
to  form  a  class,  I  could  make  clear  the  limited  and  imper- 
fect character  of  his  treatment.  Indeed,  I  would  consider 
this  work  seriously  defective  were  the  explanation  given 
to  be  omitted,  as  without  it  there  must  exist  a  strong  vein 
of  mystery  and  doubt  as  to  the  correct  principles  and  true 
key  of  subjection. 

I  have  also  been  frequently  startled,  even  of  late  years? 


WITH  THE  EEADBE.  459 

by  the  bold  pretensions  of  parties  I  have  occasionally  met, 
who  claimed  to  be  able  to  perform  the  most  wonderful  feats 
with  horses ;  such,  for  example,  as  being  able  to  make  any 
horse  in  the  world — no  matter  how  vicious — stand  gently 
to  be  shod,  or  be  able  to  drive  or  ride  any  horse  without 
breeching,  etc.,  etc.,  in  a  few  minutes.  The  positiveness 
of  such  assertions  frequently  led  me  to  believe  they  really 
were  in  possession  of  new  and  important  secrets,  as  I 
knew  I  had  no  treatment  by  which  I  could  in  so  short  a 
time  perform  such  feats  in  the  control  of  all  cases.  But 
invariably,  in  tracing  the  matter  up,  I  found  that  their 
knowledge  of  the  subject  was  very  limited,  being  entirely 
based  upon  the  use  of  one  of  the  simpler  methods  of  sub- 
jection given ;  and  further,  that  many  such  persons  had 
obtained  their  knowledge  by  attending  one  of  my  classes 
years  before,  or  had  learned  the  points  indirectly  of  others ; 
proving  conclusively  that  I  had  nothing  to  learn  from  them, 
and  enabling  me  to  determine  at  once  just  what  they 
could  do. 

I  refer  to  these  cases  to  show  that  if  I  could  be  influ- 
enced by  the  pretensions  of  such  persons  how  easy  it  must 
be  to  impose  upon  and  mislead  those  having  but  a  very 
limited  knowledge  of  the  subject. 

As  to  the  nse  of  pretended  secrets  in  the  way  of  drugs, 
etc.,  it  is  very  easy  to  settle  all  doubt  in  the  matter,  as  any 
one  can  obtain  and  experiment  with  them  for  himself. 

I  have  tried  to  make  every  point  so  simple  and  plain 
that  the  reader  can  easily  understand  that  there  is  no 
mystery  in  the  control  of  horses,  beyond  that  of  skillful, 
intelligent  treatment ;  that  when  managed  according  to  the 
laws  of  their  nature,  it  becomes  a  very  simple  matter  to 
subdue  and  control  even  the  most  vicious  horses ;  that 
every  horse  made  vicious  or  unmanageable,  is  so,  in  reality, 
as  the  result  of  ignorance  and  bad  treatment. 


460  FAMILIAR  TALK 

It  is  evident  that  a  very  little  carelessness  or  inatten- 
tion is  liable  to  cause  irreparable  damage  to  a  finely  con- 
structed Engine.  The  adjustment  of  parts  must  be  kept 
perfect, — no  friction  permitted.  Managed  by  a  skillful 
hand,  it  will  do  its  work  smoothly  and  reliably.  But  ma- 
chines are  of  a  fixed  nature,  governed  by  laws  that  are 
unchangeable  ;  so  that  when  the  conditions  and  adjustment 
of  parts  are  understood,  they  are  easy  of  management ; 
while  in  horses,  as  explained,  there  are  such  greatly  vary- 
ing degrees  of  size,  strength,  intelligence,  and  endurance, 
that  their  subjection  and  management  requires,  if  any- 
thing, a  far  higher  order  of  care  and  skill  than  is  neces- 
sary in  the  management  of  even  the  most  complicated  ma- 
chine. 

A  man  must  have  patience,  and  the  courage,  if  neces- 
sary, that  borders  upon  rashness ;  yet  always  holding  him- 
self within  the  limits  of  safety.  Whatever  the  difficulties 
or  failures,  like  the  skilled  mechanic,  he  should  only  ex- 
hibit the  more  care  and  patience,  until  successful.  It  is 
especially  important  that  there  be  no  fool-hardiness,  lack 
of  judgment,  or  carelessness  that  will  expose  the  horse  to 
danger  or  accident.  It  is  an  invariable  fault  of  those  who 
claim  any  skill  or  experience  in  the  management  of  horses, 
to  be  over-confident,  to  think  too  much  of  the  little  they 
know  of  applying  the  treatment,  and  too  little  of  the  diffi- 
culties and  dangers  of  resistance  in  the  horse  to  be  treated. 
I  have  known  so  many  fine  horses  needlessly  excited  or 
abused,  strained,  or  even  killed,  by  the  sheer  lack  of  judg- 
ment and  care  in  the  man,  that  I  regard  it  as  proof  of  the 
rarest  qualifications  of  fitness  and  skill  to  succeed  without 
accident. 

A  man  who  assumes  to  know  all  about  horses,  and 
"  can  break  any  horse,"  etc.,  only  gives  to  any  sensible, 
observing  man  the  strongest  proof  of  his  ignorance.     The 


WITH  THE  KEAHEJti.  461 

most  ignorant  man  I  ever  knew  in  the  business  was  the 
greatest  pretender,  and  a  good  type  of  the  many  pretentious 
horse-tamers  who  have  of  late  years  infested  the^ountry. 
One  of  the  points  that  impressed  me  most  forcibly  in  ques- 
tioning the  genuineness  of  Mr.  Harey's  pretensions,  was 
his  bold  assumption  of  claiming  to  know  the  horse's  every 
thought,  and  to  be  able  to  subdue  any  horse  or  animal  in 
the  world, — a  boast  that  he  repeated  nearly  every  time  he 
appeared  before  the  public. 

Notwithstanding  I  handled  daily  all  sorts  of  horses, 
and  was  fortunate  enough  not  to  have  any  serious  accidents 
occur,  I  never  handled  a  horse  of  decided  courage  and 
spirit  that  I  was  not  doubtful  of  succeeding  without  more 
or  less  trouble  or  accident.  Many  a  time,  in  handling  a 
critical  case,  my  nervous  system  would  seem  to  be  fairly 
chilled  Avith  anxiety  and  apprehension,  until  I  had  suc- 
ceeded. The  greater  my  experience  and  opportunity  for 
studying  horses,  the  more  could  I  see  reasons  for  the 
greatest  care  and  attention  to  every  detail.  A  little  care- 
lessness, for  example,  might  cause  a  horse  to  slip  and  break 
his  leg,  or  be  otherwise  seriously  injured.  I  have  known 
horses  when  even  led  out  by  the  halter,  in  jumping  around, 
to  break  the  leg,  or  be  seriously  lamed.  Because  there  has 
been  no  accident,  it  should  not  be  accepted  as  reason  for 
not  anticipating  danger  in  future  cases.  No  violent  lung- 
ing, or  careless,  hap-hazard  throwing,  should  be  permitted, 
especially  in  the  management  of  sensitive,  valuable  horses. 
It  is  as  much  the  part  of  success  to  prevent  accidents  as 
to  ultimately  subduo  the  horse ;  because  carelessness,  or 
management  that  would  expose  the  horse  to  strain  or 
serious  injury,  would  destroy  the  very  object  and  value  of 
the  treatment.  Every  precaution  should  be  taken  in 
securing  a  good  place  for  operations,  with  every  requisite 
for  the  sure  and  easy  control  of  the  case.  Nothing  should 
be  hazarded  to  chance. 


462  FAMILIAK  TALK 

Of  course  it  cannot  be  difficult  for  any  ordinary  man,  if 
he  follows  the  directions  here  given,  to  break  the  average 
of  bad  Ct)lts  and  horses.  But  if  the  case  is  at  all  critical, 
success  must  depend  upon  making  no  mistakes,  and  being 
thorough.  Every  failure  is  an  undoubted  proof  of  the  lack 
of  judgment  and  proper  effort.  True  success  in  this  as  in 
every  other  field  of  effort,  must  be  the  result  of  compre- 
hending the  conditions,  and  regulating  the  efforts  accord- 
ingly. All  these  conditions  require  careful  observation 
and  thought.  If  the  horse  is  bad,  and  there  is  not  full 
knowledge  of  him,  there  should  be  an  effort  to  make  him 
reveal  his  character,  when  it  will  be  easy  to  determine  the 
kind  of  treatment  to  be  used. 

In  building  a  bridge  or  steam  machinery,  where  large 
risks  to  life  are  involved,  extraordinary  precautions  are 
taken  to  insure  safety  against  accidents,  by  requiring  much 
more  strength  or  power  than  is  expected  to  be  used  at  any 
time.  Every  part  is  tested  as  to  its  strength  and  weight, 
far  beyond  what  it  is  ever  required  to  sustain,  and,  when 
completed,  is  again  proved,  in  order  to  give  assurance  of 
its  safety. 

Now  in  the  subjection  of  horses,  on  whose  docility  and 
security  so  much  is  risked,  I  cannot  too  strongly  urge  the 
necessity  of  at  least  equal  prudence  and  care  to  insure  the 
greatest  possible  degree  of  safety  in  their  use.  AU  horses, 
especially  those  used  for  carriage  and  family  driving, 
should  be  tested  very  thoroughly.  There  should  be  no 
fear  of  any  rattle  or  noise  of  wagon,  nor  should  any  of  the 
usual  minor  causes  of  fear  be  noticed  by  him  while  driving. 
There  should  be  entire  freedom  to  let  the  cross-piece  run 
against  the  quarters,  and  yet  the  driver  should  be  able  to 
stop  him  instantly,  without  the  horse  offering  the  least 
resistance.  Catching  the  rein  under  the  tail,  and  all  such 
incidental   causes  of  irritation,  should  not  be  noticed  by 


WITH  THE  EEADER  463 

him.  It  is  not  suflicient  that  the  horse  should  bear  these 
tests  when  not  excited,  but  they  should  be  borne  under 
the  most  severe  trials,  to  give  assurance  of  perfect  safety. 

Certainly  if  a  horse  will  not  bear  these  tests,  no  mat^ 
ter  how  fine  and  good  he  may  be  in  other  respects,  he 
should  be  rejected  for  such  use. 

The  better  to  show  the  liability  to  failure  in  consequence 
of  the  want  of  judgment  in  carrying  out  the  treatment 
properly,  by  persons  having  even  the  best  of  experience,  I 
will  refer  to  a  few  cases  in  point : — 

While  in  New  York  City,  a  gentleman  brought  me  a 
Kentucky  mare  that  had  resisted  every  effort  to  break. 
The  last  time,  hitched  to  a  sulky,  she  ran  aAvay,  and  was 
lost  forty-eight  hours.  I  took  her  in  hand,  and  subjected 
her  carefully  to  the  Second  Method,  and  succeeded  in 
about  fifteen  minutes  in  driving  her  in  the  ring  without 
difficulty.  But  knowing  that  to  fix  the  impression  of  being 
entirely  fearless  of  the  shafts,  etc.,  would  require  consider- 
able driving,  I  directed  one  of  my  men  who  had  assisted 
me  for  years,  and  who,  so  far  as  experience  was  concerned, 
should  have  been  far  more  than  ordinarily  successful  in  the 
management  of  such  cases,  to  take  her  in  hand  and  work 
her  carefully  during  my  absence.  I  particularly  cautioned 
him  in  regard  to  her  extremely  sensitive  and  positive 
character,  and  that  he  must  be  very  careful  not  to  get  her 
excited  and  to  fighting  him,  and  left,  supposing  he  would 
do  as  I  directed.  But  to  my  surprise,  on  my  return  in  the 
evening,  I  found  the  colt  seriously  injured  from  the  abuse 
of  exceptionally  severe  treatment.  By  carelessness,  he  got 
her  excited  and  to  fighting  him,  when  he  subjected  her  to 
the  Third  and  other  methods,  carrying  the  treatment  to  the 
extreme  of  abuse. 

The  injury,  however,  was  only  superficial.  In  a  few 
weeks,  when  well,  in  the  presence  of  the  owner,  to  whom 


464  FAMILIAK  TALK 

I  explained  the  facts,  I  Subjected  her  again  to  treatment  in 
the  same  manner,  and  drove  her  in  shafts  without  breech- 
ing. I  explained  to  him  that  my  treatment  in  the  building 
would  not  break  her;  that  she  must  be  treated  out  of 
doors,  and  carefully  driven  in  poles  until  thoroughly  gentle 
to  rein  and  submissive  to  them.  In  a  word,  the  treatment 
must  be  made  carefully  progressive  (as  explained  in  chapter 
on  Colt  Training).  He  was  advised  to  employ  a  good, 
patient  man,  and  if  the  treatment  were  carried  out  as 
directed,  there  would  be  no  difficulty  in  making  her  per- 
fectly safe  and  gentle. 

Before  leaving  New  York,  in  1872,  a  leading  gentleman 
requested  me  to  remain  over  a  day,  and  show  a  man  in  his 
employ  how  to  break  a  very  promising  trotting  mare.  He 
stated  that  the  man  informed  him  that  she  was  so  ugly  and 
unmanageable  he  could  do  nothing  with  her.  I  knew  the 
mare  well,  as  she  was  once  brought  to  my  place  for  treat- 
ment. When  driven  with  other  horses,  if  not  given  her 
own  way,  she  would  balk.  She  was  extremely  sensitive, 
but  perfectly  gentle  until  excited  or  maddened,  when  she 
would  become  very  stubborn,  and  difficult  to  manage. 

I  explained  to  the  owner  at  the  time  that  we  could  not 
break  her  under  canvas ;  that  she  should  be  worked  on  the 
track,  wdth  other  horses,  at  first  moderately,  but  gradually 
pushing  until  she  balked,  when  she  should  be  subjected  to 
treatment  until  submissive.  Then  the  driving  should  be 
continued  up  to  the  point  of  proving  her  perfectly  safe 
and  reliable. 

The  man  who  had  been  employed  to  handle  her  was  a 
sort  of  professional  trainer,  who  claimed  much  skill  and 
experience.  He  had  attended  the  class  of  every  horse- 
tamer  who  had  visited  New  York  for  many  years,  including 
mine.  He  was  quite  an  enthusiast,  and  on  this  account 
was  employed  by  the  gentleman  to  break  this  mare. 


WITH  THE  L'EADEPv.  4G5 

Next  day  I  met  this  man,  by.  appointment,  in  the  upper 
part  of  the  city,  where  the  mare  was  kept.  Upon  inquiry, 
the  man  stated  that  he  had  hitched  her  to  an  express 
wagon,  and  she  refused  to  pull.  He  made  up  his  mind  he 
would  make  her  go,  and  threw  her  a  dozen  times  or  more, 
when  he  resorted  to  the  whip.  In  fact,  he  entered  into  a 
regular  fight  with  her,  which  ended  in  the  mare  becoming 
so  stubborn  and  mad  that  he  could  do  nothing  with  her. 
Said  he,  "  She 's  a  bad  one  ! " 

I  was  certainly  amazed  that  after  all  my  instructions 
he  should  be  guilty  of  such  bad  management  in  this  case. 
I  told  him  he  should  have  known  better  in  the  first  place 
than  to  hitch  such  a  sensitive  mare,  that  Avas  entirely 
unaccustomed  to  drawing  loads,  to  a  heavy  express  wagon ; 
that  it  was  the  quickest  and  surest  way  of  spoiling  her ; 
that  the  First  Method  of  Subjection  was  not  at  all  adapted 
to  her  case ;  that  it  would  make  her  submit  so  far  as  lying 
down,  but  rfo  farther ;  that  he  should  have  hitched  her  to 
a  light  sulky,  at  first  moving  her  slowly  so  as  to  get  her 
into  good  humor,  then  gradually  letting  her  out.  If  she 
balked,  he  should  have  tried  the  War  Bridle,  holding  the 
Second  Method  as  a  reserve  power.  Yet  he  could  not 
understand  this,  though  it  was  repeated  to  him  over  and 
over. 

I  hitched  the  mare  to  a  light  sulky  to  test  her,  and  let 
her  go  moderately  for  a  few  minutes,  then  gradually  let  her 
out,  testing  her  quite  hard,  but  she  never  offered  to  balk. 
She  needed,  in  fact,  but  little  more  than  careful,  good 
management. 

In  Personal  Experience,  page  486,  I  make  special 
mention  of  the  difficulty  I  had  in  training  Turco  to  turn  to 
the  motion  of  the  whip ;  that  I  worked  upon  him  for  three 
days  without  making  the  least  progress ;  and  that  finally 
he  jumped  over  the  girt  upon  the  hay-mow  to  get  away 

30 


400  FAMILIAK  TALK 

from  the  abuse  of  the  punishment  to  which  I  was  subject- 
ing him.  Yet  as  soon  as  I  comprehended  the  idea  of  doing 
it  properly,  I  was  able  in  a  few  minutes  to  make  him  do  it 
without  difficulty,  showing  that  the  real  trouble  was  in  my- 
self and  not  in  the  horse.  In  looking  back  over  my  past 
experience,  I  can  see  that  hundreds  of  times  I  struggled 
and  worked  with  horses  for  hours,  and  OA^en  days,  regard- 
ing it  a  great  feat  when  I  finally  succeeded,  even  after  the 
use  of  the  most  severe  treatment, — cases  which,  had  I 
known  how  to  treat  them  as  I  by  after  experience  learned 
to  do,  I  could  have  succeeded  in  subduing  in  from  a  few 
minutes  to  an  hour. 

A  very  common  and  dangerous  cause  of  trouble  is  in 
being  led  to  believe  that  because  a  horse  has  submitted  to 
treatment  in  one  place  to  the  point  of  making  him  docile, 
he  must  prove  equally  so  in  others.  To  show  the  danger 
of  this,  I  will  refer  to  an  incident  in  point : — 

While  at  a  small  town  in  Western  New  York,  a  man 
informed  me  that  he  had  a  six-year-old  runaway  colt  that 
was  entirely  unmanageable.  He  wished  to  join  the  class, 
and  bring  in  this  colt  for  treatment.  In  consequence  of  a 
serious  indisposition  at  the  time,  I  could  not  do  the  work 
of  teaching  a  class,  and  so  informed  the  people.  There 
was,  however,  so  much  interest  in  the  matter  that  they 
volunteered  to  be  satisfied  with  the  instructions  of  my 
assistant,  who  was  fully  competent  to  give  all  the  es- 
sential points,  and  to  make  the  experiments.  I  cautioned 
him  in  regard  to  the  character  of  the  horse  upon  which  he 
would  experiment,  for  though  I  did  not  see  the  horse,  yet 
from  the  description  given  I  knew  he  was  one  that  would 
require  very  careful  treatment ;  that  no  matter  how  well 
he  might  drive  before  the  class  in  the  building,  on  no  ac- 
count must  the  attempt  be  made  to  drive  him  out  of  doors. 

With    these   preen utions   observed,   I  apprehended   no 


WITH  THE  EEADER.  467 

trouble.  But  the  experiment  upon  the  colt  was  so  success- 
ful, he  driving  around  in  the  building  without  breeching, 
entirely  gentle  and  fearless,  the  people  requested  that  he 
be  driven  outside.  My  assistant,  not  being  able  to  explain 
the  principles  and  conditions  of  success  so  that  they  could 
understand  (a  dangerous  omission  which  I  feared  he  would 
make,  but  which  I  supposed  I  had  guarded  against),  finally 
consented,  being  persuaded  he  would  have  no  trouble  in 
doing  so.  When  the  doors  were  opened,  the  horse  drove 
all  right  until  he  got  just  outside,  when  he  made  a  spring 
forward,  pulled  away,  and  made  directly  for  the  canal,  which 
was  close  by.  He  jumped  from  the  bank  to  the  bottom,  a 
distance  of  twenty-two  feet,  crossed,  and  soon  disappeared 
down  the  tow-j)ath.  Being  apprised  of  the  trouble,  I  told 
the  owner  I  would  pay  any  damages  sustained  by  the  horse, 
and  gave  orders  to  have  him  caught  and  brought  back. 
Fortunately  the  horse  was  unharmed,  and  I  again  subjected 
him  to  treatment,  when  he  was  driven  without  difficulty. 

I  made  the  incident  an  opportunity  for  explaining  that 
a  very  common  cause  of  failure  is  in  supposing  that  because 
a  horse  has  submitted  to  treatment  in  one  place,  and  ap- 
pears perfectly  docile,  he  will  prove  equally  so  in  all  places  ; 
that  there  would  be  no  more  difficulty  in  driving  a  horse 
out  of  doors  than  in  a  building,  provided  he  could  be  worked 
there  as  in  the  building.  But  the  difficulty  was,  we  could 
not  do  this  on  account  of  the  crowd  that  always  hung 
around,  making  it  impossible  to  have  sufficient  privacy  to 
subject  him  to  treatment. 

The  public,  somehow,  could  not  understand  this  condi- 
tion, and  it  was  continually  the  cause  of  more  or  less  trouble 
to  me.  A  very  bad  case  would  frequently  be  brought  for- 
ward to  be  experimented  upon,  when  by  subjecting  to  treat- 
ment he  could  be  made  to  submit  to  being  hitched  up  and 
driven  around  in  the  building  perfectly  manageable ;  but 


468  FAMILIAR  TALK 

when  I  explained  that  the  treatment  must  be  repeated 
out  of  doors  to  make  him  work  equally  well  there,  they 
would  regard  it  as  sufficient  proof  that  the  horse  would  not 
stay  broken,  and  that  the  treatment  was  good  for  nothing. 
Or,  after  being  taken  home,  if  not  proved  perfectly  gentle 
there,  the  treatment  and  experiment  were  regarded  as  a 
failure.  On  this  account  I  was  continually  between  two 
fires ;  for  to  admit  that  there  were  any  conditions  of  fail- 
ure would  prevent  my  making  a  class,  and  to  have  any  bad 
luck  with  a  horse  after  his  having  been  experimented  upon, 
would  be  equally  bad.  Not  unfrequently  I  would  be  com- 
pelled to  drive  horses  in  the  street  without  the  necessary 
preparations,  and  take  desperate  chances  ;  or  after  driving 
without  trouble  a  really  vicious,  dangerous  horse,  the  owner 
would  think  he  could  do  as  much,  and  insist  upon  hitching 
him  up  and  driving,  and  if  any  accident  resulted,  the  fault 
would  of  course  be  laid  to  me.  Very  often,  after  desper- 
ate horses  that  had  previously  resisted  all  effort  to  break, 
had  been  driven  before  the  class  with  perfect  docility,  the 
owner,  and  not  unfrequently  the  entire  class,  would  de- 
mand a  return  of  their  money,  unless  I  would  guarantee 
that  the  horse  could  be  driven  home  with  perfect  safety, 
and  this,  too,  after  I  had  taken  every  precaution  to  explain 
to  them,  before  forming  the  class,  that  I  could  do  but  little 
more  at  the  time  than  to  teach  the  owner  how  to  manage 
him — that  he  must  be  treated  at  home  according  to  the  di- 
rections I  should  give. 

For  example,  when  at  a  certain  town  in  Northern  Maine, 
a  five-year-old  mare  that  had  defied  every  effort  to  drive 
in  harness  was  brought  to  me  for  treatment.  It  being  im- 
possible to  shoe  her,  as  a  last  resort  they  put  her  in  an  ox- 
frame  to  do  so,  but  she  struggled  so  desperately  they  could 
tack  on  but  one  shoe.  I  stated  that  there  would  be  no 
trouble  in  breaking  this  mare,  but  that  I  could  not  do  it  be- 


WITH  THE  EEADEE.  469 

fore  the  class  in  a  barn;  that  so  far  as  making  her  gentle  to  be 
shod,  I  could  do  that  in  a  few  minutes,  but  to  drive  her  in 
harness  successfully,  she  must  be  treated  out  of  doors,  which 
could  not  be  done  on  account  of  the  crowd.  They  agreed 
to  be  satisfied  with  what  I  could  do  in  the  building.  Hav- 
ing but  a  very  small  place  to  work  in,  it  required  the  great- 
est skill  to  manage  her  successfully,  and  in  less  than  ten 
minutes  she  submitted  to  have  the  feet  handled,  and  finally 
to  be  driven,  not  only  in  the  barn,  but  out  of  doors,  as  this 
was  insisted  upon.  Yet  the  owner,  and  the  entire  class, 
were  dissatisfied  because  I  would  not  guarantee  that  the 
mare  could  be  driven  home  to  a  carriage  with  perfect  safety 
and  so  I  returned  their  money.  A  very  little  effort  out  of 
doors  would  have  made  this  mare  perfectly  gentle  to  be 
driven,  as  I  stated  to  them,  and  which  was  proved  two 
days  afterward,  when  she  was  driven  in  a  crowd,  without 
breeching,  by  a  horse-jockey  who  traded  for  her. 

At  a  place  in  Central  Ohio,  a  horse  that  was  afraid 
of  a  top  carriage,  one  of  the  worst  cases  I  ever  saw,  was 
brought  in  for  treatment.  After  driving  him  successfully  to 
a  top  carriage  under  the  canvas,  it  was  insisted  upon  as  a 
condition  of  their  being  satisfied,  that  I  should  drive  him  out 
and  into  the  streets.  I  did  so,  at  great  personal  risk,  barely 
succeeding.  The  owner  now  insisted  that  he  could  drive 
the  horse  just  as  well  as  I.  I  explained  to  the  class  that 
the  horse  should  be  treated  out  of  doors  before  he  could  be 
driven  with  safety,  and  to  prevent  an  accident,  which  I  knew 
would  inevitably  follow,  and  destroy  the  confidence  of  the 
people  in  that  part  of  the  country  in  my  efforts,  I  bought 
him. 

I  refer  to  these  cases  particularly  to  impress  niexperi- 
enced  persons,  as  shown  by  the  first  cases  referred  to,  with 
the  necessity  of  having  a  correct  idea  of  the  treatment  for 
the  case,  and  then  carefully  and  patiently  persevering  until 


470  FAMILIAR  TALK 

successful.  The  last-named  cases  indicate  that  the  work 
must  be  thoroughly  done,  where  the  horse  is  in  the  habit 
of  resisting,  and  that  in  critical  cases,  stopping  short  of  suc- 
cess in  even  a  single  point  would  precipitate  failure. 

The  extent  to  which  horses  are  used,  and  the  depend- 
ence of  life  and  property  upon  their  docility  and  perfect 
obedience  to  control,  together  with  the  great  depreciation 
in  their  value  when  they  become  of  unreliable  character,  or 
have  habits  fastened  upon  them  which  render  them  danger- 
ous and  unfit  for  use,  makes  such  instructions  as  will  pre- 
vent and  overcome  these  difficulties  of  the  first  importance. 
Yet  notwithstanding  the  magnitude  of  the  interest  at  stake, 
there  is  no  duty  in  its  true  sense  that  is  left  so  much  in  the 
hands  of  ignorant,  irresponsible  persons.  Now  while  it  is 
conceded  that  the  horse  is  the  most  noble  and  valuable  of 
all  the  domestic  animals,  and  his  possession  and  training 
are  in  every  sense  ennobling,  the  suspicion  and  taint  of 
prejudice  and  jockeyism  in  the  training  and  driving  of  es- 
pecially fine  and  valuable  horses  have  been  so  strong  that 
if  a  gentleman  even  dared  to  own  one,  it  was  regarded  as 
a  sufficient  cause  for  social  ostracism.  If  he  wished  to  test 
his  speed,  he  dared  not  take  a  public  road,  but  usually  re- 
sorted to  some  back  street  or  by-lane  to  escape  observation 
and  comment. 

When  Mr.  Bonner  had  the  hardihood  to  buy  Dexter 
(at  that  time  the  fastest  trotter  in  the  world)  for  his  own 
private  use,  paying  for  him  the  large  price  of  |33,000,  it 
served  to  give  the  horse  his  true  status  in  the  estimation 
of  cultivated,  intelligent  people.  Other  gentlemen  of  wealth 
soon  followed  his  example,  and  purchased  the  best  horses 
obtainable  at  fabulous  prices,  until  the  emulation  has  become 
so  great  that  some  of  the  best  horses  now  kept  for  private 
driving  cannot  be  bought  for  $100,000. 

In  like  manner  the  study  and  practice   of  the  art  of 


WITH  THE  HEADER.  471 

taming  and  controlling  horses  has  been  regarded  as  so  luw 
and  degrading  that  persons  having  any  regard  for  their  re- 
spectability would  scarcely  dare  give  it  attention.  But 
happily,  as  the  importance  of  this  knowledge  is  made  plain 
to  the  people^  the  impression  has  become  almost  universal 
that  it  is  worthy  the  study  of  the  best  minds  in  the  coun- 
try, and  that  it  should  be  taught  as  a  specialty  in  all  agri- 
cultural colleges,  and  as  far  as  possible  to  owners  of  horses 
in  every  town  and  county  in  the  country.  Certainly  it 
cannot  be  denied  that  when  it  is  engaged  in  with  the  sense 
of  responsibility,  care,  and  skill  which  it  demands,  it  is  in 
reality  worthy  of  being  ranked  among  tlie  most  important, 
interesting,  and  elevating  of  the  professions. 


mM'^'^Q 


'(^^^ 


CHAPTER   XYI. 


PERSONAL  EXPERIENCE. 

There  has  been  such  a  desire  to  know  how  I  came  to 
engage  in  this  business,  that  I  venture  to  give  a  short  ac- 
count of  myself  under  this  head. 

I  came  from  Ireland  when  a  boy  of  fourteen,  and,  being 
thrown  upon  my  own  resources,  I  engaged  to  learn  the  car- 
riage-making business  in  Wellsville,  N.  Y.  At  the  end  of 
three  months  I  was  compelled  by  circumstances  to  seek 
employment  elsewhere.  I  next  engaged  in  the  same  busi- 
ness by  the  month  at  Almond,  N.  Y.,  where  I  remained 
two  years,  after  which  I  obtained  employment  at  Dryden, 
N.  Y.,  where  I  remained  nearly  two  years.  While  here,  I 
arranged  to  go  into  business  with  a  young  man  in  the  man- 
ufacture of  carriages  in  Myersburg,  Pa. ;  and  after  continu- 
ing the  business  nearly  a  year,  I  bought  him  out,  and  con- 
tinued there  alone  for  four  years.  During  this  time  I  be- 
came so  successful  a  manufacturer  of  carriages  that  I  took 
the  first  premium  at  two  county  fairs  in  Towanda,  the  first 
year  on  single,  the  second  on  double,  carriages.  The  diffi- 
culties of  this  achievement  can  be  better  understood  when 
it  is  stated  that  I  did  but  a  small  country  business,  doing 
most  of  the  work  of  painting  and  trimming  myself,  besides 
being  compelled  to  compete  with  several  large  manufac- 
turers. _ 

During  my  residence  here  I  first  exchanged  carriages 
for  horses,   and   this  led  me  to  dealing  in  them.     In  this 

(472) 


PEESONAL  EXPERIENCE.  473 

way  I  became  owner  of  horses  of  all  kinds  of  habits,  and 
was  forced  to  the  task  of  trying  to  break  them.  The  bet- 
ter to  illustrate  some  of  the  difficulties  I  experienced  in  do- 
ing this,  I  have  included  an  account  of  one  of  these  cases 
in  the  chapter  on  Balking.  But  the  most  remarkable  and 
difficult  case  I  had  at  this  time  was  a  medium-sized  gray 
mare,  which  had  the  habit  of  balking  and  lunging.  She 
could  trot  a  mile  in  less  than  three  minutes,  and  had  the 
nerve  and  courage  to  go  until  she  would  drop.  She  would 
either  balk,  or  suddenly  rush  ahead  at  the  top  of  her  speed, 
and  make  a  succession  of  lunges  in  the  air.  She  was  one 
of  the  worst  horses  of  this  character  I  ever  saw.  On  com- 
ing to  the  top  of  a  hill  she  would  jump  several  times,  then 
rush  down  headlong.  On  reaching  the  foot  of  a  'hill  she 
would  rush  up  in  the  same  manner.  While  driving,  if  she 
met  a  person  or  team,  she  would  get  into  the  same  tantrums, 
and  rush  by  regardless  of  all  restraint.  At  such  a  time 
she  would  throw  herself  into  the  air  against  the  bit  with 
such  fury  that  it  would  be  impossible  to  hold  her.  By 
blindfolding  and  other  devices  I  succeeded  in  driving  her 
during  the  three  months  which  I  owned  her,  though  I 
had  many  narrow  escapes.  While  driving  this  mare,  my 
neighbors  would  frequently  Avish  to  ride  with  me  ;  but  af- 
ter trying  it  once  it  was  rare  that  any  one  could  be  induced 
to  repeat  tfie  experiment. 

I  learned  afterward  that  she  had  defied  every  effort  to 
drive  her  before  coming  into  my  possession,  and  was  never 
driven  after  I  sold  her.  Had  she  been  properly  broken 
in  the  first  place,  she  would  have  been  a  valuable  horse ; 
but  she  was  ruined  by  bad  treatment.  Though  I  succeeded 
in  dri^dng  her,  still  I  wished  to  subdue  her  so  thoroughly 
that  she  would  show  no  inclination  to  resist.  After  ex- 
hausting my  patience  and  ingenuity,  I  tried  as  a  last  resort 
a  remedy  which  I  had  often  heard  horsemen  recommend ; 


474  PEESONAL  EXPERIENCE.. 

namely,  to  tie  her  to  a  tree  and  whip  her  with  hickory 
withes  until  she  would  surrender.  I  made  the  experiment, 
but  it  only  made  her  so  excited  and  bad  that  I  could 
scarcely  driA^e  her  at  all  afterwards. 

As  I  have  stated  elsewhere,  "whipping  is  a  means  of 
punishment,  and  not,  properly  considered,  of  subjection. 
Consequently,  if  there  is  serious  resistance,  it  should  not  be 
resorted  to,  as  it  is  liable  to  do  a  great  deal  of  harm.  In 
the  first  place,  tying  and  whipping  a  horse  does  not  give 
him  any  idea  Avhat  it  is  for ;  hence  it  has  no  direct  relation 
to  the  resistance.  In  addition,  it  so  intensifies  and  rouses 
the  bad  nature  that  the  habit  is,  if  anything,  made  w^orse. 
Another  cause  of  trouble  is  that  when  excited  the  trainer 
is  liable  to  overdo  and  seriously  injure  himself.  I  did  not 
recover  in  a  week  from  the  excitement  and  exhaustion 
caused  by  whipping  the  horse  as  referred  to.  This  mare 
was  the  only  one  in  all  my  experience  that  I  failed  to  re- 
form. 

At  the  expiration  of  my  lease,  I  closed  my  business,  and 
started  out  without  any  definite  idea  as  to  where  I  should 
go,  but  kept  on  until  I  arriA^ed  at  Somerset,  in  Southern 
Kentucky.  After  Avaiting  several  months  for  "  something 
to  turn  up,"  my  attention  Avas  called  to  a  fine  horse  Avhich 
had  a  very  bad  reputation  for  running  aAvay,  and  could 
only  by  the  use  of  much  rigging  be  driven  by  a  horse-tamer 
from  Pennsylvania.  The  OAvner  saAV  that  I  fancied  the 
horse,  and  so  got  the  man  to  hitch  him  up  for  me.  While 
riding  with  him,  I  wished  to  take  the  reins,  which  he  re- 
fused, saying,  "  No  man  can  drive  this  horse  but  myself." 
Though  I  had  no  use  for  the  horse,  I  determined  at  once 
to  buy  him,  and  did  so.  There  Avas  great  curiosity  to  knoAv 
what  I  could  do  with  this  horse,  from  the  fact  that  this 
man  had  said  that  if  I  attempted  to  drive  him,  he  would  be 
sure  to  run  away.     Before  hitching  him  up,  I  took  him  to 


PEKSONAL  EXPEEIENCE.  475 

the  "woods,  and  worked  on  him  until  confident  that  I  had 
him  under  control.  When  it  became  known  that  I  intended 
to  drive  him  in  the  streets,  it  caused  great  excitement. 
Many  called  it  mere  fool-hardiness,  and  tried  to  prevent  it ; 
but  failing,  they  all  came  into  the  street  to  witness  the  per- 
formance. My  jockey  friend  volunteered  his  assistance, 
but  I  told  him  I  needed  no  help,  and  that  I  believed  I  could 
show  him  some  things  he  didn't  know  yet.  When  ready 
to  start,  a  couple  of  men  in  the  crowd  began  to  fight,  one 
of  them  being  knocked  down,  and  falling  directly  under- 
neath the  horse.  To  the  surprise  of  everybody,  he  stood 
perfectly  still  until  the  man  was  taken  away,  and  then 
started  off  like  any  gentle  family  horse.  His  altered  be- 
havior aroused  the  suspicion  that  the  horse  had  been 
"  doped,"  or  drugged  ;  but  as  he  remained  perfectly  gentle 
during  the  entire  time  I  remained  in  the  place,  the  mystery 
surrounding  the  affair  was  very  great. 

After  spending  nearly  a  year  traveling  in  the  South,  I 
returned  North,  and  finally  brought  up  in  Pittston,  Pa. 
While  here,  there  boarded  in  the  same  house  with  me  a 
book-canvasser,  who  came  in  one  morning  and  said  he  had 
made  $3  in  a  couple  of  hours'  time.  I  thought  this  was 
doing  exceedingly  well  for  a  cold^  rainy  morning,  and  it 
led  to  my  starting  out  to  get  names  for  him  on  commission. 
I  succeeded  that  afternoon  and  the  next  day  in  obtaining 
seven  orders,  which  so  encouraged  me  that  I  bought  him 
out,  and  industriously  pushed  this  new  business  with  great 
success  among  the  coal-dealers  between  there  and  Hawley. 

During  one  of  these  canvassing  peregrinations  I  hap- 
pened to  put  u]3  over  night  with  a  man  named  A.  L.  Burns, 
at  Dunning,  Lackawanna  Co.  This  gentleman  was  an  in- 
telligent, progressive  farmer,  who  had  raised  a  fine  Hamil- 
tonian  stallion,  then  past  two  years  old,  which  proved  of 
a  very  vicious  temper. 


476  PEESONAL  EXPERIENCE. 

While  Mr.  Burns  was  milking  his  cows  in  the  morning, 
I  slipped  into  the  stable  and  subjected  the  horse  to  simple 
treatment,  making  him  follow  me  around  in  the  barn  with- 
out any  difficulty  whatever.  After  breakfast  the  owner 
went  to  the  barn  to  show  me  the  horse,  when  I  walked  in 
and  led  him  out,  and  made  him  follow  me  around  as  gentle 
as  a  pet.""'  The  change  was  so  great  that  he  was  led  to  ask 
if  1  had  not  been  doing  something  to  the  horse.  I  an- 
swered, "  Yes ;  I  went  out  before  breakfast  and  got  ac- 
quainted with  him  ! "  He  said,  "  If  you  will  show  me  what 
you  did  with  him,  I  will  give  you  $50."  This  seemed  to 
me  to  be  too  much  for  so  little  knowledge  ;  but  wishing  the 
money,  the  idea  struck  me  instantly  of  instructing  a  num- 
ber of  persons  at  a  nominal  charge,  and  thereby  fairly  earn- 
ing it ;  and  in  answer  I  said,  "  That  is  too  much  for  you  to 
pay ;  but  if  you  will  get  ten  of  your  neighbors,  at  $5  each, 
I  will  teach  you  for  nothing."  He  at  once  went  among 
his  neighbors,  and  in  a  short  time  returned  accompanied  by 
a  number  of  them,  and  handed  me  $50. f 

It   now    occurred  to  me  that  I  was  in  a  bad  corner? 

*  Since  writing  this  paper,  I  am  informed  that  this  was  the  same  horse  that  was 
shot  a  few  years  afterward  for  his  extreme  viciousness.  The  statement  made  by 
Mr.  Burns  authenticating  this  is  as  follows-  "  I  drove  this  horse  single  until  he  was 
five  years  old,  when  I  put  him  into  other  hands  for  one  year,  and  he  became  un- 
manageable. I  then  sold  him  to  J.  &  A.  Wells,  who  afterward  sold  him  in  Middle- 
town,  N.  T.,  and  the  authorities  there  ordered  him  shot  on  account  of  his  vicious- 
ness." In  1878  the  writer  was  in  the  stable  where  this  horse  was  confined  and  ehot 
a  short  time  previous. 

f  While  writing  this  article,  it  occurred  to  me  as  of  sufficient  interest  to  write  to 
Mr.  Burns  for  the  names  of  those  comprising  this  class.  After  much  trouble  in 
obtaining  his  address  (having  heard  nothing  from  him  for  over  twenty  years)  I 
wrote  him,  and  received  the  following  statement: — 

"  So  far  as  I  can  remember,  the  names  of  the  men  in  the  class  at  my  house 
were  J.  D.  Burns,  Prompton,  Pa.;  J.  E.  Meyers,  Canaan,  Wayne  Co.,  Pa.;  J.  S. 
Collins,  Keyser,  Lackawanna  Co.,  Pa. ;  Andrew  Coss,  Canaan,  Lackawanna  Co.,  Pa. ; 
Alva  C.  Bemeer,  Canaan,  Lackawanna  Co.,  Pa. ;  L.  C.  Darte,  Ariel,  Wayne  Co.,  Pa. ; 
Jason  Myers,  and  myself.  Tour  friend, 

A.  L.  Burns. 

"Dunning,  Lacka.  Co.,  Pa." 


MY  FIEST  CLASS. 


477 


478  PEJRSONAL  EXPEEIENCE. 

knowing  that  I  really  knew  nothing  about  horse-taming ; 
but  I  had  the  money,  and  felt  that  I  must,  if  possible,  carry 
the  matter  through,  so  as  to  be  able  to  hold  it. 

In  the  neighborhood  was  one  of  the  most  unexception- 
ally  Adcious,  biting  mares  ever  known  in  that  country. 
When  turned  loose,  she  would  run  at  a  man  with  all  the  fe^ 
rocity  of  a  bulldog ;  but  of  all  this  I  knew  nothing.  When 
I  organized  the  class,  I  observed  that  all  got  up  overhead 
except  one,  who  from  a  side  stable  turned  the  mare  loose 
upon  the  barn  floor  where  I  was  standing.  With  ears  laid 
back  and  mouth  open,  she  instantly  ran  for  me,  showing  the 
most  savage  ferocity.  I  saw  that  she  would  bite  and  tram- 
ple me  under  foot.  Directly  behind  me  was  an  empty  hay- 
mow extending  three  or  four  feet  below  the  floor,  thus  mak- 
ing a  fall  of  from  seven  to  eight  feet  from  the  top  of  the 
girt  to  the  ground.  I  turned  quickly,  but  not  having  time 
to  jump,  I  threw  myself  head  foremost  over  the  girt.  The 
oTound  was  covered  with  stones  and  limbs.  I  was  consid- 
erably  stunned,  of  course,  by  the  ftdl,  but  not  seriously  in- 
jured. Fortunately  I  had  a  common  slip-noose  halter  in 
my  hand,  which  I  retained.  When  I  arose,  I  saw  the  mare's 
head  over  the  girt  looking  at  me.  Overhead  were  my 
scholars  out  of  harm's  way,  laughing  at  my  defeat.  I  con- 
sider the  event  of  sufficient  interest  to  give  an  illustration 

of  it. 

The  mare  had  nothing  on  her,  and  it  was  evident  that 
no  one  could  approach  her  with  safety.  Here  I  was  at  the 
first  movement  helpless  and  defeated ;  but  my  temper  was 
up,  and  I  was  bound  to  go  through  with  the  matter  at  any 
hazard,  and  make  it  a  success.  I  still  held  the  halter  in 
my  hand,  and  scarcely  thinking  what  I  did,  I  picked  up  a 
stick,  and  hanging  the  head-piece  on  one  end  I  reached  up 
and  carefully  placed  it  over  her  head.  I  now  put  the  end 
of  the  stick  against  her  jaw  to  keep  her  head  from  me,  and 


ALMOST  A  FAILUEE.  479 

climbed  upon  the  girt.  Getting  as  short  a  hold  of  the  halter 
as  I  could,  I  took  the  chances  of  jumping  towards  her  tail, 
and  caught  it.  The  momentum  of  my  jumping  pulled  her 
head  after,  and  threw  her  hind  parts  from,  me  ;  a  fact  which 
I  improA^ed  upon,  and  pulled  her  around  rapidly  five  or  six 
times,  making  her  dizzy  and  disconcerted.  I  then  reversed 
quickly  to  the  other  side,  catching  the  tail  in  the  same  man- 
ner and  running  her  around  rapidly.  This  I  repeated  sev- 
eral times,  when  I  had  her  sufficiently  disconcerted  and 
under  control  to  make  the  next  step  ;  namely,  tying  up  her 
leg  and  throwing  her  several  times,  after  which  I  put  on 
the  old  form  of  War  Bridle  and  made  her  follow  me,  mak- 
ing the  experiment  a  complete  success.  This  took  me  not 
more  than  ten  minutes.  So  far  as  I  know,  this  was  the 
first  attempt  ever  made  to  halter  a  horse  Avith  a  pole,  or  to 
run  one  around  in  this  Avay  to  make  him  dizzy  and  helpless. 
The  necessities  of  the  moment  drove  me  to  this  course  as 
the  only  way  out  of  the  corner  in  Avhich  I  was  placed,  and 
it  was  successful.  It  Avould  be  an  easy  matter  for  me  to 
control  such  a  horse  now,  but  taken  as  I  was  then,  without 
even  a  knowledge  of  first  principles,  it  seemed  like  a  great 
success. 

The  next  horse  experimented  upon  Avas  a  surly  kicker, 
though  not  in  appearance  very  vicious,  yet  a  far  more  dif- 
ficult case  to  manage.  The  novelty  and  excitement  of  the 
Avhole  thing  so  interested  me  as  to  strike  a  new  key  in  my 
nature,  and  Avithout  reflection  I  dropped  everything  else, 
and  determined  to  engage  in  the  horse-taming  business. 
My  first  step  noAV  Avas  to  inform  myself  upon  the  subject. 
Procuring  every  book  available  upon  the  training  and  man- 
agement of  horses,  I  was  surprised  to  find  no  authority 
Avhatever  on  the  subject  except  Rarey.  His  method  of 
treatment,  though  regarded  as  so  much  of  a  feat,  seemed  so 
=;imple  to  me  that  I  did  not  feel  under  any  apprehensions 
of  being  unable  to  do  this,  or  even  more. 


480  PEESONAL  EXPElllENCE. 

My  real  difficulties  now  commenced ;  had  I  realized  at 
the  time  what  they  would  be,  nothing  could  have  induced 
me  to  engage  in  such  business.  First,  I  was  very  youthful 
in  appearance,  and  undersized — points  A^ery  greatly  against 
me ;  and  secondly,  I  was  without  the  address  necessary  to 
interest  others  in  my  efforts.  I  at  first  made  but  one  small 
class  in  two  weeks,  and  to  add  to  my  difficulties,  my 
expenses  had  about  exhausted  my  means.  At  my  last 
place  of  engagement,  notwithstanding  I  made  a  suj^reme 
effort  to  get  a  class,  I  failed.  Still  I  was  determined  to 
succeed,  and  by  the  influence  of  this  effort  I  made  a  success 
at  a  neighboring  town.  This  became  a  turning  point  in  my 
fortunes,  for  from  that  time,  my  success  was  almost 
continuous,  the  citizens  frequently  clubbing  together  to 
form  a  class  for  me,  and  I  was  often  iuAnted  back  several 
times  to  the  same  place.  Some  time  after  this,  a  chance 
circumstance  occurred  which  had  great  influence  in  increas- 
ing my  success.  I  was  advertised  in  a  little  town  called 
MinaA'ille,  in  Montgomery  Co.,  N.  Y.  Upon  arriving  there. 
I  not  only  found  no  interest  at  all  in  my  efforts,  but  those 
present  commenced  ridiculing  and  blackguarding  me  until 
I  was  finally  driven  to  defend  myself. 

After  this,  to  my  surprise,  those  who  had  abused  me 
most  were  the  foremost  in  proposing  to  form  a  class  for  me. 
It  being  then  too  late,  and  having  no  suitable  subjects 
upon  which  to  illustrate  treatment,  I  declined.  They  then 
made  the  request  that  I  would  come  another  day,  promis- 
ing, if  I  wouhl  do  so,  not  only  to  come  out  themselves,  but 
to  do  all  they  could  io  bring  out  a  general  attendance  of 
their  neighbors.  A  week  later  I  returned,  and  was 
successful  in  making  a  large  class. 

Some  time  afterward,  at  a  small  town  across  the  river 
from  Amsterdam,  when  about  ready  to  make  up  a  class, 
three  of  the  Minaville  members  then  present  requested  a 


MEETING  DIFFICULTIES.  481 

private  interview  with  me.  They  told  me  they  were 
dissatisfied,  and  demanded  a  return  of  their  money.  They 
said,  if  I  would  return  it  quietly,  they  would  say  nothing 
about  it,  and  would  helj^  me  all  they  could  in  that  place. 
They  could  give  no  reason,  only  they  were  "not  satisfied." 
I  told  them  I  could  not  do  so  unless  I  returned  the  money 
to  the  other  members  of  the  class  also,  but  what  I  had  to 
say  about  the  matter  I  would  say  publicly.  I  accordingly 
called  the  people  up  around  me,  and  told  them  what  the 
fellows  wanted,  and  what  I  had  said  to  them,  and  closed 
up  by  announcing  a  time  when  I  would  go  back  to  Mina- 
ville,  and  give  to  them  and  every  member  of  that  class 
their  money  back  if  they  wanted  it.  Despite  the  strong 
opposition  set  up  by  these  Minaville  members,  I  succeeded 
in  making  a  large  class  here,  which  was  a  decided  success. 

It  now  became  necessary  to  make  decided  effort  at 
Minaville,  as  I  knew  these  fellows  would  do  all  they  could 
to  prejudice  the  other  members  of  the  class.  On  this 
account,  before  the  day  appointed,  I  scoured  the  town  to 
find  good  subjects,  and  succeeded  in  finding  but  one  horse 
that  had  the  habit  of  running  away,  and  which  had  not 
been  harnessed  in  over  a  year.  By  paying  a  liberal  sum, 
and  passing  the  owner  into  the  class  free,  I  procured  this 
horse,  and  succeeded  in  making  him  entirely  gentle.  At 
the  close  of  the  lesson,  I  explained  why  I  had  returned, 
and  told  them  that  if  they  then  felt  they  were  not  satisfied, 
one  and  all  of  them  could  step  forward  and  get  their 
money.  They  all  expressed  themselves  fully  satisfied, 
even  those  who  had  been  opposing  me,  and  passed  a 
unanimous  resolution  of  thanks,  which  was  published  in 
the  county  papers.  That  evening,  the  horse  referred  to 
was  purchased  by  one  of  the  scholars,  and  proved  afterward 
a  safe,  reliable  family  horse. 

During  the  early  years  of  my  experience,  my  efforts 

31 


482  PEESONAL  EXPERIEl^CE. 

were  more  or  less  experimental,  each  new  difficulty  or 
phase  of  character  trying  me  harder.  When  I  failed,  I 
never  felt  satisfied  to  let  the  matter  so  rest,  and  often  at 
great  inconvenience  and  expense  would  return  and  repeat 
the  experiment  privately  until  successful.  I  did  it  mainly 
for  my  own  instruction.  To  show  the  persistence  with 
which  I  sometimes  followed  this  up,  I  will  refer  to  a  case 
for  the  sake  of  which  I  was  compelled  to  lose  over  a  week's 
time,  a^d  travel  over  a  hundred  miles  : — 

At  Vienna,  N.  Y.,  I  failed  on  a  horse  brought  in  by 
Dr.  Carpenter,  a  leading  physician  in  the  place,  and  lost  a 
large  class.  Before  leaving,  I  told  the  owner  I  was 
unwilling  to  let  the  matter  rest  so,  that  after  meeting  my 
other  engagements,  I  would  come  back  and  take  the  horse 
in  hand  privately,  and  see  what  I  could  do  with  him. 
These  engagements  took  me  over  sixty  miles  away.  A 
week  afterward,  I  drove  back  and  spent  half  a  day  in 
handling  the  horse,  barely  succeeding  in  his  control.  The 
gentleman  proposed  that  I  again  advertise  the  place, 
assuring  me,  if  I  would  do  so,  I  could  get  all  the  members 
of  the  former  class,  and  a  number  of  new  ones.  This  I 
declined  to  do,  when  he  offered  to  get  them  together  him- 
self, providing  I  would  teach  them  ;  and  through  his  efforts 
and  influence  a  larger  class  than  before  was  assembled. 
This  time  I  made  a  decided  success. 

Whenever  I  found  very  peculiar  cases,  I  obtained  them, 
if  possible,  to  experiment  upon.  I  will  refer  to  one  very 
marked  case.  When  in  Buffalo,  N.  Y.,  I  heard  of  a  trotting 
mare  which  was  a  desperate  runaway  of  a  peculiar  charac- 
ter. She  had  been  owned  by  a  canal  stableman  in  Erie 
Street,  who,  after  she  had  run  away  with  him  scA^eral 
times,  traded  her  off.  Upon  inquiry,  I  found  the  mare, 
and  prevailed  upon  the  owner  to  let  me  have  her  to  exper- 
iment upon.    lie  consented,  on  condition  that  I  would  pay 


EXPEKIME^TS.  488 

for  her  keeping  while  in  the  city,  and  pass  him  into  the 
class  free.  Out  of  harness,  she  was  entirely  gentle ;  but 
in  harness,  despite  the  pulling  of  two  or  three  men,  the 
patent  reins,  or  the  most  severe  bits  that  could  be  used 
upon  her,  she  would  resist  all  restraint  and  run  away. 

This  mare  was  a  nervous  tempered,  ordinary  looking 
bay,  long-haired,  deep-chested,  rather  heavy-boned,  and 
not  inclined  to  put  on  flesh.  A  very  noticeable  indication 
of  the  character  was  in  the  head,  which  was  quite  long  and 
narrow.  The  eyes  were  rather  small,  and  full  below,  the 
nose  rounding,  and  ears  long.  I  would  call  attention  to 
one  point ;  viz.,  that  a  well-bred  horse,  possessing  great 
powders  of  endurance  and  action,  and  having  the  head  full 
and  straight  below  the  eyes,  especially  if  the  eyes  are 
small  and  set  well  back,  will  be  likely,  if  vicious,  to  show 
great  obstinacy  of  resistance. 

Upon  trial  under  canvas,  she  submitted  readily  to 
treatment,  driving  around  the  ring  gently  after  about 
twelve  minutes'  treatment ;  but  not  revealing  herself,  she 
became  the  more  suspicious  and  dangerous  to  me.  On  this 
account,  while  testing  her  outdoors,  I  took  the  most  careful 
precaution  to  prevent  her  from  getting  away.  She  would 
drive  gently  for  a  few  moments,  then  suddenly  rush  against 
the  bit  with  all  her  might.  In  this  way,  for  more  than  five 
hours,  she  continued  the  struggle  with  the  most  wonder-: 
ful  courage,  when  she  yielded  and  drove  perfectly  gentle. 

Accompanied  by  a  good  assistant,  I  next  tried  her 
outside  the  city,  when  I  found  her  as  desperate  in  her 
resistance  as  though  she  had  never  been  touched.  She 
fought  every  point  from  nine  o'clock  in  the  morning  until 
four  in  the  afternoon,  when  she  again  yielded.  This  was 
one  of  the  greatest  exhibitions  of  pluck  I  ever  saw  in  any 
horse,  and  I  was  determined  to  see  whether  or  not  such  a 
horse  could  be  broken.     During    the    struggle,  her   eyes 


484  PEKSONAL   EXPERIENCE. 

were  like  coals  of  fire,  her  ears  thrown  back,  and  the  sweat 
at  times  j^ouring  from  her  in  streams. 

The  Patent  Bridle  would  have  enabled  the  control  of 
this  case  directly.  The  subjection  of  these  extreme  cases 
caused  me  a  great  deal  of  extra  work  and  expense,  but 
finally  enabled  me  to  determine  with  great  accuracy  the 
character  of  any  case  when  presented  for  experiment.  It 
was  often  a  matter  of  surprise  that,  upon  being  told  what 
a  horse  \vould  do,  I  could  with  but  rare  exceptions,  describe 
accurately  the  color,  size,  kind  of  head,  and  character  gen- 
erally. Of  course  there  are  modifications  of  character 
which  cannot  be  determined  while  the  horse  is  in  a  passive 
condition,  but  which  can  be  easily  determined  by  testing. 
I  early  felt  the  need  of  some  feature  of  interest  that 
would  attract  the  attention  of  the  people.  I  at  first 
purchased  a  pair  of  elks,  which  I  tried  to  train  and  drive, 
but  in  consequence  of  their  being  too  old,  I  could  not  make 
them  safe. 

Some  time  after  this,  I  heard  of  a  man  who  as  an 
advertisement  drove  a  stallion  without  reins  in  the  street. 
At  Fonda,  N.  Y.,  I  saw  this  performance,  and  introduced 
myself  to  the  OAvner,  Mr.  A.  H.  Rockwell,  who  afterward 
became  quite  famous  as  a  traveling  horse-tamer.  As  a 
great  many  since  then  have  claimed  to  be  the  originators  of 
this  feat,  I  will  state  the  facts  in  relation  to  its  first 
accomplishment : — 

The  horse  Morgan  Tiger  was  undoubtedly  the  first 
driven  in  this  way.  He  was  trained  by  a  lady,  Mrs.  Fred 
Bunnell,  then  a  resident  of  Wellsboro,  Tioga  Co.,  Pa. 
Mrs.  Bunnell  exhibited  remarkable  skill  in  training  and 
driving  horses.  She  trained  this  stallion,  and,  among 
many  other  novel  tricks,  taught  him  io  go  right  and  left, 
back,  etc.,  to  the  motion  of  the  whip.  This  horse  was 
naturally  very  intelligent  and  stylish  in  appearance,  but 


DRIVING  WITHOUT  REINS.  485 


o 


gentle  and  lazy  in  disposition — -just  the  kind  of  horse  to 
train  easily  and  not  incline  to  run  away.  She  exhibited 
him  several  years  at  Chemung  and  other  county  fairs  in 
that  part  of  the  State  of  New  York,  attracting  much 
attention  with  him,  yet  always  having  reins  on  him.''' 

He  finally  passed  out  of  her  hands,  and  Avas  afterward 
hired  by  Mr.  Rockwell  to  give  exhibitions  in  halls.  This 
not  paying,  and  finding  the  horse  Avould  turn  right  and  left 
by  the  whip,  he  took  off  the  reins  and  so  drove  him  in  the 
street.  To  attract  attention,  he  now  advertised  to  drive  a 
stallion  in  the  street  without  reins,  and  engaged  in  teaching 
horse-taming  on  the  Rarey  system. 

Upon  seeing  this  horse  thus  driven,  I  at  once  determined 
to  train  the  first  good  horse  I  could  find  to  drive  without 
reins.  Although  I  failed  to  learn  in  this  instance  how  it 
was  done,  yet  I  made  up  my  mind  that  it  had  been  done 
once,  and  it  could  be  done  again,  and  /would  do  it.  Soon 
after  I  went  to  Smithville,  Jefferson  Co.,  N.  Y.,  where  I 
found  a  remarkably  fine,  four-year  old,  black  stallion, 
entirely  unbroken,  owned  by  'Squire  Cole.  He  was 
naturally  vicious,  but,  liking  him,  I  gave  all  the  money  I 
had  for  him.  I  now  had  a  wild,  unbroken  colt,  so  vicious 
that  it  was  difficult  even  to  lead  him,  and  certainly  the 
possibility  of  training  such  a  horse  to  drive  before  a 
carriage  safely  under  any  excitement,  and  with  nothing  on 
his  head,  seemed  not  only  a  difficult  but  a  doubtful  task. 

I  worked  three  days  trying  to  teach  him  to  turn  to  the 
right  or  left  with  the  whip,  but  utterly  failed ;  yet  I  did 
not  in  the  remotest  degree  give  up  the  idea  of  succeeding. 
At  this  point  I  was  impressed  as  though  by  inspiration 

*This  I  learaed  when  in  that  part  of  the  State  afterward,  from  various  parties, 
including  Mr.  Bunnell,  husband  of  the  lady,  who  became  a  member  of  my  class  at 
Wellsboro.  It  was  also  corroborated  by  Mr.  Hurlburt,  Mr.  RockweU'B  brother-in- 
law,  who  traveled  with  him. 


486  PEESONAL  EXPEKIENCE. 

how  it  could  be  done.  My  first  step  was  to  quiet  down 
the  excitement  I  had  caused  him  by  my  previous  abuse 
(for  it  was  nothing  else).  I  then  gently  mounted  him, 
took  a  short  driving  whip,  and  commenced  a  moderate 
tapping  against  the  shoulder,  at  the  same  time  pulling  his 
head  around  a  little,  and  repeating  until  he  got  the  idea, 
and  would  come  around  himself.  When  he  moved  the  first 
time,  it  seemed  a  great  achievement.  I  then  repeated  the 
treatment  upon  the  opposite  side,  and  in  less  than  half  an 
hour  had  him  so  he  would  turn  right  and  left  as  touched. 
Soon  he  Avould  turn  around  Avithout  being  asked,  and  stop 
to  get  his  reward  of  apple.  If  he  did  not  promptly  get  it, 
he  would  repeat  the  turning,  and  then  stop  again,  and  ask 
for  his  reward  as  plainly  as  a  beggar. 

From  this  point,  he  made  such  rapid  progress  that  in  a 
week  I  could  drive  him  freely  without  reins  in  the  street, 
guiding  and  controlling  him  perfectly  with  the  whip.  In 
two  weeks  I  was  able  to  give  exhibitions  with  him,  the 
first  being  in  Watertown,  where  the  known  circumstances 
were  regarded  Avith  great  interest. 

This  was  my  horse  Turco,  which  afterward  became  quite 
famous  for  his  remarkable  sagacity,  and  the  ease  and 
perfection  Avith  Avhich  he  could  be  driven  with  the  Avhip. 
He  Avas  in  reality  the  only  horse  ever  exhibited  in  this  Avay 
that  proved  perfectly  safe  and  reliable,  and  that  ncA^er  ran 
away.  I  could  even  put  him  on  a  run,  and  driA^e  Avithin  an 
inch  or  two  of  any  point  desired,  then  turn  so  short  around 
as  to  upset  the  wagon,  yet  at  command  he  woujd  stop 
instantly.  I  trained  several  horses  afterward  to  drive 
single  or  double,  but  never  had  one  that  Avould  equal  him. 
He  developed  some  traits  of  remarkable  sagacity.  He  Avas 
naturally  so  vicious  that  I  did  not  dare  go  near  his  head 
without  keeping  my  eyes  on  his,  or  catching  his  halter  to 
keep  his  head  from  me. 


MY  FIRST   PUBLICATION.  487 

To  turn  luj  back  to  him  would  certainly  at  times  be 
dangerous ;  but  by  careful  management,  I  so  subdued  his 
nature  that  he  became  very  gentle,  though  occasionally  he 
exhibited  great  viciousness  toward  others.  For  example, 
if  the  groom  showed  the  least  timidity  in  approaching  him, 
he  would  become  so  aggressive  that  he  would  lunge  and 
kick  at  him  with  bull-dog  ferocity.  At  such  times,  I  had 
only  to  step  in  front  of  his  stall,  and  say,  "  Turk,  this  man 
is  all  right ;  he  only  wants  to  clean  you,"  when  he  would 
stand  a  model  of  docility,  even  allowing  the  man  to  sit 
under  his  body  to  clean  him. 

As  he  grew  older,  he  learned  to  distinguish  stablemen 
from  others;  for  any  man  who  held  a  brush  or  currycomb 
in  his  hand,  would  be  permitted  to  walk  into  his  stall  and 
around  him  with  perfect  safety,  while  others  would  get  an 
emphatic  warning  to  keep  out. 

I  next  traveled  through  Northern  and  Central  New 
York.  At  North  Vernon  I  made  the  important  discovery 
of  the  Second  Method  of  Subjection,  explained  in  the  first 
chapter.  Soon  afterward  I  visited  the  city  of  Utica,  where, 
after  subduing  the  "  Roberts  horse"  (Case  11,  Subjection), 
and  teaching  several  large  classes,  I  was  severely  injured 
by  a  horse's  stepping  upon  my  foot,  which  disabled  me  about 
two  months. 

It  occurred  to  me  while  here  to  write  up  the  details  of 
my  treatment,  as  there  was  almost  daily  an  inquiry  from 
my  old  scholars  for  it  in  printed  form.  I  did  so.  and  had 
it  published  at  the  Utica  Herald  Office  in  1862.  TJiis  was 
the  first  publication,  called,  "  The  New  System  for  Educat- 
ing and  Training  Horses." 

A  year  later,  when  in  Newark,  N.  Y.,  Mr.  Rockwell, 
before  referred  to,  visited  me  for  the  purpose  of  arranging 
to  travel  with  me  through  the  Eastern  States.  I  drove 
from   this    point   to    Greenfield,    Mass.,  meeting   him   by 


488  PEESONAL  EXPERIENCE. 

appointment  at  Harpersville.  Upon  arriving  at  Greenfield, 
I  concluded  not  to  engage  in  the  enterprise,  but  sold  out  to 
him,  for  $300,  the  right  to  republish  my  book  (which  he 
was  very  anxious  to  do) .  I  include  a  copy  of  the  contract, 
draw^n  by  a  counsel  : — 

"It  is  hereby  understood  and  agreed  between  D.  Magner  and 
A.  H.  Rockwell  as  follows  ;  to  wit,  in  consideration  of  the  mutual 
agreement  herein  made,  it  is  agreed  that  said  Rockwell  shall  make 
notes  and  additions  to  the  book  called  '  The  New  System  of 
Training  Horses,'  of  Avhich  he  has  bought  one-half  of  the  copy- 
right of  said  Magner,  said  notes  and  additions  to  be  such  as  he, 
the  said  Rockwell,  shall  think  suited  to  add  to  the  value  of  said 
book  ;  and  that  a  copyright  of  said  book  shall  be  taken  out  in  the 
names  of  said  Magner  and  Rockwell  jointly  and  equally. 

"■Nov.  3,  1863." 

Soon  after,  I  consented  to  have  my  name  left  off  the 
title  page,  which  he  desired  on  publishing  a  new  edition. 
In  making  a  revision  of  this  little  work,  Mr.  Rockwell 
claimed  to  have  trained  my  horse  Turco,  before  referred  to, 
and  implied  that  he  started  me  in  the  horse-taming  business, 
when  the  facts  were  that  I  was  over  a  year  on  the  road 
before  I  ever  met  or  heard  of  him,  and  I  had  trained  and 
exhibited  this  horse  nearly  two  years  before  he  ever  saw 
him. 

From  Greenfield  I  went  directly  to  Maine,  where  I 
met  with  the  most  flattering  success.  At  Portland,  almost 
the  entire  population  came  out  to  witness  the  feat  of  driv- 
ing without  reins.  I  had  several  large  classes  there, 
reference  to  which  will  be  found  in  the  following  editorial 
notices : — 

"  Mr.  Magner,  the  horse- tamer  and  trainer,  has  been  in  Port- 
land during  the  past  week,  and  has  created  a  great  stir  among 
our  horsemen.  So  great  was  the  interest  excited,  that  Mr.  Magner 
formed  a  school,  which  was  largely  attended  by  those  interested 
in  such  matters,  including  many  of  our  best  citizens  who  have  fine 
horses,  -and  seems  to  have  been  altogether  satisfactoiy.  Such  suc- 
cess in  •'«o  brief  a  period  is  quite  unusual.     His  exliibitions  have 


m  MAINE.  489 

been  very  interesting,  and  have  satisfactorily  demonstrated  his 
.  ability  to  bring  the  most  unmanageable  horses  entirely  under  his 
control. 

"An  innocent  colt,  fresh  from  the  country,  was  introduced, 
and  in  a  few  minutes  acted  the  part  of  a  well-trained  horse  ;  then 
came  a  spirited  mare,  whose  stubbornness  was  not  so  readily  but 
no  less  surely  overcome  ;  an  old  stager,  which  had  for  years  defied 
every  farrier  in  the  county,  but  after  five  minutes'  training  stood 
quiet  as  a  lamb  while  his  feet  were  handled  and  hammered  in 
true  blacksmith  style  ;  a  splendid  animal,  whose  principal  fault 
seemed  to  be  unusual  fright  at  the  sight  of  an  umbrella,  in  a  very 
short  space  of  time  stood  unmoved  as  one  of  these  articles  was 
placed  before  him  and  moved  about  his  body,  and  when  at  last  it 
was  held  above  and  dropped  upon  his  head,  he  appeared  to  regard 
it  with  far  more  of  complacency  than  fear  ;  a  puller  on  the  bit 
was  beaten  at  his  own  game,  and  yielded  handsomely. 

"  Whatever  the  tricks  and  eccentricities  of  which  the  animals 
brought  forward  were  guilty,  they  found  more  than  their  match 
in  the  horse-tamer,  who  did  not  in  a  single  instance  let  a  horse 
pass  out  of  his  hands  till  he  could  truthfully  say,  '  I  have  you, 
sir.'  He  was  asked  to  test  his  skill  still  further  on  a  vicious  mule 
which  was  brought  in  and  turned  loose  in  the  ring.  He  was  in- 
deed a  villainous  fellow,  and  not  at  all  agreeable  in  his  manners, 
refusing  to  be  bridled  or  handled,  and  meeting  every  one  who 
approached  him  with  an  undesirable  display  of  his  heels ;  but  in 
less  than  fifteen  minutes  his  whole  demeanor  was  changed,  and  he 
remained  perfectly  quiet  while  he  was  again  and  again  haltered, 
mounted  on  all  sides,  and  handled  from  head  to  foot,  and  finally 
was  led  out  perfectly  submissive.  The  change  was  wonderful,  and 
called  forth  great  applause. 

"  These  exhibitions  are,  as  we  learn,  foreign  to  Mr.  Magner's 
custom  and  general  purpose,  which  is,  not  to  exhibit  feats  in 
horsemanship,  but  to  make  the  people  practically  acquainted  with 
his  system,  and  thereby  create  increased  interest  in  raising  and 
managing  horses.  He  is  soon  to  start  out  into  the  towns  of  this 
State,  and  we  hope  farmers  and  horsemen  will  give  him  all  the 
attention  which  his  theory  and  his  success  merit." — Portland 
(Me.)  Transcript,  186 Jf,. 

"  Mr.  Magner,  whose  equestrian  feats  have  excited  the  wonder 
of  our  citizens,  has  left  the  city  in  order  to  fulfill  numerous  en- 
gagements in  the  country.  It  is  very  fortunate  for  him  that  this 
is  not  an  age  when  men  are  executed  for  witchcraft.  Had  he 
lived  in  Salem  in  1692,  and  exhibited,  as  he  has  here,  his  power 
over  refractory  horses,  he  would  have  been  hanged,  as  sure  as  fate, 
for  a  wizard.     Indeed,  we  are  not  certain  that  he  does  not  prac- 


490  PBESONAL  EXPERIENCE. 

tiee  some  sort  of  witchery  in  his  management  of  liorses.  No  one 
can  form  an  idea  of  his  wonderful  power  over  them,  until  he  wit- 
nesses proof  of  it.  To  see  a  horse  furious,  stubborn,  defiant,  with 
a  very  devil  in  his  eye,  in  a  few  moments,  by  some  mysterious 
power,  calmed  down,  i-endered  docile,  patiently  submi.s.sivc,  and 
allowing  every  liberty  to  be  taken  with  him — in  a  word,  the  evil 
spirit  Avhich  had  possessed  the  animal,  completely  exorcised — you 
can  hardly  credit,  although  the  marvelous  transformation  takes 
place  under  your  naked  eye.  A  knowledge  of  Mr.  Magner's  the- 
ory of  subduing  the  horse  must  be  invaluable  to  all  owners  of  the 
animal." — Portland  (Me.)  Advertiser,  186 If.. 

This  was  in  the  winter  of  1863-4.  I  next  went  to 
Augusta,  the  State  capital.  A  very  trifling  incident  here 
enabled  me  to  attract  considerable  attention.  A  prominent 
member  of  the  Legislature  purchased,  the  day  before,  a 
fine  horse,  and  desired  me  to  look  at  him.  Perceiving  the 
horse  to  be  unusually  intelligent,  it  occurred  to  me  that 
here  was  my  chance  to  create  a  little  surprise,  and  I  deter- 
mined to  improve  it. 

Seeing  a  small  switch  lying  upon  the  ground  before  me, 
I  picked  it  up,  took  the  horse  by  the  halter,  moved  him 
around,  and,  Avhile  talking  to  the  owner,  quickly  brought 
the  switch  over  the  horse's  back  to  the  opjDosite  side  of  the 
head,  and  with  a  few  slight  but  rapid  strokes  taught  him 
to  come  around  and  follow  without  the  halter.  (Full 
details  of  this  method  are  given  in  the  chapter  on  Colt 
Training.) 

Throwing  the  hitching  strap  across  his  back  and  drop- 
ping the  switch  behind  me,  I  walked  around  carelessly,  the 
horse  following.  The  owner  wished  to  know  if  he  would 
follow  him.  I  answered,  "Yes;  go  to  his  head  and  walk 
around."  Upon  trial,  he  did  so.  Not  noticing  that  I  did 
anything  with  the  horse,  the  man  thought  it  wonderful. 
He  told  his  friends  that  I  merely  looked  at  the  horse,  when 
he  would  follow  me  anywhere  ! 

The  story  doubtless  became  magnified  as  it  went.     At 


EXCITING  CUKIOSITY.  491 

any  rate,  on  the  next  day  the  members  of  the  Legislature, 
the  officers  of  the  Second  Maine  Cavalry,  and  those  of  the 
Fourth  Infantry,  attended  my  lecture  in  a  body.  The 
better  to  illustrate  the  inclination  of  many  people  to 
magnify  trifling  events  when  not  understood,  I  will  in- 
clude here  an  incident  in  point: — 

Once,  in  a  town  where  I  was  entirely  unknown,  and 
the  prospect  for  success  very  doubtful,  I  was  invited  to  go 
with  a  man  to  his  stable  to  look  at  a  valuable  mare.  She 
stood  quietly  enough  in  the  stall,  but  on  approaching,  my 
suspicions  were  excited  by  noticing  the  fear  of  the  owner. 
Observing  carefully,  I  saw  that  unless  approached  just 
right,  she  would  be  likely  to  kick,  and  determined  <it  once 
to  make  the  circumstance  a  key  to  my  success. 

While  standing  a  little  behind  the  stall,  to  attract  her 
attention  I  spoke  to  her  sharply,  at  the  same  time  glided 
up  to  her  shoulder,  rubbed  and  caressed  her  head  a  little, 
and  then  got  out  in  the  same  manner.  I  told  the  man 
there  would  be  no  trouble  in  managing  her,  which  was  true. 
I  then  went  directly  back  to  the  hotel,  claiming  to  be  in  a 
hurry,  but  in  reality  for  the  purpose  of  allowing  him  an 
opportunity  to  ventilate  his  opinions  among  his  neighbors, 
which  he  did  with  an  effect  quite  beyond  my  expectations. 
After  my  exhibition,  the  moment  I  was  ready  to  form  a 
class,  the  citizens  voluntarily  came  forward  and  gave  me 
their  names. 

After  the  experiments  and  instructions,  I  was  with 
much  interest  asked,  "  How  did  you  manage  to  get  inside 
that  mare's  stall  to-day  without  getting  kicked  ? "  Said 
they,  "  She  is  one  of  the  worst  mares  in  the  country.  No 
one  has  been  inside  her  stall  before  for  over  three  months, 
for  she  would  kick  any  one  going  near  her."  The  owner 
had  told  the  people,  as  I  expected  he  would,  that  as  soon 
as  I  went  near  or  looked  at  the  mare,  her  whole  character 


492  PERSONAL  EXPERIENCE. 

seemed  to  change  at  once ;  that  she  looked  as  though  she 
wanted  to  get  near  me ;  that  to  his  amazement,  when  I 
walked  in  by  her  side,  she  never  offered  to  lift  a  foot  or 
show  the  least  viciousness  toward  me,  and  that  I  handled 
and  stepped  around  her  as  unconcernedly  as  I  would  any 
horse.  The  whole  point  of  my  doing  this  lay  in  being  able 
to  discern  her  exact  character  and  what  she  would  bear. 
The  leading  gentlemen  then  in  the  city  from  different  parts 
of  the  State,  were  excited  to  the  highest  pitch  of  curiosity 
by  the  reports,  as  stated,  of  my  powers,  and  it  Avas  deter- 
mined to  test  me  to  the  utmost  degree.  To  insure  this,  a 
special  committee  was  appointed  to  A^isit  the  officers  of  each 
company  of  the  Fourth  Maine  Cavalry,  which  was  at  the 
time  encamped  near  the  city,  to  learn  the  number  and  char- 
acter of  vicious  horses  among  the  twelve  hundred  belong- 
ing to  the  regiment,  and  to  select  five  supposed  to  be  the 
worst  from  the  whole  number  reported,  upon  which  to  make 
the  promised  experiments.  Although  apparently  very 
vicious,  the  subjects  selected  proved  very  simple  and  easy 
cases  to  manage.     I  include  editorial  notices  of  the  event : — 

"  Mr.  Magner,  the  author  of  this  philosophy,  has  astonished 
the  good  people  of  Augusta  and  vicinity  by  the  admirable  and 
perfectly  successful  demonstration  of*  his  system,  in  subduing  and 
controlling  some  of  the  most  vicious  and  ungovernable  specimens 
of  the  horse  fraternity  that  could  be  found  among  us.  The 
manifest  and  acknowledged  importance  of  this  art,  and  the  desire 
of  the  public  to  understand  and  witness  the  results  of  its  applica- 
tion, induced  a  crowded  attendance  of  all  classes  on  Mr.  Magner's 
practical  illustrations  of  his  theory.  All  who  attended,  came 
away  fully  convinced  of,  and  perfectly  satisfied  with,  the  correct- 
ness of  the  principles  and  workings  of  this  new  system. 

"Even  the  members  of  the  Senate  and  House  of  Representa- 
tives, and  the  Jiiembers  of  the  Executive  Council,  took  a  leisure 
hour,  laid  by  the  affairs  of  State,  forgot  their  parliamentary 
squabbles,  and  found  both  amusement  and  instruction  in  witness- 
ing the  skill  and  consummate  tact  with  which  Mr.  Magner 
handled  the  hitherto  incorrigible  subjects  brought  forward  to  test 
his  new  doctrine.     Crowds  of  our  most  intelligent  citizens  were 


SUCCESS  IN  MAINE.  493 

also  in  attendance,  and  became  decidedly  and  thoroughly  satisfied 
that  Mr  Magner's  system  is  all  that  he  clamis  for  it,  and  when 
applied,  will  be  effectual  in  bringing  the  wildest  and  most  stubborn 
horse  into  complete  subjection  and  docility. 

"  A  laro-e  class  of  pupils  united  in  order  to  profit  by  Mr.  Mag- 
ner's instruction,  and  learn  the  best  modes  of  applying  his  theory 
to  practice  ;  and  as  a  matter  of  course,  the  hardest  and  most 
vicious  horses  that  could  be  found  in  the  neighborhood,  were 
brouo-ht  in  for  him  to  subdue,  all  of  which  were  completely  tamed, 
and  brouo-ht  into  such  a  state  of  docility  as  to  astonish  those  who 
saw  it  So  satisfactory  and  perfectly  successful  were  his  n^truc- 
tions  and  experiments"'to  every  one  who  attended,  and  so  efficient 
and  useful  did  his  principles  and  modes  of  procedure  prove  them- 
selves to  be  in  training  and  subduing  horses,  that  the  oficers  of 
the  Second  Maine  Cavalry  were  influenced  to  invite  him  to  give  a 
course  of  instruction  to  those  of  the  regiment  who  could  be  spared 
from  duty  to  attend.  In  this,  too,  he  was  perfectly  successful,  as 
in  all  other  instances. 

"  The  most  dangerous  of  vicious  horses  are  those  frisky,  nerv- 
ous, touchy  kickers,  whose  heels  are  always  ready  to  greet  you 
whenever  you  approach  or  attempt  to  harness  them.  One  ot  this 
class  was  brought  forward,  of  so  desperate  a  character  that  her 
owner  cautioned  Mr.  Magner  that  he  would  expose  himself  to 
dano-er  and  probable  injury  if  he  was  too  familiar  with  her.  In  a 
very  short  time,  he  had  her  so  effectually  subdued  and  conquered 
that  he  could  do  anything  he  pleased  with  her— jump  upon  her 
back  slide  off"  behind  her  heels,  handle  her  feet,  and  place  himself 
in  any  position  he  pleased  around  her,  without  her  olTermg  the 
least  opposition,  or  showing  the  least  disposition  to  bite  or  practice 

her  old  tricks.  i    p  i 

"  We  look  upon  this  mode  of  horse- taming  as  an  art  wondertul 
for  the  sure  and  infallible  results  which  follow  its  appliance."— 
Kennebec  Journal,  Augusta,  Me.,  February,  186 Jf. 

"  It  is  all  quietly  done  ;  no  whipping  nor  thrashing ;  no  maul- 
ino-  brawling,  nor  swearing,  as  has  often  heretofore  been  the  cus- 
tom in  such  cases.  Herein  is  one  of  the  great  and  invaluable 
improvements  which  Mr.  Magner  introduces  m  the  art  of  bringing 
the  horse  under  complete  control  of  man.  We  make  these  remarks 
for  the  purpose  of  calling  the  attention  of  our  farmers  and  owners 
of  horses  in  Maine  to  the  new  improvements  of  such  vital  impor- 
tance to  their  interests.  We  have  taken  great  pams  to  give  them 
a  personal  investigation.  You  will  find  Mr.  Magner  a  modest, 
unassuming  young  man,  and  no  humbug,  and  we  cordially  advise 
every  one  who  can,  to  obtain  the  benefit  of  his  lectures.  —Ma%n6 
Farmer,  Feb.  ^4,  I864. 


494  PEKSONAL  EXPElllENCE. 

I  now  traveled  through  Vermont,  New  Jersey,  Penn- 
syh^ania,  AVestern  New  York,  and  Ohio,  training  in  the 
meantime  several  horses  to  drive  without  reins,  both 
double  and  single.  Even  after  I  had  trained  Turco,  I  soon 
found  it  necessary  to  have  additional  features  of  interest  to 
enlist  the  degree  of  attention  desired.  When  in  Maine  in 
1864,  the  day  before  my  exhibition,  I  adve^'tised  to  make 
any  Avild,  unbroken  colt  so  gentle  in  twenty  minutes,  that 
I  would  take  him,  without  bridle  or  halter,  into  the  street, 
and  by  the  control  of  the  whip  alone,  ride  or  handle  him  in 
any  way  I  pleased.  This  I  failed  to  do  but  once.  When 
in  Anson,  a  remarkably  vicious  colt  was  turned  into  a  barn 
so  large  that  I  could  not  get  to  him  before  he  became  so 
excited  that  I  knew  I  could  not  control  him  in  the  time 
claimed.  Of  course  it  would  not  do  to  admit  this,  and  so 
I  made  the  people  crowding  around  and  looking  through 
the  cracks,  an  excuse  for  not  attempting  anything  further 
at  this  point. 

As  I  went  into  the  street,  I  saw  a  young  man  riding  a 
colt  toward  me.  Upon  inquiry,  I  found  he  was  from  the 
country,  #id  I  told  him  I  would  pass  him  into  my  class 
free,  if  he  would  let  me  handle  his  colt  ten  minutes  to 
illustrate  my  treatment  before  the  class,  to  which  he 
consented.  I  made  up  the  class  on  condition  that  I  would 
perform  the  feat  upon  the  colt  before  referred  to  in  their 
presence ;  but  as  it  was  an  exceptionally  bad  one,  I  took 
this  precaution  of  obtaining  an  easier  one  to  handle  and 
upon  which  to  explain  the  principles.  By  this  course  I 
succeeded,  though  it  was  a  close  pull,  as  it  was  absolutely 
necessary  to  make  the  colt  entirely  gentle  and  control  him 
as  promised.  AVhen  successful,  I  told  the  class  the  whole 
stratagem,  as  I  made  it  an  invariable  rule  to  give  them  the 
facts,  at  which  they  laughed  heartily. 

Afterward,  when  in  Western 'New  York,  I  advertised 


SPECIAL  EXPERIMENTS.  495 

that,  each  day  before  my  regular  exhibition,  if  the  people 
would  remain  twenty  minutes  in  the  center  of  the  town,  I 
would  take  any  kicking,  runaway  colt  they  could  produce, 
lead  him  from  them  outside  the  town,  and,  Avithin  the  time 
named,  would  subdue  and  drive  him  back  to  a  carriage, 
without  breeching.  Or  if  I  found  a  horse  that  had  recently 
run  away,  and  which  could  not  be  controlled,  I  made  it  in 
this  way  a  startling  card.  For  example  :  In  Hornellsville, 
N.  Y.,  I  obtained  a  pony  that  had  only  the  day  before  run 
away  with  a  constable,  a  large,  strong  man,  causing  him 
serious  injury,  and  breaking  the  wagon  to  pieces.  In 
twenty  minutes,  I  drove  him  in  on  a  run,  with  breeching 
straps  loose,  and  cross-piece  striking  against  the  quarters. 
Having  almost  reached  the  crowd,  I  purposely  fell  out,  and 
when  the  horse  had  gone  six  or  eight  rods,  I  called 
"  Whoa  !  "  sharply.  He  stopped  instantly.  This  incident 
enabled  me  to  make  a  large  class  there. 

In  one  instance  only,  I  did  not  dare  make  the  attempt. 
This  was  at  a  little  place  near  Hochester.  The  colt  se- 
lected was  running  in  a  field,  and  I  accompanied  the  owner 
to  get  him.  As  soon  as  I  saw  the  colt,  I  knew  I  could  not 
control  him  in  the  time  specified ;  but  I  raced  around  with 
the  owner  to  catch  him,  in  the  meantime  thinking  how  I 
could  manage  the  matter.  Failing  to  catch  the  horse  on 
account  of  his  extreme  wildness,  I  finally  took  the  owner 
into  my  confidence,  and  told  him  that  I  did  not  want  to 
catch  the  horse  ;  that  I  knew  I  could  not  subdue  him  so  as 
to  be  able  to  handle  him  in  the  time  stated,  but  that  I 
would  show  him  how  he  could  break  him,  provided  that  he 
would  help  me  out  of  the  scrape,  which  he  promised  to  do, 
and  so  reported  that  the  colt  could  not  be  caught.  Fortu- 
nately, at  this  point  I  saw  a  young  man  driving  a  spirited 
horse  up  the  street.  Ready  to  catch  at  any  point,  I  ap- 
proached and  asked,  "  If  the  breeching-straps  were  to  break, 


496  PERSONAL  EXPERIENCE. 

and   the    cross-piece   strike   against   the    horse's    quarters, 
would  he  not  kick  and  run  away?"     He  looked  at  me  in 
surprise,  saying,  "  I  guess  he  would.     I  know  I  would  not 
want  to  be  in  the  wagon  and  have  it  strike  him.     He  ran 
away  once,  and  tore  the  carriage  to  j)ieces."     I  said  to  him, 
"  I  will  pass  you  into  my  class  free  if  you  will  let  me  have 
your  horse  ten  minutes."  Consenting,  I  told  the  people  what 
the  horse  would  do,  which  was  known  to  be  true.     Know- 
ing from  the  disposition  of  the  horse  that  there  would  be 
no  difficulty  in  his  subjection,  I  got  in  Avith  the  man,  tell- 
ing him  to  drive  quickly  to  the  edge  of   the  village.     As 
soon  as  out  of  sight  of  the  crowd,  I  jumped  out,  first  mak- 
ing the  owner  promise  he  would  not  tell  any  one  what  I 
did,  and  made  the  horse  submit  to  control  in  three  or  four 
minutes,  then  drove  back  raj)idly  with  both  breeching-straps 
loose.     When  I  reached  the  middle  of  the  crowd,  I  threw 
the  reins  out,  and  called  sharply,  "Whoa!"  when  he  in- 
stantly stopped,   holding  the  wagon  back  with  his  heels. 
The  quicker  the  feat  could  be  done,  and  the  greater  the 
chances  taken,  the  more  surprising  and  startling  it  would 
prove.     The  main  point  of  success  was  in  being  able   to 
know  how  much  could  be  done  upon  the  horse  in  a  given 
time,  and  if  the  risk  was  too  great,  to  avoid  it  altogether. 
Sometimes  it  was  extremely  difficult  to  make  these  ex- 
periments,  as  I  could  not  have  sufficient  oijportunity   or 
privacy.     No  matter  how  much  I  might  reason    with  the 
people  that  upon  the  condition  of  their  remaining  in  toAvn 
would  depend  the  success  of  the  exj^eriment,  as  soon  as  I 
started  with  the  horse  the  whole  crowd  would  break  right 
and  left  to  follow  me.     For  example,  when  in  Ashtabula, 
0.,  where  I  had  a  good  subject  offered,  after  trying  twice 
and  finding  the  crowd  would  not  be  kept  back,  I  succeeded 
only  by  the  following  stratagem  :  An  old  scholar  informing 
me  that  he  had  a  good  place  about  half  a  mile  out  of  town, 


DIFFICULTIES.  497 

I  directed  the  owner  to  take  a  back  street  and  drive  there 
quickly,  and  the  few  friends  who  wished  to  see  the  exper- 
iment to  go  separately,  while  I  jumped  into  a  wagon  and 
drove  rapidly  in  an  opposite  direction.  When  out  of  view, 
I  took  a  side  street  back  to  the  place  of  rendezvous.  We 
could  see  the  people  coming  down  the  street  on  a  run ;  but 
I  jumped  out  and  made  a  rush  for  the  horse,  and  although 
he  was  a  kicking,  runaway  fellow  that  had  not  been  har- 
nessed in  over  two  years,  I  succeeded  in  five  minutes  in 
making  him  sufficiently  manageable  to  be  hitched  up  with- 
out kicking.  I  had  barely  time  to  hitch  him  up  before  the 
wagon,  when  the  people  came  up,  and  I  took  the  chances, 
without  further  treatment,  of  driving  him  rapidly  back  to 
town.  Upon  arriving  at  the  crowd,  which  stood  waiting, 
I  stopped  him  so  quickly  as  to  almost  throw  him  upon  his 
haunches,  dropped  the  reins,  and  jumped  out  of  the  wagon. 
Being  behind  time,  I  made  it  an  excuse  for  unhitching  the 
horse  wjiere  he  stood ;  but  the  fact  was,  I  did  not  dare  to 
move  him  further,  fearing  he  would  kick,  and  thereby  give 
me  away.  It  is  worthy  of  remark  in  this  case,  that  upon 
trial  next  morning  the  owner  found  him  perfectly  gentle, 
hitched  him  to  a  carriage,  took  in  his  family,  drove  to  town 
two  miles  distant,  and  used  him  afterward  as  a  family  driv- 
ing-horse.   • 

In  the  summer  of  1864,  I  took  into  partnership  Mr.  E. 
C.  Dudley,  of  Newton  Center,  Mass.,  who  remained  with 
me  as  business  manager  for  four  years,  and  who  contribu- 
ted greatly  to  my  success. 

As  driving  without  reins  soon  became  so  common  that 
it  lost  its  novelty  as  a  drawing  card,  I  trained  ponies  to 
do  sensational  tricks.  For  these  exhibitions  I  built  suit- 
able places  covered  with  canvas,  in  cities  and  large  country 
towns,  frequently  remaining  several  weeks  in  one  place, 
and  having  remarkable  success.     In  Buffalo,  Toledo,  Cleve- 

3a 


498  PEESON^AL  EXPEEIE^^CH. 

land,  and  other  large  cities,  the  people  came  in  crowds  for 
weeks,  and  in  some  cases  from  distances  of  over  one  hun- 
dred miles,  to  witness  the  performance  of  the  ponies,  and 
to  attend  my  lectures. 

To  illustrate  the  prejudice  to  which  I  was  often  ex- 
posed, I  will  refer  to  an  incident  which  occurred  at  Cleve- 
land, 0.  The  city  had  at  that  time  about  90,000  inhab- 
itants, and  its  business  community  was  among  the  most  en- 
terprising of  the  Northwest.  They  exhibited  an  unusual 
interest  in  fine  horses,  and  their  trotting-races  were  the 
most  popular  and  liberally  conducted  of  any  in  the  coun- 
try. I  anticipated  an  unusual  interest  in  my  efforts  there, 
and  I  incurred  large  expense  in  advertising  the  city  and 
surrounding  country,  and  in  building  a  place  for  my  con- 
venience in  giving  exhibitions  and  teaching  classes. 

At  the  time  appointed,  there  was  a  large  attendance  of 
leading  citizens  to  witness  the  performance  of  the  ponies ; 
but  to  my  surprise  I  could  not  get  a  single  name  for  a  class. 
Such  a  result  was  unprecedented  in  my  experience.  To 
have  people  go  away  without  exhibiting  the  least  interest 
in  my  efforts,  was  not  only  mortifying  in  the  extreme,  but 
discouraging.  By  the  advice  of  the  landlord,  Mr.  Stone, 
of  the  Commercial  House,  I  sent  twelve  complimentary 
tickets  to  as  many  leading  horsemen.  On  the  .following- 
day  there  was  again  a  large  gathering ;  but  as  before,  I 
could  not  get  a  single  name — not  one  of  those  who  were 
complimented  coming  forward,  nor  in  any  way  manifesting 
the  least  interest  in  my  efforts.  Upon  inquiry  I  found 
that  eight  of  those  gentlemen  were  present.  I  Avas  now 
thoroughly  provoked  by  such  indifference.  Something 
must  be  done,  and  that  speedily,  to  make  a  stir,  or  I  could 
have  no  hope  of  success.  The  thought  of  failure  I  could 
not  entertain  for  a  moment.  It  was  necessary,  first,  that  I 
should    bring   the  people  back  again,  and  this  I  knew  I 


OPPOSITION.  49' 

could  not  do  by  the  ordinary  pony  performance ;  so  to 
meet  the  emergency,  I  arranged  to  have  a  bet  made  of 
|100,  that  a  certain  negro  boy  there  could  ride  "  Tommy  " 
without  being  thrown.  This  was  announced  in  the  morning 
papers,  and  as  I  expected,  there  was  a  crowd  gathered  to 
witness  the  trial.  Judges  and  referee  were  appointed,  and 
I  put  up  the  money.  The  condition  was  that  he  should 
ride  him  twice  around  the  ring,  or  sit  upon  his  back  one 
minute,  with  the  privilege  of  making  three  trials.  The 
young  man  made  a  heroic  effort  to  win,  but  was  at  each 
time  ingloriously  thrown. 

The    time    had    now    come    for   a    supreme    effort,  so 
I  mounted  a  box  I  had  arranged  for  the  purpose,  and  made 
it.     I  closed  up  my  remarks  by  offering  $500  to  smy  man 
who  would  produce  a  horse  I  could  not  subdue  and  drive 
gently  within  forty  minutes.     Up  to  this  point  I  had  not 
received  a  single  name,  nor  did  it  seem  possible  to  obtain 
horses  to  experiment  upon.     Finally,  a  gentleman  named 
Edwards,  a  wholesale  grocer  on  Water  St.,  came  forward, 
saying,  '•  We  think  we  know  something  about  this  matter. 
Rarey,  Rockwell,  and  others  have  been  here,  and  we  think 
we  know  all  and  more  than  you  can  give  us.     But  we  have 
a  horse  here,  which,  if  you  can  drive,  as  you  say  you  can, 
you  will  convince  us  you  can  beat  any  man  in  the  coun- 
try."    1  answered,  ''  Get  the  horse,  and  I  will  settle  the 
matter  very  quickly." 

The  horse  was  sent  for,  and  led  in  by  a  groom,  and  fol- 
lowed by  the  owner,  a  prominent  citizen  named  Malone. 
At  the  last  moment,  he  refused  to  let  me  have  the  horse 
to  experiment  upon ;  but  rather  than  lose  the  opportunity, 
I  bought  him,  paying  very  much  more  than  he  was  really 
worth.  I  then  said  to  the  people,  ''  I  now  have  a  subject, 
a  horse  that  you  all  know  cannot  be  driven  in  harness  by 
any  man  in  your  city  or  State.     If  I  do  not  drive  him  gen- 


500  PEESONAL  EXPEEIENCB. 

tie  without  breeching  within  forty  minutes,  every  man 
joining  my  class  can  have  his  money  back.  I  wish  it 
distinctly  understood  that  I  do  not  ask  for  any  favors,  and 
will  not  grant  any.  I  have  tried  to  be  reasonable,  even 
generous,  to  the  horsemen  of  this  city,  without  having  the 
least  confidence  or  interest  shown  in  my  efforts  by  any  one. 
I  now  wish  it  distinctly  understood  that  I  will  not  now 
grant  any  favors  to  any  one,  and  will  not  ask  for  any.  I 
have  no  friends  here,  and  do  not  want  any.  I  will  show 
you  now  that  I  am  able  to  win  success  without  the  help  of 
any  one.  Every  man  remaining  inside,  except  the  mem- 
bers of  the  press,  must  represent  $5.  If  I  fail  to  do  just 
what  I  promise,  you  can  all  have  your  money  back  before 
you  leave.  Not  only  this,  but  to-morrow  at  twelve  o'clock 
precisely  I  will  drive  him  on  the  square,  without  bridle 
or  breeching,  not  only  perfectly  gentle  in  harness,  but  a 
trained  horse  to  drive  with  a  whip.     If  I  do  not  do  it,  as 

I  before  stated,  every  man  can  have  his  money  back." 
Thirty-five  remained  ;  and  I  drove  the  horse  entirely  gentle 
within  thirty  minutes. 

It  now  became  a  question  of  great  interest  to  know 
whether  he  could  be  driven  on  the  square  as  promised.    At 

II  o'clock,  I  was  notified  that  it  was  considered  too 
dangerous  to  permit  the  experiment  to  be  made ;  and  in 
order  to  make  the  trial,  I  was  compelled  to  give  bonds  of 
$1,000  as  a  guarantee  that  no  harm  should  follow^  At 
twelve  precisely  the  horse  was  driven  as  advertised,  in  the 
presence  of  upwards  of  30,000  people.  This  was  followed 
by  the  largest  and  most  enthusiastic  class  I  ever  made  up 
to  that  time,  numbering  nearly  500  members.  Every  man 
now  seemed  to  take  a  personal  interest  in  my  success. 

The  better  to  explain  the  general  interest  these  exper- 
iments excited,  I  include  paragraphs  from  a  few  of  the 
press  notices : — 


SUCCESS  m  CLEVELAND.  501 

"  But  the  great  sensation  of  the  evening  was  yet  to  come  ;  for 
all  were  anxious,  as  many  present  knew  the  vicious  nature  of  the 
beast  to  be  subdued — in  fact,  there  were  one  or  two  present  who 
had  had  good  cause  to  ever  remember  the  great  runaway  and 
kicker  known  as  the  '  Malone  Horse.'  He  is  a  gray  gelding, 
perhaps  sixteen  hands  high,  of  great  beauty  and  strength,  and  a 
will  and  determination  rarel}'  found  in  the  purely  American 
breed  of  horses.  The  horse  was  brought  into  the  enclosure,  and 
caused  general  comment  by  his  magnificent  style  and  grace  of 
movement.  His  owner  was  present,  and  after  looking  at  the 
animal  a  few  minutes,  and  dreading  to  see  him  pass  into  other 
hands  to  manage,  hesitated  at  the  last  moment  to  give  his  consent 
to  the  application  of  the  system. 

"  Mr.  Magner,  determined  to  have  a  subject,  asked  the  price 
of  the  horse,  which  was  announced  to  be  $500.  'I'll  take  him,' 
said  Mr.  M.,  and  at  once  handed  over  the  amount.  This  move- 
ment on  the  part  of  Mr.  Magner  was  unexpected,  as  most  '  horse- 
men '  who  have  visited  us  generally  preferred  to  '  work  up '  other 
people's  horses,  rather  than  their  own. 

"At  this  stage  of  the  proceedings  the  excitement  was  intense, 
and  many  speculations  were  indulged  in  as  to  who  would  prove 
the  victor,  the  man  or  the  horse.  In  less  than  twentv  minutes 
from  the  time  Mr.  Magner  laid  his  hands  upon  his  subject,  the 
horse  was  as  gentle  as  a  lamb,  and  as  easily  controlled  as  the  most 
reliable  family  horse.  Among  other  efforts  to  prove  that  the  gray 
gelding  was  completely  broken,  Mr.  M.,  without  reins  in  hand, 
mounted  the  wagon,  and,  catching  the  animal  by  the  tail,  drove 
him  around  the  ring  at  a  fearful  pace,  drawing  the  wagon  upon 
the  heels  of  the  horse  in  such  a  way  as  to  strike  them  with  a  force 
that  could  be  heard  at  the  furthest  end  of  the  room." — Cleveland 
Leader. 

"  Yesterday  morning  the  famous  '  Malone  Horse '  was  hitched 
to  an  open  wagon,  with  no  hold-back  straps,  and  driven  up  and 
down  the  street,  at  times  at  a  2  :  40  pace,  and  when  suddenly 
brought  up  with  the  lines,  would  stop  the  whole  weight  of  the 
vehicle  with  his  heels — but  no  kicking  now." — Cleveland  Herald. 

"A  Serious  Accident. 

"  While  Mr.  Magner  was  driving  along  the  street  following 
after  the  Arlington  band  wagon,  people  would  call  out  to  him,  '  I 
say,  mister,  yer  hold-back  straps  are  gone  !  Yer'  11  have  a  runa- 
way if  yer  don't  look  out  ; '  and  while  crossing  the  railroad  track 
on  Ontario  street,  to  avoid  the  jam  of  teams,  etc.,  the  rear  wheels 
of  his  buggy  were  struck  by  a  passing  street  car,  the  axletreo  so 


502 


PEESONAL  EXPERIENCE. 


bent  that  one  of  the  wheels  would  not  revolve,  and  the  driver, 
buggy,  and  all  precipitated  forward  on  the  horse,  which,  three 
days  ago,  one-half  dozen  men  could  not  have  held  under  such  cir- 
cumstances, but  with  no  bad  results  further  than  stated.  The 
hor.se  did  not  seem  alarmed,  and  bravely  stood  while  the  wreck 
was  cleared  away  from  the  track,  without  so  much  as  an  offer  to 
kick,  fully  proving  the  thoroughness  of  Magner's  system. 

"  The  people  that  thronged  the  sti-eet  were  attracted  by  that 
natural  morbidity  of  the  human  mind  which  expects  to  be  gratified 
by  seeing  some  appalling  disaster  ;  but  in  this  case  they  were  most 
grievously  disappointed,  for  instead  of  seeing  the  gray  gelding 
'  mash  things,'  as  was  his  wont,  they  only  saw  a  splendid,  docile 
animal  driven  by  a  gentleman  who  neither  appeared  alarmed,  or 
expectant  of  any  serious  results  from  driving  so  gentle  and  speedy 
a  buggy  horse. 

"  At  the  close  of  the  last  lecture  of  his  course  in  Cleveland,  the 
the  following  resolution  was  moved  by  Hon.  Silas  Merchant 
(President  of  City  Council),  which  was  carried  by  acclamation  of 
the  entire  class,  comprising  07ie  thousand  leading  citizens : — 

"  '  Resolved,  That  we,  as  members  of  Prof.  Magner's  class  in 
this  city,  deem  it  but  a  j  ust  recognition  of  his  skill  and  success  in 
teaching  us  his  system  of  educating  horses,  which  is  above  all 
praise,  hereby  indorse  him  and  his  s^'^stem  to  our  friends  and  the 
public. ' 

Gen.    J.    W.   Fitch,    Kennard 

House. 
R.  P.  Waterbury,  Akron  Stove 

Co. 
Geo.  E.  ArmstronCx,  of  Alcott 

&  Horton,  Wholesale  Dry 

Goods,  149  Water  street. 
Silas  Merchant,  Iron  Founder, 

River  street. 
L.    B.    French,    of   French   & 

Keith,       Wholesale       Dry 

Goods,  Water  street. 
S.  S.  Coe,  Sec.  Cleveland  Ins. 

Co.,  corner  Water  and  Su- 
perior streets. 
W.  P.  Horton,  of  Alcott  and 

Horton,     Wholesale     Dry 

Goods,  Water  street. 
Geo.  H.  Burritt,  Collector  of 

Customs,  Custom  House. 
E.  Thompson,  Wholesale  Grocer, 

Bank  street. 


R. 


W.  D.  Gushing,  Agt.  Erie  R. 

R.,  181  Superior  street. 
Wm.  Edwards,  Wholesale  Gro- 
cer, Water  street. 
Amos     Townsend,     Wholesale 

Grocer,     and     Pres.    City 

Council,  City  Hall. 

Collins,     Prop.     Weddell 

Hou.se. 
Gen.  D.  T.  Casement,  Panes- 

ville. 
Geo.  Westlake,  Oil  Refiner. 
D.  Stone,  Esq.,  Scoville avenue. 
F.  W.  Bell,  Wholesale  Lumber 

Merchant. 
W.    Coe,   Prop.    Cleveland 

Mills,  268  Scoville  avenue. 
P.  Weddell,  Esq.,  Banker, 

Bank  street. 

And  1,000  others." — Cleveland 
Leader. 


C 


H 


m  MICHIGAN.  son 

At  Toledo,  O. 

"  Monday,  the  last  lesson  of  Prof.  Magner  to  his  class  in  Toledo 
was  given.  His  success  here  has  been  unprecedented,  and  his 
teachings  unparalleled  in  their  line.  What  the  members  of  the 
class  have  learned  could  not  be  bought  of  them  for  ten  times  the 
sum  paid  by  them  for  the  instruction.  He  goes  to  Adrian,  Mich., 
from  here  ;  and  we  bespeak  for  him  there  a  hearty  welcome  and 
the  u.sual  success  attending  his  efibrts.  The  Professor  is  a  man  of 
his  word,  professing  no  more  than  he  performs,  and  doing  good 
Avherever  he  goes.  In  his  teachings,  he  not  only  instructs  his 
scholars,  but  benefits  the  horses,  by  introducing  a  more  humane 
and  gentle  course  of  treatment,  and  therefore  merits  the  name  of 
benefactor  to  the  brute  race,  or  a  niche  beside  the  renowned  Bergh. 
We  congratulate  the  Adrianites  on  their  acquisition." — Toledo 
Commercial. 

Buffalo  Class. 

The  Buffalo,  N.  Y.,  class,  comprising  over  500  members, 
passed  the  following  resolution  unanimously  : — 

''Resolved,  That  we  commend  Prof.  Magner  to  our  friends  as 
a  reformer  of  more  than  ordinary  usefulness  ;  that  his  theory  of 
governing  and  educating  horses  is  the  most  practical,  humane, 
and  valuable  we  have  ever  witnessed  ;  that  it  can  be  learned  and 
practiced  by  any  one  of  ordinary  intelligence  ;  and  that  we  desire 
to  be  represented  through  the  following  wellTknown  prominent 
citizens,  who  can  be  referred  to  :  Geo.  W.  Tiftt,  Esq.,  Judge  Mas- 
ton,  Mayor  Dickey,  C,  J.  Hamlin,  Esq.,  F.  W.  Tracy,  Esq.,  Rich- 
ard Bullymore,  Esq.,  C.  L.  Whiting,  Esq." 

"  As  a  practitioner  and  teacher  of  the  art  of  taming  horses,  Mr. 
Magner  is  without  a  rival.  No  one  can  understand  the  seemingly 
magical  power  which  this  man  seems  to  possess  over  the  horse 
kino'dom,  until  he  witnesses  one  of  his  exhibitions.  While  in 
Toledo,  he  had  in  his  classes  many  of  our  best  citizens,  and  all 
not  only  feel  fully  satisfied,  but  indorse  him,  as  will  be  seen,  in 
the  strongest  manner. 

"Happening  into  the  tent  one  day,  we  saw  the  Professor 
training  a  noble,  but  desperately  stubborn  horse,  owned  by  Mr. 
R.  Mott.  After  operating  with  the  animal  but  a  brief  time,  his 
very  nature  seemed  changed,  and  on  being  driven  by  his  master, 
he  was  kind  and  obedient  as  the  best  of  horses. 

"  The  readers  of  the  Blade  can  rely  upon  the  fact  that  the 
Professor  is  an  upright,  honorable  gentleman,  possessing  all  the 
wonderful  skill  he  claims." — Toledo  Blade.    ■ 


504 


PERSONAL  expeeie:nce. 


Adrian  (Mich.)  Class. 

"  During  the  present  week,  Prof.  Magner,  the  celebrated 
horse-tamer  and  educator,  has  conducted  his  classes  in  this  city. 
He  has  created  a  genuine  furore  among  all  interested  in  horses 
in  this  city  ;  and  his  reputation  has  extended  to  a  large  circuit  of 
country,  and  persons  have  attended  his  classes  from  over  twenty 
miles  distant.  He  has  succeeded  in  subduing  and  rendering  per- 
fectly tractable  some  horses  which  have  resisted  all  previous  efforts 
of  horse-breakers  and  others  to  reduce  them  to  submission ;  and 
his  wonderful  power  over  horses  excites  the  most  astonishment 
from  those  the  best  posted  in  equine  care  and  treatment,  and  the 
exhibitions  of  the  trained  stud  of  horses,  which  he  owns  and 
carries  with  him,  are  superior  in  interest  to  the  choicest  feature  of 
the  best  circus  traveling.  In  every  place  he  has  jDeen,  Mr.  Magner 
has  received  the  most  emphatic  and  coixlial  indorsements. 

"  The  following  well-known  citizens  desire  to  state  to  their 
friends  that  they  have  attended  several  of  Mr.  Magner's  lectures, 
and  would  say  without  fear  of  contradiction,  that  he  is  the  Boss 
Horse-tamer  of  the  world,  and  that  he  can  do  more  than  he 
advertises : — 


Wm.  Snyder,  V.  S. 

Howard  Sickles,  Livery   and 

Horse  Dealer. 
A.  H.  Russell,  Horse  Dealer. 
Col.  Wood,  Owner  of  Wood's 

Museum,  Chicago. 
Clement  E.  Weaver,  Esq. 
Chas.  Redfield,  U.  S.  P.  O. 

Inspector. 
Benj.  Turner,  Livery  Keeper. 
Edwin  P.  Swords. 
John  Price,  Horse-trainer. 
H.  Knowles. 

G.  LiVESAY. 

J.  K.  Johnson. 
A.  Maxwell. 
George  McNeil. 

— Adrian  Weekly  Times. 


M.  E.  Abbott. 

J.   TORNEY. 

N.  S.  Wheeler. 
J.  S.  McNair. 
A.  H.  Bassett. 

M.  J.  HOAG. 

A.  R.  Baker. 

M.  Brazee. 

Ralph  Abbott. 

Dr.  Roberts. 

F.  Meddick. 

H.  Daxtill,  Livery. 

J.  H.  Emery. 

J.  S.  Smalley. 

W.  R.  Tayer,  Sheriff. 

John  Webster,  Sec.  Gas  Co. 

And  400  others." 


Jackson  (Mich.)  Class. 

"  Prof.  Magner  gave  his  last  exhibition  and  lecture  in  this  city 
on  Saturday  afternoon  last,  and,  as  usual,  a  large  number  were  in 
attendance.     There  were  at  least  two  hundred  members  of  his 


NOTICES  OP  THE  PEESS.  505 

class  present  to  listen  to  the  closing  lecture,  and  witness  some  of 
his  wonderful  feats  of  subduinof  and  manaofincr  horses.  At  the 
close  of  the  lecture,  one  of  the  members  of  the  class  offered  the 
following  resolution,  which  was  received  with  applause,  and 
adopted  without  a  dissenting  voice  : — 

" '  Resolved,  That  we,  the  members  of  Mr.  Magner's  class, 
hereby  express  to  him  our  high  appreciation  of  his  instructions  in 
his  system  for  the  reform  and  elevation  of  horses,  which,  in  our 
estimation,  is  incomparably  superior  to  any  system  ever  brought 
before  the  public.  By  this  system,  the  management  of  the  horse 
is  reduced  to  a  definite  and  exact  science,  and  we  desire  most 
heartily  to  commend  Mr.  Magner  to  the  confidence  of  the  public, 
to  express  to  him  personally  our  thanks  for  his  patience,  his  thor- 
oughness, and  his  gentlemanly  bearing,  while  engaged  in  his  pro- 
fession in  this  city.' 


J.  H.  NoYES,  Mayor. 
W.   L.   Seaton,  Postmaster  and 
Member  of  the  City  Council. 
D.  B.  HiBBARD. 

S.  S.  Vaughn,  President  Horse 
Breeders'  Association. 

D.  J.  Robinson  &  A.  V.  Pant- 
LIND,  Props.  Hibbard  House. 

Dr.  G.  Chittock. 

M.  Knapp,  Livery  Keeper. 

J.  A.  HiGGiNS,  City  Express. 

B.  G.  Johnson,  Member  City 
Council. 


J.  Brown,  Member  City  Council. 

RoBT.  Knowles,  County  Clerk. 

A.  Vandercook,  Member  Coun- 
cil. 

Chas.  Meseroll,  City  Marshal. 

Jesse  Hurd,  Owner  of  Track. 

John  Goodyear,  Livery  and 
Sale  Stable. 

C.  C.  Pond,  Broker  and  Stock 
Dealer. 

And  300  oi\ieY^." —Jackson  Pat- 
riot. 


When  the  panic  of  '73  set  in,  I  found  it  impossible  to 
do  business  in  large  centers,  and  I  was  compelled  to  make 
a  complete  change  by  traveling  in  the  country  and  remain- 
ing but  one  day  in  a  place.  As  a  feature  of  interest  at  this 
time,  I  advertised  driving  into  town,  the  day  before  my 
lecture,  a  stallion  without  reins,  followed  by  another 
(Blind  Billy)  loose  in  the  street;  and  the  next  morning, 
before  forming  a  class,  I  gave  a  regular  exhibition  with  the 
ponies.  It  was  frequently  surprising  to  note  the  interest 
these  performances  excited.  The  country  people  came  in 
crowds. 

After  traveling  over  the  Eastern  States  before  referred 


506  PEESONAL  EXPERIENCE. 

to,  I  went  to  Ohio,  where  I  became  acquainted  with  H.  P. 
Hamilton,  a  very  unique  character,  who  was  engaged  in  the 
horse-taming  business.  He  was  a  natural  showman,  and 
combined  with  his  performances,  tricks  of  legerdemain. 
Though  very  successful  at  the  time,  his  modes  of  treatment 
were  extremely  limited. 

Yet  to  this  man  belongs  the  undoubted  honor  of 
originating  the  idea  of  throwing,  on  the  principle  of  the 
First  Method.  But  his  way  of  doinjx  it  was  so  crude  and 
imperfect  that  there  was  almost  constant  danger  of  seriously 
injuring  or  killing  the  horse.  The  leg  was  tied  up  as  done 
by  Rarey,  and  a  surcingle  put  on  in  the  same  manner,  with 
the  addition  of  back  band  and  crupper  attached.  The  end 
of  the  cord  was  tied  around  the  neck,  as  for  first  form  of 
War  Bridle,  thence  through  the  mouth,  and  back  through 
the  ring  on  the  surcingle. 

"When  the  cord  was  pulled  upon,  it  would  necessarily 
rake  so  severely  across  the  mouth  that,  if  it  was  at  all 
sensitive,  the  horse  was  liable  to  rear  up  and  throw  himself 
over  backward ;  while  if  stiff-necked  and  dull-mouthed, 
there  would  not  be  sufficient  power  to  pull  the  head  to  one 
side.  If  pulled  upon  straight  back,  on  a  line  ,with  the 
body,  as  he  was  in  the  habit  of  doing,  the  difficulty  and 
danger  would  be  still  greater. 

These  objections  I  overcome  by  putting  on  a  halter 
with  the  strap  back  of  the  jaw,  drawn  rather  tight,  over 
which  I  pass  a  cord,  and  to  increase  the  purchase,  tie  the 
end  around  the  surcingle  above  the  ring.  This  improve- 
ment not  only  more  than  doubles  the  purchase  power  upon 
the  head,  but  entirely  overcomes  the  objection  of  hurting 
the  mouth.  In  this  way  the  horse  w'as  brought  off  his  feet 
and  upon  his  side  as  desired,  thereby  proving  it  to  be  not 
only  a  simple  and  safe  but  very  powerful  means  of  subjec- 
tion.    See  illustrations  on  pages  371-37G. 


PUBLICATIONS  EEVISEJD.  507 

Very  soon  after  publishing  the  first  edition  of  my  little 
book  for  my  classes,  I  found  it  not  only  too  small,  but  im- 
perfect; so  in  1865  I  made  a  revision  of  it,  greatly  improv- 
ing and  enlarging  it.  But  with  a  constantly  increasing 
experience  and  success,  I  very  soon  felt  the  necessity  for 
still  another  revision,  which  I  made  in  1867.  Revisions 
were  again  made  in  1869,  '71,  and  '75 ;  thus  enlarging  the 
book  for  my  classes  from  a  small  pamphlet  of  64  pages,  as 
first  published,  to  a  work  of  276  pages,  quite  largely  illus- 
trated, as  it  now  stands.  There  have  been  fully  100,000 
copies  of  these  various  editions  issued,  and  given  to  my 
classes. 

During  my  early  experience,  my  advice  was  asked 
almost  daily  in  regard  to  the  cure  of  some  form  of  disease 
of  horses.  Though  continually  admitting  that  I  knew 
nothing  about  the  diseases  of  horses,  I  wt)uld  be  pressed 
to  give  such  advice  as  I  could.  Consequently  I  read  such 
books  on  the  subject  as  were  available,  but  practically 
could  make  but  little  or  nothing  out  of  them,  as  the  treat- 
ment would  be  either  contradictory  or  too  indefinite  for 
reliability.  What  would  perhaps  be  highly  recommended 
by  one  authority,  would  not  infrequently  be  condemned 
by  another. 

I  came  in  contact  with  a  great  many  horse-doctors 
who  claimed  to  have  ^^emedies  of  great  value  for  the  cure 
of  spavins,  ring-bone,  etc.,  and  at  various  times  I  was 
induced  to  pay  considerable  money  for  recipes,  etc.,  that 
proved  not  only  worthless,  but  really  dangerous.  There 
are  doubtless  many  who,  though  not  regular  practitioners, 
are  geniuses  in  their  way,  and  worthy  of  entire  confidence ; 
but  my  experience  has  been  that  men  who  claim  to  have 
wonderful  secret  cures,  and  who  aim  to  sell  a  little 
medicine  for  a  large  price,  are  unreliable,  and  should  be 
avoided. 


508  PERSONAL  EXPERIENCE. 

These  circumstances  led  me  to  employ  one  of  the  best 
veterinary  surgeons  I  could  find  to  give  me  a  private  course 
of  lectures,  which  was  to  embody  his  best  treatment  for 
the  most  common  forms  of  disease.  The  best  remedies 
used  in  this  gentleman's  practice,  as  well  as  those 
obtained  from'  many  other  sources,  I  afterward  published 
in  the  Medical  Department  of  the  "  New  System,"  and 
they  will  also  be  found  embodied  in  the  same  department 
of  this  work. 

My  health  finally  becoming  seriously  impaired,  I  was 
compelled  to  stop  business  for  a  while,  or  so  arrange  as  to 
lessen  the  strain  to  which  I  had  been  so  long  subjected. 
Having  too  many  trained  horses,  I  sold  six  stallions,  com- 
prising four  horses  and  two  trick  ponies,  all  trained  to 
drive  without  reins.  Three  of  these  (one  being  the  "  Fred 
Arnd  Horse,"*  referred  to  in  the  chapter  on  Stallions)  were 
sold  in  Bath,  N.  Y.,  and  vicinity.  One  of  the  matched 
pair  and  a  pony  were  sold  to  0.  S.  Pratt,  of  Batavia,  N.  Y., 
and  the  other  to  a  man  named  Graves,  of  Lockport,  N.  Y. 
This  last  pony  was  a  superior  performer,  and  I  sold  him 
with  the  special  stipulation  that  when  he  desired  to  part 
with  him,  I  should  have  the  first  chance  to  buy ;  yet  not- 
withstanding this  stipulation,  he  sold  the  pony  to  Pratt.  I 
still  had  two  of  my  best  horses;  and,  having  made 
arran2;ements  with  a  man  who  had  traveled  in  the  South, 
to  assist  me  there,  I  shipped  directly  to  Memphis,  Tenn., 
and  traveled  in  the  South  nearly  two  seasons. 

I  have  at  various  times  been  greatly  annoyed,  and  my 
business  much  injured,  by  parties  engaging  in  the  business 
and  copying  my  bills,  claiming  to  be  authors  of  a  New 
System,  etc.  One  of  tlie  boldest  of  these,  and  the  only 
one  I  will  refer  to,  was  the  man  Pratt,  who  is  now  deceased. 
The  sale  of  the  horses  to  him  was  made  on  the  condition 
that  I  should  teach  him  how  to  manage  them,  and  also  in- 


IN  NEW  YORK.  509 

struct  him  in  the  business  sufficiently  to  enable  him  to 
travel,  to  which  I  devoted  about  a  week's  time.  He- 
turning  North  with  improved  health,  I  reorganized  my 
business  so  as  to  strike  only  large  centers,  and  was  so 
engaged  in  Michigan  in  the  winter  of  '72,  when  business 
requirements  demanded  my  going  to  New  York.  Some- 
what to  my  surprise,  I  found  Mr.  Pratt  located  in  the  city, 
advertising  himself  as  the  "  Great  Horse-tamer  of  the 
World,  the  Author  of  a  New  System,"  etc.,  and  resorting 
to  the  boldest  methods  of  charlatanism,  such  as  buying  ar- 
ticles and  arranging  to  have  them  presented  to  him  as  if 
voluntary  gifts  from  his  classes,  etc.  This  role  he  played 
quite  successfully  in  Philadelphia  and  other  cities. 

Calling  upon  him  at  a  time  when  there  were  a  number 
of  other  gentlemen  present,  he  addressed  me  as  though  I 
were  but  a  casual  acquaintance,  saying,  "  Magner,  I  have 
the  best  trained  horses  in  the  world,  and  the  best  system 
in  the  world."  Such  presumption  on  his  part  aroused  my 
indignation,  and  I  determined  to  show  him  up. 

Before  I  started  him  in  the  business,  he  did  not  pretend 
to  know  anything  more  about  horses  than  he  was  able  to 
learn  from  ordinary  observation,  and  experience  of  driving 
one  to  a  grocery  wagon.  I  simply  said  to  him,  "  I  think 
you  have  carried  this  matter  too  far,  and  now  I  shall  make 
it  my  business  to  show  what  you  can  do." 

Being  entirely  unknown  there,  I  found  myself  con- 
fronted with  great  difficulties.  In  the  first  place.  New 
York  is  the  great  metropolis  of  the  country,  and  its  horse- 
men undoubtedly  are  the  most  skillful  and  critical  in  the 
world,  well  read,  extremely  practical,  with  the  broadest 
and  most  A^aried  experience.  In  horse-taming,  they  had 
seen  Rarey,  Fancher,  and  Hamilton.  They  had  now  had  in 
the  city,  for  over  three  months,  Pratt  in  one  part  and  Mr. 
Rockwell  in  another,  both  making  the  most  extraAagant 


510  PEESONAL  EXPEDIENCE. 

pretensions.  Hamilton  won  very  general  attention,  but 
his  success  was  destroyed  by  killing  two  valuable  horses, 
and  seriously  injuring  others.  Pratt's  extravagant  preten- 
sions attracted  some  notice,  but  upon  trial  he  revealed  him- 
self to  be  an  ignorant  pretender,  to  whose  management 
they  soon  learned  not  to  trust  a  good  horse.  Rockwell 
was  a  man  of  much  experience,  a  good  horseman,  and  was 
well  calculated  to  make  friends  and  win  success ;  but  his 
instructions  did  not  add  much  to  their  knowledge.  The 
result  was,  the  people  felt  they  had  nothing  more  to  learn 
from  professed  horse-tamers,  and  had  so  far  lost  confidence 
in  them  that  they  would  not  trust  a  good  horse  to  them  for 
treatment. 

Under  such  circumstances,  it  could  not  be  expected  that 
a  new  applicant  for  favor  would  receive  much  attention ; 
but  I  was  bound  to  make  the  effort  at  all  hazards.  After 
careful  deliberation  I  determined  to  enlist  the  attention  of 
some  leading  horseman,  whose  standing  for  skill  and  verac- 
ity would  be  above  question.  Mr.  Robert  Bonner  was  the 
gentleman.  With  considerable  difficulty,  and  without  an- 
nouncing my  name,  I  was  finally  able  to  obtain  admission 
to  his  presence,  when,  without  any  preliminaries,  I  said  to 
him,  "  Sir,  I  will  forfeit  $1000  (which  amount  I  held  in  my 
hand),  which  you  can  retain,  or  devote  to  any  benevolent 
purpose  you  please,  if  I  cannot  take  any  horse  that  any 
horseman  or  horse-tamer  in  the  city  or  outside  of  it,  living  or 
dead,  has  failed  upon,  and  make  him  perfectly  gentle  in  forty 
minutes,  without  throwing  or  whipping,  and  within  the 
limits  of  even  a  box  stall."  Looking  at  me  in  surprise,  he 
asked,  "How  can  you  do  it?"  I  replied,  "It  will  take 
about  four  minutes  to  explain."  He  said,  "  I  will  give  you 
five."  But  becoming  interested,  the  interview  was  contin- 
ued nearly  an  hour,  when  he  expressed  himself  as  very  de- 
sirous of  seeing  me  make  the  experiment. 


IN  NEW  YOEK.  511 

Upon  inquiry,  I  learned  of  a  horse  that  was  brought  to 
Pratt  with  orders  to  break  or  kill  him,  as  he  was  good  for 
nothing  unless  he  could  be  broken.     The  horse  resisted, 
and  not  wishing  to  acknowledge  his  defeat  he  resorted  to 
the  most  j^ersistent  as  well  as  severe  treatment  in  order  to 
exhaust  and  break  him  down.     But  after  a    week's  effort 
he  utterly  failed,  and  the  owner  was  told  that  the  horse 
had  no  brains,  and  coufd  not  be  broken.     I  could  obtain 
no  particulars  in  relation  to  the  appearance  or  disposition 
of  the  horse ;  but  knowing  what  Pratt  would  do,  and  the 
kind  of  horse  he  would  be  likely  to  fail  upon,  I  was  confi- 
dent, if  able  to  obtain  the  horse,  of  experiencing  no  diffi- 
culty in  his  subjection.     I  accordingly  found  the  owner, 
Mr.  Wilkins,  a  well-known  dealer  in  fine  horses.     Upon 
introducing  myself  and  stating  my  business,  the  gentleman 
became  greatly  excited,  and  said  he  didn't  want  anything 
more  to   do  with  horse-tamers,  etc.     I  simply  asked  him 
how  much  his  horse  was  worth.     His  answer  was,  "  He  is 
not  worth  anything  now."     I  said  to  him,  "  I  want  your 
horse  at  Mr.   Bonner's   stable   to-morrow  morning  nt  10 
o'clock  to  experiment  upon,  on  the  following  .conditions : 
First,  I  will  deposit  flOOO  in  Mr.  Bonner's  hands,  which 
you  are  at  liberty  to  take  if  your  horse  is  injured ;  second, 
I  will  give  you  an  additional  hundred  should  I  fail  to  make 
him  gentle   in  forty  minutes.     Can  I  have  him  on  these 
conditions  ?"     He  answered,  "  Yes  ;  I  will  have  him  there 
on  time."      Upon  trial  the  experiment  proved  a  success,  the 
horse  submitting  in  about  thirty  minutes.     Particulars  of 
this  incident  will  be  found  in  Case  No.  6,  Subjection. 

I  now  felt  certain  of  being  able  to  enhst  the  attention 
'of  the  horsemen  of  the  city,  and  built  a  place  suitable  for 
giving  test  exhibitions,  and  invited  by  card  the  attendance 
of  leading  horsemen.  When  assembled,  I  requested  them 
to  appoint  a  committee  of  such  gentlemen  and  expert  horse- 


512  PERSONAL  EXPERIENCE. 

men,  not  exceeding  ten  in  number,  as  would  be  above 
suspicion  of  not  giving  a  fair  and  impartial  report  on  the 
merits  of  my  claims,  before  whom  I  would  make  such  ex- 
periments as  would  be  necessar}^  to  explain  and  illustrate 
to  them  my  system  of  treatment.  By  invitation,  the  Cooper 
Institute  Farmers'  Club  also  appointed  a  special  committee 
of  three  to  report  to  the  Club  the  result  of  the  experiment. 
The  result  of  the  experiments  will*  be  shown  by  the  sub- 
joined editorials  and  reports  : — 

From  N.  Y.  Sunday  Democrat. 

A  NEW  ERA  IN  THE  EDUCATION  OF  HORSES. 

A    WONDERFUL    EXHIRITION. 

On  Friday  evening  Mr.  D.  Magner  gave  an  exhibition,  to 
which  none  but  invited  guests  were  admitted.  Among  the  horse- 
fanciers  present  were  Robert  Bonner,  Dan  Mace,  Ed.  Wilkins,  J. 
D.  Walton,  George  Lewis,  Jacob  Creveling,  Amos  Little,  Dave 
Bonner,  W.  S.  Ridabock,  R.  J.  Anderson,  Arthur  Gillender,  Wal- 
ter Briggs,  W.  Jackson,  Jo.  Bennet,  N.  H.  Leadbetter,  Jacob 
Baulch,  James  MofFatt,  William  Rutzer,  Dr.  Ogle,  Dr.  Brighton, 
of  Boston,  Dr.  Lee,  Henry  Casey,  J.  C.  Durant,  Isaac  Sonburg, 
Dr.  O'Shea,  Hamilton  Busbey,  William  Watson,  of  Westchester, 
with  his  two  sons,  William  Apgar,  C.  Moran,  jr.,  Dr.  Beadle, 
James  Morris,  E.  H.  Freeman,  and  M.  Bain. 

After  exhibiting  some  extraordinary  tricks  by  his  trained 
horses,  Mr.  Magner  rcc[uested  them  to  choose  from  those  present  a 
committee  to  report  on  his  system.  The  committee  selected  con- 
sisted of  Messrs.  Robert  Bonner,  Ohairman,  Charles  Swift,  jr.. 
Secretary,  Dan  Mace,  Amos  Little,  Arthur  Gillender,  Geo.  Lewis, 
J.  D.  Walton,  James  Moffatt,  W.  W.  Briggs,  N.  H.  Leadbetter, 
and  others. 

The  committee  having  taken  their  seats,  Mr.  Magner,  in  a 
brief  address,  explained  the  main  points  of  his  treatment.  .  .  . 
In  the  course  of  his  remarks  he  very  justly  stated  that  more  men 
than  horses  require  training.  A  notoriously  vicious  horse  was 
then  brought  into  the  ring,  and  in  less  than  thirty  minutes  he  was 
trotting  in  harness  as  gentle  as  though  he  had  always  been  a  fam- 
ily horse,  and  this,  too,  without  throwing  or  harsh  treatment. 
Mr.  Bonner,  turning  to  the  committee,  said,  Rarey  taught  us  our 
ABC,  hut  Magner  teaches  us  hoiu  to  'put  the  letters  together. 
At  the  close  of  the  exhibition  the  following 


IN  NEW  YOEK.  513 

Autograph  Letter  from  Mr.  Bonner 
was  handed  to  a  representative  of  tliis  paper: — 

Office  ok  tuf.  Ledger,  ) 

Nuw  York,  Jan.  25,  1872.  j 

Mr.  D.  Magner: 

Dear  Sir, — From  the  conversations  I  have  had  with  you,  and 
from  the  satisfactory  manner  in  which  you  handled  Mr.  Wilkins' 
horse  to-day  in  my  stable,  I  have  no  hesitation  in  saying  that  I 
consider  you  the  most  scientific  and  successful  educator,  or 
TAMER,  OF  VICIOUS  HORSES  I  HAVE  EVER  MET.  Mr.  Wilkins' horse 
was  a  most  vicious  brute ;  he  would  kick  with  more  spite  and  de- 
termination than  any  horse  I  ever  saw,  and  at  the  same  time  he 
would  strike  with  his  forward  feet;  indeed,  Mr.  Wilkins  himself 
told  me  that  he  was,  to  use  his  exact  expression,  "  the  worst  horse 
in  New  York."  In  less  than  an  hour  you  succeeded  in  handling 
him  as  freely,  and  with  as  much  apparent  safety,  as  you  would 
any  ordinary  family  horse. 

I  have  myself  handled  Princess,  the  famous  old  competitor  of 
Flora  Temple,  on  your  new  system ;  and,  although  she  was  at  one 
time  so  vicious  as  to  be  almost  unmanageable,  my  youngest  boy, 
a  lad  of  fifteen,  has,  during  the  past  week,  been  driving  her  daily 
in  the  Central  Park.  All  things  considered,  your  treatment  is, 
in  my  oj^inion,  entirely  neiu  and  reliable,  as  luell  as  humane 
and  practical.  Yours  truly, 

Robert  Bonner. 

In  a  conversation  subsequent  to  the  exhibition,  Mr.  Bonner 
stated  that  if  he  could  have  made  his  letter  any  stronger,  he  would 
have  done  so. 

COMMITTEE   REPORT. 

April  9,  1872, 

We,  the  committee  appointed  by  the  citizens  and  prominent 
horsemen  of  New  York  to  investigate  and  i-epoit  upon  the  merits 
of  Mr.  Magner 's  system  of  training  and  educating  wild  and  vi- 
cious horses,  respectfully  report  that  we  have  exerted  every  effort 
in  our  power  to  obtain  horses  of  such  a  bad  character  as  would 
test  the  practicability  of  his  treatment,  and  secured  a  thorough- 
bred mare,  owned  by  L.  C.  Popham,  of  No.  945  Broadway.  This 
mare  was  fourteen  years  old,  and  had  resisted  all  efforts  to  con- 
trol her  in  single  harness ;  would  kick  herself  free  from  shafts, 
and  run  away  at  all  hazards.  Also,  a  thorough-bred  gelding,  six- 
teen years  old,  owned  by  H.  L.  Herbert  of  Red  Bank,  N.  J.  He 
would  balk  while  riding,  kicking  and  running  away  while  in 
haraess,  and  was  so  vicious  that  he  could  not  be  driven  or  con- 
trolled in  harness ;   was  purchased  by  Mr.  Herbert  for  $2,500 ; 

33 


514  PEIWONAL    KXPERIENOE. 

proved  so  worthless  that  he  sold  him  for  Si  50,  and  aftei'wards  re- 
purchased him  for  $25.  Also,  a  fine  Star  mare,  owned  l)y  R.  L. 
Pell,  Es({.,  of  Fifth  Avenue  and  Twenty-sixth  street;  would  kick 
herself  free  in  single  harness,  and  would  run  away.  This  mare 
could  not  be  driven  single.  These,  with  others,  were  liandled  in 
our  presence,  including  a  large  number  of  prominent  citizens  and 
members  of  the  press,  all  of  whom  were  invited  to  witness  the  ex- 
periments proposed  to  be  made  before  this  committee. 

In  eighteen  minutes  (without  throwing  or  any  cruelty)  Mr. 
Magner  made  the  Herbert  horse  so  docile  that  he  could  be  driven 
witli  the  greatest  freedom  without  bi^ecching,  demonstrating  the 
most  wonderful  change  in  his  character.  The  owner  publicly 
stated  the  fact  of  his  former  vicious  reputation  and  unmanageable 
habits.  The  Popham  mare  was  driven  with  equal  success  in 
twenty-seven  minutes,  submitting  to  all  kinds  of  handling,  even 
from  strangers.  The  Pell  rnare  was  next  handled,  and  driven 
gently  in  ten  minutes,  and  the  other  horses  with  the  same  marked 
success. 

We  have  carefully  studied  the  merits  of  this  treatment,  and 
have  no  hesitation  in  saying  that  Mr.  Magner  is  the  onost  slcillful 
and  successful  horse  tamer  and  educator  who  has  ever  visited 
this  city.  His  method  of  treatment  reduces  the  subjection  and 
education  of  horses  to  a  definite  and  fixed  science,  and  is  in  prin- 
ciples and  effect  entirely  superior  to  any  other  ever  brought  to 
our  notice,  and  inaugurates  a  new  era  in  the  subjection  of  horses. 
The  great  ease  and  cei-tainty  Avith  which  horses  of  extreme  vi- 
ciousness  can  be  controlled  by  this  treatment  make  the  knowledge 
of  it  indispensable  to  all  interested  in  horses,  particularly  to  farm- 
ers and  those  who  raise  colts.  These  facts  induce  this  committee 
to  recommend  all  who  can  to  attend  Mr.  Magner's  lectures,  and 
obtain  a  copy  of  his  book. 

Geo.  Lewis,  Proprietor  Sale  and  Boarding  Stable,  50th 
street. 

J.  D.  DuNWALTON,  Proprietor  Boarding  and  Sale  Stable,  39th 
street. 

Dan  Mace,  Proprietor  Sale  Stable,  49th  street. 

W.  W.  Briggs,  Pi'oprietor  Tattersall  Stable,  7th  Avenue  and 
42d  street. 

Arthur  (xillendeh. 

N.  H.  Leadbetter,  Proprietoi-  Livery  and  Sale  Stables,  7th 
Avenue  and  45th  street. 

James  Moffatt. 

Robert  Bonner,  Chairman. 
Charles  Swift,  Jun.,  Secretary. 


m  NEW  YOEE..  515 

The  following  well-known  gentlemen,  with  one  hundied 
others,  fully  indorse  Mr.  Magner's  system  as  the  best  and  most 
humane  they  have  ever  witnessed: — 

Frank  D.  Curtis,  Esq.,  Vice-President  State  Agi\  Society, 
Charlton,  Saratoga  Co.,  N.  Y. 

David  Bonner,  Esq.,  Brother  of  Robert  Bonner. 

G.  Chapman,  Esq.,  Inventor  of  Chapman's  Patent  Safety 
Reins. 

E.  H.  Hathorn,  Proprietor  Boarding  and  Sale  Stable,  38th 
street,  N.  Y. 

Ralph  Ogle,  V.  S.,  830  W.  25th  street,  N.  Y. 

L.  H.  Braily,  V,  S.,  Chief  Veterinary  Surgeon,  U.  S.  Cav- 
alry. 

D.  Costello,  Esq.,  Great  Circus  Proprietor,  with  P.  T.  Bar- 
num's  Show. 

J.  E.  Wilkins,  owner  of  vicious  horse  mentioned  in  Mr.  Bon- 
ner's letter. 

BuDD  Doble,  Driver  of  Goldsmith  Maid,  South  Penna. 
Square,  Philadelphia,  Pcnn. 

O.  H.  HiCKOK,  Driver  of  Lucy,  St.  Elmo,  and  Western  Girl, 
Coleman  House,  N.  Y. 

Frank  Leslie,  Esq.,  Publisher  of  Frank  Leslie's  Weeklies, 
etc. 

James  Harper,  Esq.,  of  Harper  &  Bros.,  Publisheis. 

Rev.  Dr.  Field,  Editor  N.  Y.  Evangelist. 

Sidney  E.  Morse,  Esq.,  Publisher  N.  Y.  Observer. 

Rev.  E.  p.  Roe,  Chaplain  in  Harris's  Light  Cavalry,  now  of 
Highland  Falls,  New  York. 

Report  of  Committee  appointed  by  the  New- York 
Cooper's  Institute  Farmers'  Club. 

As  requested,  we  attended  Prof.  Magner's  exhibition  on  Tues- 
day, April  9,  in  connection  with  a  large  number  of  gentlemen,  in- 
cluding a  committee  appointed  by  the  horsemen  of  this  city.  Sev- 
eral horses  of  the  most  vicious  character  were  subjected  to  treat- 
ment m  our  presence  with  most  remarkably  successful  results. 
Mr.  Magner's  system  is  in  principle  entirely  different  from  that  of 
Rarey,  or  any  other  principle  of  taming  horses  we  have  ever  wit- 
nessed. It  is  remarkably  simple.  A  noticeable  feature  was,  that 
none  of  the  horses  experimented  upon  were  in  the  least  excited  or 
heated. 

While  this  treatment  reduces  to  the  lowest  degree  cruelty  and 
abuse,  it  secures  the  most  positive  docility  of  even  the  most  vicious 
horse  in  a  remarkably  short  time;  the  most  vicious  horse  sub- 


5ir>  PERSONAL  EXPEmENCE. 

jected  to  treatment  before  us  not  recjuiring  more  than  fifteen  min- 
utes' time  to  make  entirely  gentle. 

We  have  no  hesitation  in  saying  that  Prof.  Magner  has  even 
more  than  sustained  the  high  position  he  has  assumed  before  this 
Club,  and  that  he  is  a  reformer  of  great  merit,  deserving  of  the  en- 
couragement and  assistance  of  all  who  desire  the  interests  of  so- 
ciety in  the  humane  and  skillful  treatment  of  horses. 

Sereno  Edwards  Todd,  Chairman. 

John  W.  Chambers,  )  ^ 

D.  S.  MouLTON,  f  Comm^^^66. 

When  the  committee  made  the  above  report  to  the  Club, 
which  as  first  made  incorporated  the  details  given  by  the 
other  committee,  they  were  laughed  at,  it  being  almost 
unanimously  believed  that  it  was  impossible  for  me  to  con- 
trol horses  as  claimed.  In  fact,  it  was  supposed  that  the 
committee  were  badly  imposed  upon  and  fooled.  To  vin- 
dicate themselves,  the  chairman,  Mr.  Todd,  called  on  me 
early  the  following  week,  and  made  a  very  urgent  request 
that  I  would  go  before  the  Club  at  its  next  meeting  and 
sustain  them.  I  did  so,  and  gave  such  proof  as  convinced 
all  of  the  correctness  of  the  report.  In  introducing  me  to 
the  Club,  Mr.  Todd  made  the  following  very  comj^liment- 
ary  remarks  : — 

i  "  We  are  living  in  an  age  when  there  is  a  moral  sublimity  in 
our  existence.  Illustrious  kings  and  sages,  who  have  slept  with 
their  fathers  for  centuries  past,  looked  down  the  long  vista  of  time 
to  this  auspicious  day  with  longing  desires  to  witness  what  our 
eyes  behold  with  delight;  but  they  died  without  the  joyful  sight. 
We  are  living  in  the  twilight  of  millennial  glory.  The  triumphs 
of  mind  over  material  things  have  never  before  been  so  magnifi- 
cent and  so  glorious  as  during  the  latter  part  of  the  nineteenth 
century.  The  galling  yoke  of  tyranny  and  oppression,  which  has 
rested  with  crushing  weight  on  the  unfortunate  sons  of  Ham  for 
ages,  has  been  broken  off,  and  they  are  now  being  elevated  to  the 
realm  of  a  higher  life.  The  cruel  club  law,  which  has  maintained 
a  reign  of  terror  throughout  the  peaceful  domain  of  our  dumb  an- 
imals, has  been  doomed  to  the  charnel-house  by  the  philanthropic 
efforts  of  President  Henry  Bergh  [enthusiastic  cheers],  whose  il- 
lustrious name  will  descend  to  prosterity  with  other  worthies, 


IN  NEW  YOKK.  517 

crowned  with  diadems  of  terrestrial  glory.  Over  and  above  all 
these,  our  session  is  honored  with  the  presence  of  Professor  D. 
Magner,  a  most  efficient  promulgator  of  the  gospel  of  peace  among 
our  dumb  animals.  [Renewed  cheers.]  He  has  come  freighted  with 
messages  of  mercy  and  affection  to  the  whole  equine  race— the 
noble  horse — one  of  tho  noblest  servants  of  the  human  family, 
whose  sagacity  and  intelligence  entitle  this  species  of  animals  to 
be  designated  as  the  connecting  link  between  human  intelligence 
and  the  brute  creation.  He  is  a  worthy  missionary,  proclaiming 
the  glorious  reign  of  peace  to  the  long-abused  horses  of  our  land. 
He  proposes  to  educate  these  faithful  servants  of  mankind.  The 
magnificent  exhibitions  of  his  competency  to  teach  our  dumb  ani- 
mals to  render  cheerful  service  furnish  the  most  satisfactory  evi- 
dence that  his  credentials  are  almost  supernal.  [Cheers.]  Good  old 
Paul  once  came  with  messages  of  love  to  the  ancient  Jews,  who 
disdained  his  high  commission.  Hei-e  comes  a  modern  Paul  to  in- 
augurate a  work  which  must  be  accomplished  before  the  auspi- 
cious day  of  millennial  glory  can  be  ushered  in, — our  excellent 
secretary,  who  has  seen  and  heard  and  believed  in  the  joyful  news 
to  the  horses  of  our  country,  and 

I  go  with  Paul,  as  every  one  supposes; 

As  for  the  Jews,  why  tliey  may  cleave  to  Moses." 


[Prolonged  cheers.] 


Tamino  Horses. 


At  least  we  have  one  man  who  professes  horse- taming,  and 
who  at  the  same  time  rises  above  the  vulgai"  tricks  of  the  char- 
latan. His  name  is  Magner,  and  at  the  present  writing  his  tent 
is  pitched  in  this  metropolitan  city.  He  seems  to  have  given 
honest  study  to  his  art,  and  to  have  brought  a  high  degree  of  in- 
telligence to  the  study.  He  regards  the  horse  not  as  a  dull,  stupid 
piece  of  clay,  but  as  an  animal  able  to  draw  deductions,  and  to  be 
molded  by  firmness  and  kindness.  He  appeals  to  the  under- 
standing, endeavors  to  make  an  impression  on  the  brain,  and  to 
show  cause  for  every  effect.  His  system  is  his  secret,  so  we  can- 
not go  into  an  elaborate  explanation.  We  have  seen  him  operate, 
and  we  confess  that  we  admire  his  skill.  His  best  subjects  are 
those  which  the  charlatans  pronounce  the  worst.  ^  His  system  is 
based  upon  logic,  such  a  system  as  is  worthy  of  a  controlling 
power.  Mr.  Magner  can  cure  the  very  worst  cases.  We  honestly 
believe  that  there  is  not  a  horse  in  the  world  which  he  cannot 
make  gentle  and  obedient.  He  boldly  challenges  any  one  to  pro- 
duce a  horse  that  he  cannot  handle. — Turf,  Field,  and  Farm. 


518  PERSONAL  EXPEKIENCE. 

A  notoriously  vicious  horse  was  brought  into  the  ring,  and 
in  less  than  thirty  minutes  was  trotting  in  harness,  as  gentle  as 
though  he  had  always  been  a  family  horse,  and  this,  too,  without 
throwing  or  harsh  treatment.  Mr.  Magner,  standing  on  the  axle 
of  a  pair  of  wheels,  drove  the  horse  about  the  ring  by  the  tail,  no 
sign  of  ill-temper  being  manifested. — Frank  Leslies  Weekly. 

The  panic  of  '73  compelled  me  to  again  change  my 
method  of  doing  business  ;  and  now  commenced  one  of  the 
most  laborious  periods  of  my  life.  The  people  of  large 
centers  becoming  pecuniarily  embarrassed,  I  was  compelled 
to  avoid  such  towns,  and  confine  my  efforts  almost  wholly 
to  the  smaller  country  towns,  where  I  could  reach  the 
farmers  more  easily. 

The  belief  was  general  among  the  people,  that,  back  of 
my  open  efforts,  there  was  a  considerable  degree  of  hum- 
bug, which,  if  they  joined  my  class,  they  felt  bound,  if 
possible,  to  find  out  and  expose.  No  matter  how  thorough 
the  instructions,  the  measure  of  their  satisfaction  would  be 
determined  only  in  the  subjection  and  driving  before  them 
of  the  most  vicious  and  dangerous  horses  that  could  be 
found.  These  difficulties  can  be  better  understood  when  it 
is  stated  that  the  time  for  instruction  was  necessarily 
limited  to  from  two  to  three  hours ;  and  that  I  was 
frequently  compelled  to  teach  classes  in  unsuitably  small, 
inconvenient  places. 

This  made  it  not  only  extremely  difficult,  but  dangerous, 
to  make  the  necessary  experiments  even  upon  ordinary 
cases ;  and  when  compelled  to  take  in  hand  a  horse  of  an 
exceptionally  vicious  or  dangerous  character,  while  sur- 
rounded by  a  crowd  of  men  in  such  a  small  place,  the 
greatest  care  .was  needed  to  guard  against  accident;  for 
should  a  horse  resist  or  break  away,  there  was  liability  of 
its  resulting  in  serious  harm.  This  was  most  to  be 
apprehended  in  handling  wild,  kicking  colts  and  horses. 
Though  I  never  had  any  serious  accident  from  such  causes, 


A  TKST   TTSUALT^Y  CilVRN. 


519 


Fig.  319. — A  test  usually  given  before  the  class. 


520  PEBSONAL  EXPEIUF.NCE. 

the  anxiety  lo  which  I  was  frequently  subjected  in  conse- 
quence was  very  great.  I  will  give  the  particulars  of  one 
case  : — 

At  North  Pownal,  Vt.,  a  strong,  large-boned,  compact, 
gray  horse  was  brought  in  for  treatment.  His  only  bad 
habit  Avas  kickhig  when  the  harness  was  put  on.  When 
shown  a  harness,  he  would  kick  and  jump  in  the  most 
furious  manner,  and  continue  to  do  so  regardless  of  all 
restraint.  He  was  one  of  the  most  desperate  horses  of  this 
character  I  ever  saw.  I  had  a  class  of  about  one  hundred 
persons  crowded  in  a  large  carriage  house,  with  no  oppor- 
tunity of  getting  out  of  the  way.  The  doors  were  closed 
on  the  outside,  and  guarded  by  a  watchman  who  kept  the 
crowd  away. 

At  the  time,  i  was  greatly  prostrated,  and  compelled 
to  depend  upon  an  assistant  to  make  the  experiments. 
This  man  some  time  before  had  one  of  his  arms  seriously 
injured,  from  the  effects  of  which  he  had  not  yet  recovered. 
There  would  have  been  but  little  difficulty  in  subduing  the 
horse  by  the  regular  treatment ;  but  as  it  was  necessary 
to  illustrate  the  First  Method  of  Subjection  (throwing),  and 
as  w^e  had  no  other  subject  before  us,  we  were  compelled 
to  illustrate  it  upon  him. 

I  told  my  assistant  that  this  was  an  extremely  danger- 
ous case,  and  in  his  present  condition  I  was  afraid  to  trust 
the  case  to  him.  He  insisted,  however,  upon  making  the 
experiment,  saying,  ''  I  can  manage  him."  Yielding  at 
last,  I  repeated  the  caution  that  he  must  take  no  chances. 
I  saw  that  the  horse  was  held  firmly  until  the  rig  was 
securely  on  and  all  Avas  ready,  when,  before  he  could 
resist,  lie  was  thrown  easily  and  squarely  upon  his  side. 
But  the  strength  and  vigor  of  the  animal  was  so  great  that 
he  had  scarcely  struck  the  ground  before  he  made  a  spring 
that  brought  him  Mrly  upon  his  feet.     He  instantly  leaped 


DIFFICULTIES.  521 

into  the  air,  kicked  and  pulled  away,  rushing  around  the 
enclosure,  jumping  and  kicking  with  all  the  fury  of  a.  mad 
horse.  He  jumped  at  least  eight  or  ten  feet  at  a  bound, 
and  instantly  he  was  nearly  twenty  feet  away,  having 
kicked  four  or  five  times,  and  Avas  right  upon  the  crowd. 

The  people,  screaming  and  tumbling  over  one  another, 
strove  to  get  away,  but  they  were  cornered,  for  the  next 
bound  of  the  horse  was  sure  to  bring  him  upon  them.  The 
instant  he  passed  me,  I  jumped  for  him,  and,  fortunately, 
was  able  to  grasp  him  by  the  head ;  being  on  the  inside, 
as  it  were,  of  the  circle,  the  momentum  of  the  jerk  upon 
the  head  sideways  stopped  him  so  quickly  as  to  throw  him 
squarely  upon  his  side. 

Had  I  failed  to  catch  and  control  him,  he  would 
undoubtedly  haA^e  injured  or  killed  a  number  of  persons. 
I  now  took  him  in  hand,  and,  with  the  aid  of  my  assistant, 
soon  made  him  stand  quietly  to  have  the  harness  put  upon 
him,  though  he  resisted  the  utmost  of  extreme  treatment 
before  submitting. 

Another  great  and  frequent  cause  of  embarrassment  to 
me  was,  after  subjecting  a  horse  to  treatment  before  a 
class,  it  was  supposed  that  if  the  system  was  good  for 
anything,  he  must  perform  equally  well  out  of  doors.  As 
frequently  explained,  a  horse  must  be  subjected  to  treat- 
ment out  of  doors  in  order  to  insure  his  working  there.  If 
subjected  to  treatment  in  a  building  only,  when  taken  into 
the  streets  where  he  has  been  in  the  habit  of  resisting',  he 
would  be  liable  to  show  as  much  fear  and  resistance  as 
though  not  subjected  to  treatment  at  all.  To  let  the  horse 
resist  under  such  circumstances  would  be  fatal  to  my 
success.  Still  this  proof  was  in  most  cases  demanded,  and 
had  to  be  given. 

I  have  frequently  referred  to  this  difiiculty  in  different 
parts  of  the  work,  particularly  in  the  last  chapter — Familiar 


522 


PERSONAL  EXPERIENCE. 


Fig.  299. — As  some  vicious  horses  were  frequently  led  in  to  be  experimented 

upon  before  the  class. 


TEST  EXPEEIMENTS. 


628 


Talk ;  but  I  will  al&o  refer  to  representative  cases  in  point 
here. 

In  my  early  career,  and  just  before  my  experiment 
upon  the  "  Roberts  Horse  "  at  Utica,  N.  Y.,  I  visited  Clin- 
ton, six  miles  distant,  where  I  had  a  large  class.  Among 
the  subjects  brought  in  to  be  experimented  upon  was  a 
large  bay  horse,  which  had  resisted  every  effort  to  ride 
him,    I  was  soon  able  to  get  upon  his  back  and  ride  around 


Fig.  300. — One  of  the  tests  usually  given  after  subjection. 

the  barn  without  his  giving  any  sign  of  fear  or  resistance. 
Understanding  his  treacherous  character,  I  knew  that  he 
could  not  be  safely  ridden  outside.  But  regardless  of  my 
protests,  the  owner  and  entire  class  insisted  that  I  should 
ride  him  out  of  doors. 

.Finally  yielding  to  their  demands,  the  door  was  thrown 
open  and  I  rode  him  out.  He  would  have  continued  gentle, 
but  the  owner,  as  I  was  afterward  informed,  getting  angry 
because  the  horse  was  acting  so  well,  gave  him  a  sharp 
kick  as  he  went  by  him  through  the  door.     This  caused 


524 


PERSONAL  EXPEEIENCE. 


the  horse  to  spring  luiiously  iurward,  and  as  I  could  not 
restrain  him,  he  bounded  headlong  over  a  big  wagon  loaded 
with  fodder,  which  stood  in  front  of  the  door,  and  came 
down  near  the  hind  wheel. 

There  was  a  high,  crooked  rail  fence  running  parallel 
with  his  course,  to  which  he  ran  so  close  that  the  ends  of 
the  rails  almost  touched  my  leg.     To    remain   on  would 


-^^^.^g^^ 


Fig.  301. — As  usually  led  home  after  treatment. 

endanger  my  being  torn  off,  and  to  avoid  this,  I  jumped 
off.  The  horse,  being  soon  secured,  was  brought  back, 
and  I  again  subjected  him  to  treatment  in  the  barn,  after 
which  I  rode  him  outside,  as  desired.  The  incident 
impressed  me  as  being  so  ludicrous  that  I  give  an  illustra- 
tion of  it. 

When  at  Sugar  Grove,  Pa.,  a  pony  mare  of  so  balky  a 
character  that  she  had  not  been  driven  in  harness  for 
years,  was  the  only  subject  for  experiment.     I  was  careful 


TEST  EXPEEIMEI^TS. 


525 


to  explain  that  a  horse  of  this  character  could  not  be 
broken  by  any  treatment  I  could  subject  her  to  in  a  barn  • 
that  she  must  be  treated  in  the  street,  or  where  in  the 
habit  of  balking,  when  her  management  would  not  be  at  all 
difficult, 

I  had  a  large  class,  and  after  a  few  minutes'  treatment, 
I  was  able,  without  difficulty,  to  drive    her  in  the    barn 


Fig.  302. — As  the  horse  jumped  over  the  wagon. 

perfectly  manageable.  But  at  the  conclusion  of  the  lesson, 
the  class  insisted  upon  my  driving  her  in  the  streets  as  a 
condition  of  their  being  satisfied.  I  saw  at  once  a  precon- 
certed purpose  to  break  me  down,  as  an  excuse  to  get  their 
money  back,  and  I  determined  if  possible  to  outwit  them. 
It  was  impossible  to  obtain  the  privacy  to  handle  her  out- 
side as  I  desired,  since  there  was  a  clamorous  crowd  watch- 
ing every  movement ;  and  in  addition,  a  violent  rain-storm 
had  set  in. 


526  PEESONAL  EXPERIENCE. 

I  reminded  them  that  it  would  be  unpleasant  to  go  out 
in  sucli  a  storm,  even  though  I  could  obtain  the  privacy 
necessary  for  the  handling.  But  they  expressed  their 
entire  willingness  to  stand  the  storm,  and  insisted  upon  the 
action ;  so  I  said,  "  I  will  go  to  the  outside  of  the  town 
and  subject  the  mare  to  treatment,  then  drive  her  back  to 
the  hotel  without  her  balking,  if  that  will  satisfy  you ;  but 
you  must  go  out  and  keep  the  crowd  in  the  road."  To 
this  they  agreed. 

I  then  directed  the  class  to  go  in  a  body  to  the  gate, 
and  keep  the  crowd  back  as  I  passed  through,  promising 
not  to  keep  them  waiting  more  than  five  minutes.  But 
regardless  of  the  storm  and  opposition,  the  moment  I 
passed  beyoiid  the  gate,  the  crowd  went  right  and  left  over 
the  fence  after  me ;  and  the  class  also,  being  anxious  to 
see  what  I  would  do,  followed  in  a  body.  Finally,  by  the 
aid  of  the  class,  I  succeeded  in  holding  outsiders  in  a  circle 
of  about  fifty  feet  distant,  when  I  subjected  the  mare 
quickly  to  the  Second  Method. 

Having  everything  ready,  I  hitched  her  to  the  wagon 
before  she  could  concentrate  her  purpose  to  resist,  jumped 
in,  and  gave  her  a  sharp  touch  with  the  whip,  at  the  same 
time  pulling  the  near  rein,  when  she  started  off  on  a  trot, 
then  on  a  run,  in  a  circle  around  the  field.  This  accom- 
plished, I  told  them  to  open  the  gate,  or  I  would  drive 
over  it.  The  cracking  of  the  whip,  and  the  yelling 
and  shouting  from  the  crowd  of  men  and  boys  follow- 
ing, were  sufficient  to  frighten  the  mare  into  going  back  to 
the  hotel  all  right.  I  then  jumped  out,  saying,  "  I  guess 
that  will  do."  All  laughed  good  humoredly,  saying,  "  He 
did  it.     It  is  all  right." 

The  severe  shower  made  a  reasonable  excuse  for  the 
quick  rush.  The  real  difficulty  was  in  not  having  sufficient 
privacy  or  opportunity  to  subject   her   to   treatment  for 


ANNOYING  DIFFICULTIES.  527 

balking ;  and  once  having  made  the  effort,  it  would  have 
been  necessary  to  have  driven  the  mare  at  their  dictation, 
which  wouki  have  resulted  in  certain  defeat. 

During  my  experience  in  this  business,  while  there  was 
often  much  that  caused  me  extreme  annoyance,  yet  there 
was  still  oftener  much  that  gave  me  interest  and  courage  in 
my  work.  Upon  retrospection,  I  am  reminded  of  many 
phases  and  incidents  connected  with  my  experience  that  will 
always  remain  fresh  in  my  memory  as  constantly  recurring 
sources  of  pleasure  and  encouragement.  There  are  also 
many  men  to  whom  I  feel  under  such  deep  obligations  for 
kindnesses  shown  me,  that  I  would  be  glad  to  express  my 
thanks  to  them  personally  if  I  knew  their  address,  and 
would  deem  it  a  great  pleasure  to  remind  them  of  it  by 
sending  them  copies  of  this  book. 

Almost  daily,  my  professional  experience  was  a  mixture 
of  both  comic  and  serious  difficulties.  Many  people  would 
come  out  to  see  the  ponies  perform,  without  any  purpose 
of  joining  the  class,  as  they  thought  what  I  advertised 
could  not  be  true,  fearing  that  I  had  the  power,  if  they 
came  near  me,  to  deceive  them  and  pocket  their  money. 
Some  even  went  so  far  as  to  say  that  they  would  not 
believe  I  could  do  what  I  had  advertised,  even  though  they 
saw  me  do  it. 

But  when  such  Avere  finally  induced  to  join  the  class, 
they  were  usually  the  most  interested,  and  not  infrequently 
thanked  me  for  persuading  them  to  do  so.  On  expressing 
their  approbation  of  my  system  to  their  neighbors,  and 
advising  them  to  join  the  class,  they  would  in  turn  receive 
a  shake  of  the  head,  as  if  to  say,  "  He  has  pulled  the 
wool  over  your  eyes,  but  he  cannot  do  it  with  us."  And 
what  appeared  strange,  was  that  all  this  could  be,  regard- 
less of  the  fact  that  to  every  man  Avas  given  a  personal 
guarantee  that  if  I  failed  in  any  respect  to  do  just  what  I 


528  PEESONAL   EXPERIENCE. 

advertised  and  promised,  he  could  demand  a  return  of  his 
money.  I  was  often  compelled,  on  this  account,  to  do 
more  than  I  advertised,  to  be  sure  of  satisfying  every  one. 
Sometimes,  during  my  early  experience,  I  lost  scholars, 
and  occasionally  whole  classes ;  but  later  on  these  cases 
became  less  frequent,  and  still  later  I  lost  none  at  all. 

A  frequent  cause  of  difficulty  was  in  having  no  suitable 
place  in  which  to  handle  horses,  or  no  suitable  subject 
upon  which  to  illustrate  treatment ;  or  I  was  limited  to  the 
subjection  of  a  particularly  obstinate  or  difficult  case,  that 
could  give  no  correct  idea  of  the  effect  of  the  treatment 
upon  average  cases,  thereby  making  it  difficult  for  people 
to  understand  the  value  of  my  system.  By  way  of  illus- 
tration, I  will  refer  to  two  cases  in  point : — 

"When  at  Onionta,  N.  Y.,  in  my  last  run  through  the 
State,  I  had  a  large  class.  The  only  case  brought  in  for 
treatment  was  an  extremely  bad,  kicking  mare.  This  was 
very  embarrassing,  on  account  of  inability  to  illustrate  the 
effect  of  but  one  method  of  treatment,  and  that  on  the  most 
difficult  subject  possible  to  handle  before  a  class ;  and  also 
because  they  supposed  this  would  represent  the  effect  of 
the  treatment  upon  horses  generally.  While  no  one  found 
fault,  I  felt  there  was  not  that  impression  of  satisfaction 
and  interest  usually  manifested.  At  Milford,  two  days 
later,  a  member  of  the  class  referred  to  told  me  privately 
that  one  of  his  neighbors  was  decidedly  dissatisfied,  and 
felt  that  the  book  was  really  all  he  had  received  for  his 
money.  The  man  offered  him  $2.50  for  it,  but  $3.00  was 
the  lowest  price  he  would  take. 

During  the  evening,  a  four-year-old  colt,  one  that  had 
never  been  haltered,  entirely  unbroken  and  wild,  was  by 
chance  up  near  the  house,  when  the  thought  struck  him  to 
see  what  he  could  do  with  it.  In  ten  minutes  he  had  the 
colt  gentle  to  handle,  and  following  him  in  any  manner, 


TEST  EXPEEIMENTS.  529 

allowing  himself  to  be  ridden,  the  feet  taken  up,  etc.     In 
fact,  he  did  with  the  colt  anything  he  pleased. 

He  had  a  five-year-old  colt  that  was  very  much  afraid 
of  hogs.  The  result  of  this  experiment  was  so  gratifying, 
and  gave  him  so  much  confidence,  that  he  thought  he  woufd 
see  what  he  could  do  Avith  this  second  one.  In  less  than 
fifteen  minutes,  he  was  so  successful  that  he  was  able  to 
lead  the  colt  near  to  or  over  hogs  without  his  showing  any 
fear.  The  result  was,  the  man  now  became  greatly  inter- 
ested. 

At  the  next  town,  I  mentioned  the  circumstance  to  the 
class,  to  encourage  them,  by  showing  how  easy  it  was  to  do 
what  they  supposed  to  be  very  difficult,  and  really  within 
the  reach  of  any  man  who  would  try ;  when,  to  my  surprise 
and  that  of  all  present,  a  man  stepped  forward  from  the 
back  part  of  the  crowd,  saying  that  he  was  the  man  referred 
to,  and  that  he  would  not  take  |50  for  the  knowledge 
obtained  of  me ;  that  he  was  much  interested,  and  that  he 
had  come  eighteen  miles  to  attend  my  lecture  again. 

Incidents  of  this  kind  were  of  almost  daily  occurrence. 
Persons  with  difficulty  persuaded  to'  join  the  class,  would 
afterward  say  that  they  would  not  be  deprived  of  the 
knowledge  obtained  for  hundreds  of  dollars. 

"When  at  Derbyline,  Vt.,  an  enterprising  little  town  on 
the  boundary  line  of  the  northern  part  of  the  State,  I  had 
a  large  class.  Among  the  incredulous  who  could  not  be 
induced  to  join  the  class,  was  a  man  who  was  recognized 
as  one  of  the  most  successful  horsemen  in  the  neighborhood. 
During  the  time,  a  young  man  of  fifteen,  a  member  of  my 
class,  who  had  never  handled  horses,  said  to  him  that  on 
the  next  day  he  would  drive  a  certain  six-year-old  colt 
that  had  never  been  harnessed,  and  have  him  so  gentle  that 
the  cross-piece  could  strike  against  the  quarters  without 
causing  him  to  kick. 

34 


530  PERSONAL  EXPElllENCE. 

The  old  horseman  regarded  this  as  a  boast,  knowing 
the  colt  to  be  exceptionally  bad,  and  unbroken,  and  said  he 
would  certainly  regard  it  as  a  great  feat  to  drive  such  a 
colt  with  the  breeching,  after  six  weeks'  training.  But  to 
his  surprise,  the  boy  did  drive  the  colt  as  stated.  The 
man  concluded  that  if  an  inexperienced  boy,  on  joining  the 
class,  could  learn  to  do  so  much  in  so  short  a  time,  he  him- 
self ought  surely  to  be  able  to  do  as  much ;  and  if  he 
could,  such  knowledge  "  would  be  worth  a  hundred  dollars" 
to  him  (his  own  language  afterward).  A  week  later,  he 
followed  me  to  Barton,  thirty  miles,  to  join  the  class.  On 
account  of  his  prejudice,  he  could  not  be  induced  to  do  so 
in  his  own  town,  where  it  could  have  been  done  at  a  trifling 
expense. 

I  was  constantly  met  with  so  much  prejudice  and 
opposition,  that  I  was  sometimes  compelled  not  only  to 
incur  great  risk,  but  to  make  unusual  effort  to  inspire  con- 
fidence in  my  treatn:ent.  The  mere  statement  of  the 
following  facts  will  show  the  extent  of  this  opposition : 
First,  all  the  cases  referred  to  were  representative  ones  of 
an  almost  unlimited  number  that  could  be  mentioned, 
which  were  broken  solely  for  the  purpose  of  proving  this. 
Not  only  was  I  compelled  to  do  all  this  Avork  for  nothing, 
but  to  assume  the  responsibility  for  any  possible  damages, 
and  in  many  cases  was  obliged  to  pay,  and  liberally  too, 
for  the  privilege  of  breaking  the  horses.      "" 

The  "Press  Horse"  (Case  1,  Fear),  which  before 
treatment  was  considered  practically  worthless,  was  not 
only  broken  without  charge,  but  the  owner  was  passed  into 
the  class  free  as  an  inducement  to  obtain  the  horse,  with  a 
guarantee  that  it  should  not  be  injured  ;  and  in  addition 
the  owner  was  promised  the  best  suit  of  clothes  he  could 
buy  in  the  city  of  Buffalo  if  the  horse  was  not  made  gentle 
in  twenty  minutes. 


DIFFICULTIES.  531 

Wild  Pete  (Case  8,  Fear)  was  entirely  worthless  be- 
fore I  took  him  in  hand.  He  was  not  only  broken  for 
nothing  and  made  a  safe  family  horse,  but  cost  me  in  loss 
of  time  and  expense  nearly  one  hundred  dollars.  The 
Yates  Horse  (Case  8,  Fear),  the  Watson  Horse  (Case  3, 
Kicking),  were  broken  for  nothing.  The  Chapman  Horse 
(Case  9,  Kicking)  was  not  only  broken  for  nothing,  but  at 
a  loss  of  time  and  expense  to  me  of  fully  fifty  dollars.  The 
McVay  Horse  (Case  7,  Kicking)  I  not  only  broke  for 
nothing,  but  pledged  to  forfeit  $500  if  I  could  not  drive 
her  gentle  in  forty  minutes.  The  Hettrick  Horse  (Case 
4,  Kicking),  which  before  treatment  was  positively  worth- 
less, and  one  of  the  most  vicious  horses  I  ever  saw,  was 
made  a  safe  and  valuable  horse  without  a  penny's  compen- 
sation. The  Malone  Horse  (Case  2,  Kicking)  I  was  com- 
pelled to  buy  at  a  large  price  to  show  that  I  could  break 
him.  For  the  Stevens  Stallion  (Case  10,  Kicking)  I  gave 
a  personal  guarantee  of  $500  that  he  should  not  be  in- 
jured, and  in  addition  I  promised  to  pay  $25  if  I  did  not 
make  him  gentle  in  fifteen  minutes. 

The  Allegan  Horse  (Case  10,  Subjection)  one  of  the 
most  vicious  horses  known  in  the  Northwest  was  broken 
for  nothing.  The  Roberts  Stallion  (Case  11,  Subjection), 
regarded  so  vicious  as  to  be  practically  worthless,  was 
broken  at  a  great  risk,  and  without  pay.  The  Omnibus 
Horse  (Case  3,  Subjection)  was  not  only  broken  for  noth- 
ing, but  in  addition  several  men  passed  into  the  class  free. 
The  Brookville  Horse  (Case  2,  Fear),  though  previously 
worthless,  was  made  a  safe  and  valuable  horse  for  nothing, 
and  the  owner  passed  into  the  class  free.  The  Wilkins 
Horse  (Case  6,  Subjection)  was  not  only  broken  for  noth- 
ing, but  to  obtain  him  to  experiment  upon  I  was  compelled 
to  pledge  $1,000,  as  a  guarantee  against  injury,  and  a  for- 
feiture of  an  additional  $100  if  he  could  not  be  made  gen- 
tle in  forty  minutes. 


532  PERSONAL  EXPERIENCE. 

The  noted  horse  Jet  (Case  No.  7,  Subjection)  was  not 
only  broken  for  nothing,  but  in  the  seriously  impaired  con- 
dition of  my  health  at  the  time,  was  the  cause  of  an  amount 
of  strain  and  injury  to  me  that  I  would  not  have  been  in- 
duced to  incur  for  many  hundreds  of  dollars.  I  was  not 
only  compelled  to  go  to  Portland  and  remain  there  over  a 
week  at  my  own  expense,  but  to  admit  nearly  a  hundred 
leading  citizens  without  charge  to  witness  the  experiments 
as  a  reference  which  could  not  be  questioned.  In  addition 
to  making  the  experiments,  there  was  also  an  element  of 
danger  not  to  be  estimated.  It  was  a  common  expression 
in  Portland,  that  there  was  not  money  enough  in  any  bank 
in  the  city  to  induce  any  man  to  go  into  Jet's  stable  and 
take  him  out  of  it.  After  the  subjection  of  the  horse  it  was 
unanimously  voted  that  owners  of  horses  could  not  afford 
to  be  without  a  knowledge  of  my  system,  even  though  at 
a  cost  to  each  of  $25.  I  include  here  the  names  of  a  few 
of  the  leading  citizens  who  were  present : — 

Dr.  S.  H.  Tewksberry,  Leading  Surgeon,  President  Presum- 
scott  Park  Association. 

Dr.  B.  B.  Foster,  Congress  st.,  Sec.  Presumscott  Park  Asso- 
ciation. 

J.  W.  Robinson,  Prop,  of  Livery  and  Hack  Stables. 

Dr.  W.  W.  Green,  High  st.,  Leading  Surgeon. 

A.  M.  Sawyer,  Esq.,  Agt.  Society  for  the  Prevention  of 
Cruelty  to  Animals. 

Chas.  Sager,  Prop.  Livery  and  Hack  Stables,  Vice  Pres. 
Presumscott  Park  Association. 

Gen'l  Tilton,  Director  State  Agricultural  Association. 

Rev.  Wm.  H.  Finn,  Pastor  High  st.  Congregational  church. 

Rev.  a.  p.  Hillman,  Chaplain  to  State  Reform  School, 
and  owner  of  "Jet." 

Dr.  John  Buzzell,  Pleasant  st. 

Dr.  Dana,  Free  st. 

Dr.  Small,  Congress  st. 

Dr.  French,  Congress  st. 

Dr.  S.  p.  Getchell,  Congress  st. 

Dr.  Bray,  Brown  st. 

Wm.  G.  Davis,  Esq.,  Proprietor  Portland  Packing  Co. 


KEEPING  ENGAGEMENTS.  533 

G.  F.  HiTCHiNS,  Esq.,  R.  R.  Contractor. 
E.  Wentworth,  Esq.,  Supt.  State  Reform  School. 
Geo.   Milliken,  Grocery  and  Provisions  Dealer,   and  Prop. 
Glen  House,  N.  H. 

And  50  others. 

I  have  many  times  been  compelled  to  take  such  des- 
perate chances  in  the  subjection  of  especially  dangerous 
horses,  that  it  was  like  hazarding  my  life  to  the  merest 
chances  of  success  ;  yet  it  has  been  my  good  fortune,  that 
in  an  experience  of  over  twenty  years  I  never  had  a  bone 
broken,  nor  have  I  been  seriously  disabled,  though  I  have 
had  many  narrow  escapes.  I  have  also  been  singularly 
fortunate  in  not  killing  or  seriously  injuring  a  horse,  though 
frequently  compelled  to  take  great  chances. 

One  of  the  great  secrets  of  my  success  was  that  I  never 
resorted  to  any  jockeyism,  and  always  told  the  exact  truth 
as  nearly  as  I  could.  I  made  it  a  special  point  to  tell  the 
people  exactly  what  I  could  do,  and  if  I  failed  to  give  the 
promised  satisfaction  in  every  particular,  I  would  give  to 
each  man  his  money  back. 

In  looking  back  I  find  one  great  element  of  my  success 
to  have  been  that  I  made  it  a  rule,  no  matter  how  difficult, 
to  always  keep  faith  with  the  public  by  keeping  my  en- 
gagements. I  have  many  times  declined  the  offer  of  large 
classes  because  it  would  necessitate  remaining  over  the  ap- 
pointed time  and  thus  prevent  my  fulfilling  an  engagement 
ehewhere,  even  though  there  the  prospects  for  success 
might  seem  extremely  doubtful.  During  periods  of  ob- 
struction in  traveling  I  have  often  paid  nearly  as  much  for 
aid  in  opening  roads  and  being  carried  through  as  I  would 
make  in  filling  the  engagement.  No  storm,  however  se- 
vere, if  it  were  possible  to  go  through  it,  was  ever  sufficient 
to  deter  me  from  keeping  an  engagement.  In  addition,  the 
interest  many  would  evince  in  my  efforts  after  joining  my 
classes  was  frequently  not  only  generous  but  flattering  in 


534  PERSONAL  EXPERIENCE. 

the  extreme.  In  fact,  the  remembrance  of  this  alone  is 
sufficient  to  inspire  a  sense  of  encouragement  and  faith  in 
human  nature,  that  far  outweighs  whatever  I  have  experi- 
enced that  has  been  unpleasant.  I  am  also  largely  indebted 
to  the  ftiithful  co-operation  of  the  assistants  who  were  in 
my  employ -for  many  years.  My  general  manager,  Dr. 
Harlow  Williams,  who  Avas  with  me  over  eight  years,  was 
always  at  his  post,  and  by  his  prudence  and  faithfulness  he 
rendered  me  invaluable  service.  Mr.  E.  B.  Sims,  my  ad- 
vance agent  over  seven  years,  proved  himself  one  of  the 
most  industrious  and  faithful  of  men,  making  his  service 
indispensable.  Mr.  Thomas  Johnson,  who  was  with  me 
over  ten  years,  much  of  the  time  acting  as  my  assistant  in 
teaching  classes,  acquired  unusual  skill  in  the  subjection  of 
horses,  and  rendered  me  good  service. 

My  health  had  become  so  seriously  impaired  by  the 
great  strain  to  which  I  had  been  subjected  for  so  many 
years,  that  in  the  winter  of  '78  I  was  compelled  to  give  up 
my  business.  I  now  concluded  to  carry  out,  at  my  leisure, 
the  purpose  which  had  for  some  years  been  developing  in 
my  mind,  that  of  writing  up  the  full  details  of  my  system, 
including  such  knowledge  as  I  believed  most  valuable  to 
horse  owners  for  reference.* 

This  work  is  not  only  the  first  of  the  kind  pubHshed 
explaining  the  art  of  taming  and  educating  horses,  but  it 
is  the  practical  outgrowth  of  my  experience.  In  its  writ- 
ing I  have  not  only  aimed  to  give  the  fullest  explanation 
of  my  principles  and  methods  of  management  with  all  the 
details  carefully  classified,  but  as  an  additional  aid  I  have 


*The  difficulties  of  doing  this  can  be  better  understood  when  I  state  that  in 
the  first  place  I  am  not  a  practical  writer,  and  that  owing  to  cerebral  inflammation 
I  have  not  been  able  to  write  a  single  page  of  this  book  with  my  own  hand,  nor 
read  any  part  of  it  for  revision  or  correction.  It  has  been  patiently  dictated  by  me 
to  a  copyist,  then  read  for  revision,  thereby  making  the  work  of  its  writing  and  ar- 
ranging extremely  laborious  and  difficult. 


BBVIKVV.  nSf) 

included  the  details  of  treatment  of  over  forty  of  the  most 
interesting  and  difficult  cases  subdued  by  me,  giving  age, 
color,  cause  of  viciousness,  etc.,  supplemented  by  a  general 
review  of  principles  under  the  head  of  Subjection.  In  this 
book  will  be  found  explained  for  the  first  time  the  secret 
of  Rarey's  success  in  the  control  of  Cruiser  and  the  other 
test  cases  in  England  and  France,  also  of  whom  he  ob- 
tained his  knowledge  of  the  treatment  he  used,  which  will 
be  found  of  much  interest. 

It  has  been  well  known  wherever  I  have  traveled  that 
I  taught  my  system  as  a  secret  which  I  never  gave  in 
print;  and  on  account  of  the  great  expense  in  traveling, 
requiring  not  only  the  aid  of  skilled  men,  but  from  five  to 
ten  horses,  that  to  give  me  a  reasonable  compensation  I 
was  compelled  to  charge  five,  and  in  some  sections  of  country 
ten  dollars  for  such  instructions,  thus  putting  them  within 
the  reach  of  but  a  comparatively  few.  In  addition,  the 
time  at  my  disposal  for  each  class  being  so  limited,  it  was 
impossible  for  me  to  give  more  than  the  merest  outline  of 
my  system.  The  importance,  then,  of  making  this  knowl- 
edge available  to  all  at  a  moderate  cost,  can  be  seen.  Cer- 
tainly I  could  not  give  in  many  days'  instruction  the  full 
details  herein  given.  It  will  be  especially  valuable  to  my 
old  scholars  for  reference.  Take,  for  example,  the  expla- 
nation of  the  War  Bridle  ;  only  a  few,  by  the  instructions 
given  in  the  class,  could  remember  even  its  simplest  form 
of  use.  Here  all  the  details  of  its  various  forms  of  appli- 
cation have  been  fully  explained  and  illustrated.  So  in  re- 
lation to  methods  of  subjection  and  the  principles  of  their 
application,  Avith  all  the  other  details,  including  treatment 
for  diseases,  etc. 

I  may  be  permitted  to  add  that  I  never  could  feel 
that  I  had  any  special  fitness  for  winning  even  ordinary 
success  in  this  field  of  effort.    I  simply  drifted,  as  explained, 


58G  PEESONAL  EXPERIENCE. 

])y  civcuiiist.'iuces  into  the  current  of  its  study,  and  the  ob- 
stacles .and  difficulties  it  presented,  compelled  tlie  effort  to 
OA'^ercome  tlieni.  One  thing  of  which  I  first,  lust,  and  always 
tried  to  learn  the  secret  was,  to  what  degree  there  was 
power  to  change  the  character,  or  to  make  vicious  horses 
gentle.  This  has  been  the  cential  point  of  all  my  efforts. 
I  can  now  see  how  easy  it  is  to  fail  in  the  subjection  of  even 
ordinary  cases  for  want  of  knoAving  how  to  adajjt  the  treat- 
ment jiroperly ;  and  when  there  is  failure,  it  will  ninety- 
nine  times  out  of  every  hundred  be  caused  by  the  igno- 
rance or  unfitness  of  the  trainer.  On  this  account,  when 
my  health  will  permit,  I  intend  to  lecture  occasionally  to 
farmers  and  horsemen  at  convenient  centers,  making  such 
experiments  as  may  be  advisable  to  enable  a  better  under- 
standing of  the  details  here  given.  The  better  to  carry 
out  this  purpose,  I  would  *ask  the  owners  of  especially 
valuable  horses  which  are  well  known  in  their  vicinity  as 
vicious  and  dangerous,  to  write  me  particulars  in  relation 
to  them,  such  as  age,  color,  peculiarity  of  disposition,  etc., 
and  when  convenient,  I  will  give  notice  when  I  will  ex- 
periment upon  such. 


CHAPTER   XYII. 


BREEDING. 

One  of  the  primary  points  of  success  in  any  enterprise 
is  to  start  right,  and  in  no  respect  is  this  more  true  than  in 
the  breeding  of  horses.  The  law  of  like  producing  like  is 
inexorable  ;  consequently  to  raise  good  horses,  good  horses 
must  be  bred  from.  Many  farmers  who  are  keenly  alive 
to  other  interests,  are  singularly  thoughtless  and  imprudent 
in  this.  If  a  mare  is  broken  down,  and  unfit  for  labor,  no 
matter  how  coarse  or  badly  formed  she  is,  or  what  the 
evidence  of  constitutional  unsoundness,  she  is  usually 
reserved  to  breed  from. 

On  the  same  principle,  no  matter  how  coarse  the 
stallion,  if  he  is  fat  and  sleek,  and  if  his  use  can  be  obtained 
cheaply,  he  is  selected  for  the  same  purpose.  The  most 
ignorant  farmer  is  particular  to  select  the  largest  and 
soundest  potatoes,  the  best  quality  of  oats,  wheat,  etc.,  for 
seed,  because  he  has  learned  that  this  is  true  economy ; 
yet  there  is  the  utmost  disregard  of  this  law  of  prudence 
in  the  breeding  of  horses  and  farm-stock  in  general.  This 
sort  of  economy  is  like  paying  a  quarter  for  a  chicken  and 
giving  a  dollar  to  get  it  carried  home. 

It  costs  just  as  much  to  raise  a  poor,  coarse-blooded 
colt,  as  a  fine-blooded  one.  The  cost  of  feeding  and  care 
is  really  the  same,  the  only  difference  being  in  that  of  the 
use  of  the  horse.  The  first  will  possibly  sell,  when  five 
years  old  and  trained  to  harness,  for  from  a  hundred  to  a 

(537) 


538  BREEDING. 

luimlred  and  fifty  dollars.  The  other  is  worth  from  two 
hundred  to  a  thousand,  and  possibly  more.  The  first  will 
scarcely  sell  for  the  cost  of  feeding  and  care.  The  second 
insures  a  large  jH-ofit,  and  this  for  a  little  additional  first 
cost.  The  fact  is,  breeding  from  poor,  unsound  horses  is  so 
much  a  detriment,  that  it  would  be  a  damage  to  any  one  to 
be  compelled  to  breed  from  such  stock,  if  given  for  the 
jDurpose. 

In  Russia,  Prussia,  and  Austria,  the  breeding  of  horses 
is  controlled  by  the  governments,  each  one  having  large 
breeding  establishments,  where  those  wishing,  can  procure 
sound  stallions,  devoid  of  all  hereditary  diseases.  Each 
stallion  is  furnished  with  a  certificate  from  the  government. 
No  other  stallions  are  allowed  to  serve  mares,  under  a 
penalty.  The  result  is,  that  you  will  scarcely  find  an 
unsound  horse,  except  from  accidents,  etc.  Hereditary 
diseases,  such  as  ophthalmia,  roaring,  rupture,  spavin,  ring- 
bone, curby  hock,  spongy  feet,  etc.,  are  scarcely  known. 
It  would  be  a  source  of  undoubted  economy  and  benefit  to 
the  breeders,  if  the  legislature  of  each  State  would  enj^ct 
such  laws,  by  appointing  competent  inspectors  to  grant 
licenses  to  those  free  from  blemish  or  hereditary  diseases 
or  unsoundness. 

A  few  years'  breeding,  under  such  restrictions,  would 
materially  increase  the  value  of  horses  in  each  State,  and 
thus  be  a  real  blessing  to  owners  and  the  country. 

In  selecting  a  stallion,  first  look  carefully  at  his  head. 
The  nostrils  should  be  large  and  well  defined ;  eyes  full, 
bright,  and  clear,  and  good  breadth  between  them ;  the 
ears  lively,  rather  short  and  tapering,  and  the  head  high 
between  the  ears.  Next  see  that  the  throat  shows  no 
enlargement  of  the  glands,  indicating  a  tendency  toward  a 
whistler  or  roarer.  The  shoulder  should  be  oblique, 
strong  and  high,  the  fore  leg  not  tied  in  under  the  knee, 
for  such  are  liable  to  spring. 


SELECTION  OP  STALLION.  539 

The  feet  should  be  of  good  size,  and  of  sufficient  depth 
to  give  strength  to  the  quarters.  Spongy  and  flat  feet 
should  be  rejected.  The  loin  should  be  strong,  the  back 
well  coupled,  quarters  broad  from  point  to  point  of  hips, 
and  running  nearly  straight  out  to  the  root  of  the  tail.  The 
stifle  should  stand  low  and  well  out;  hocks  strong  and 
broad ;  no  puff's  or  windgalls,  as  these  indicate  weakness. 

As  a  colt  from  such  a  horse  may  at  an  early  age  show 
indications  of  blood  spavin  or  thoroughpin,  look  at  the 
inside  of  the  hock  for  an  enlargement  at  the  point  of  what 
is  called  a  jack  spavin  or  curb.  Next  see  that  there  is  no 
enlargement  at  the  edge  of  the  hoof,  known  as  ringbone. 
Weak  eyes,  blindness,  poll-evil,  fistula  of  withers,  or  in  fact 
any  cause  of  unsoundness  should  be  sufficient  cause  for  re- 
jecting a  stallion.  I  need  not  enlarge  upon  the  fact  that 
the  mare  should  be  selected  with  the  ^ame  care. 

The  reader  will  be  aided  in  the  study  of  disposition 
bodily  form,  and  the  general  characteristics  of  good  and 
bad  animals,  by  reference  to  the  illustrations  already  given, 
and  especially  those  in  the  following  chapter.  These  will 
enable  the  mind  to  grasp  these  points  better  than  it  would 
be  possible  to  do  by  the  most  extended  verbal  descriptions. 

The  following  from  a  leading  writer  on  selection  is  so 
much  to  the  point  that  I  cannot  do  better  than  to  copy  it : — 

To  be  successful  in  breeding,  special  attention  should 
be  given  to  the  particular  variety  of  horse  required.  If 
heavy  draught  horses,  or  evenly  trotting  roadsters,  or  ponies, 
are  required,  both  the  sire  and  dam  should  be  selected 
with  special  reference  to  these  points.  Desired  effects  can 
in  a  great  measure  be  produced  by  proper  crossings.  If 
the  mare  is  light-boned,  or  defective  in  this  or  in  any  other 
respect,  select  a  horse  that  possesses  the  contrast  of  greater 
strength.  But  to  insure  certainty  of  obtaining  what  is 
wanted,  the  mare  and  horse  should  be  as  near  the  type  of 


540  BREEDING. 

what  is  desired  as  possible,  though  not  related.  Disposi- 
tion should  be  an  important  consideration,  as  its  inheritance 
will  be  as  certain  as  that  of  phj^sical  qualities. 

I  giA'e  on  page  87  a  portrait  of  a  remarkably  fine 
Norman  horse,  imported  by  E.  Dillon  &  Co.,  of  Illinois, 
which  is  but  one  sample  of  a  large  A^ariety  of  horses  of  this 
fine  breed  for  draught  purposes,  I  learn  also  that  Stubble- 
field  &  Co.,  of  the  same  city,  are  large  importers  of  Norman 
horses.  This  breed  of  horses  is  remarkable  for  good  dis- 
position, and  exemf)tion  from  hereditary  weaknesses.  For 
a  fine  model  of  a  thoroughbred,  I  would  call  attention  to 
the  portrait  of  the  famous  Godolphin  Arabian,  in  chapter 
on  Stallions. 

Care  of  the  Mare. 

The  mare  is  said  to,  go  with  foal  eleven  months,  or  three 
hundred  days ;  but  it  is  not  uncommon  for  mares  to  have 
fully  developed  foals  in  much  less  time,  and  in  many 
instances  mares  have  been  known  to  go  four  or  five  weeks 
beyond  this  time.  Time  should  be  so  arranged  in  putting 
mares,  that  the  colts  will  come  at  a  time  when  there  is 
some  grass,  as  the  mare  Avill  do  better  not  to  be  confined  to 
dry  feed. 

The  virgin  mare,  or  one  that  has  not  had  a  colt  for  one 
season,  must  be  put  when  she  is  found  in  season.  The 
mare  that  has  had  a  colt  will  be  found  in  season,  and  should 
be  put  on  the  eighth  or  ninth  day  after  foaling ;  some  pre- 
fer the  eighth,  others  the  eleventh.  Good  judges  claim 
that  it  is  dangerous  to  go  beyond  the  tenth,  as  the  mare  is 
apt  to  come  off  her  heat  soon  after,  and  if  allowed  to  go  to 
a  later  period,  the  sucking  of  the  colt  is  likely  to  reduce 
the  mare  too  much  to  allow  conception  to  take  j)lace,  and 
thus  a  year's  service  of  the  breeder  is  lost. 

After  putting  a  mare,  the  days  for  trial  are  the  ninth 


CAEE  OF  THE  MAKE.  541 

after  service,  the  seventh  after  this,  the  fifth  after  this 
again.  Some  commence  again,  commencing  with  the  ninth 
(lay,  and  follow  up  as  before,  making  forty-two  days. 
Twenty-one  days  being  the  period  elapsing  between  a 
mare's  going  out  of  heat,  and  coming  in  again,  making  her 
periodical  term  thirty  days.  Twenty-one  days  is  claimed 
to  be  sufficient  to  prove  a  mare. 

Heference  is  made  elsewhere  in  this  work  to  the 
importance  of  protecting  the  breeding  mare  from  excite- 
ment, abuse,  etc.  Especial  care  should  be  exercised  in  this 
matter,  as  fright,  exposure  to  bad  weather,  improper  feed- 
ing, or  any  influence  that  Avould  seriously  disturb  the 
normal  condition  of  the  nervous  system,  will  have  its 
certain  effect  upon  the  colt,  often  to  the  great  loss  of  the 
owner. 

The  mare  and  colt  should  be  well  fed,  and  protected 
from  storms.  The  theory  of  working  a  mare  hard,  and  half 
starving  the  colt,  is  the  poorest  kind  of  economy,  since  the 
mare  needs  generous  feed  and  rest,  to  reneAV  her  strength 
and  make  her  milk,  by  which  of  course  the  colt  is  nourished 
and  made  to  grow.  When  size  and  strength  will  indicate 
that  it  is  time  to  wean,  which  is  usually  in  five  or  six 
months,  put  the  colt  in  a  quiet  pasture,  away  from  the 
mare,  where  it  should  be  closely  looked  after.  A  little 
oats  (better  if  bruised)  should  be  given  daily. 

The  conclusion  of  careful  breeders  is,  that  it  is  much 
better  for  a  colt  to  run  in  pasture,  than  to  be  confined  in  a 
stable.  If  the  colt  is  intended  for  farm  use,  castration  may 
be  performed  when  six  months  old ;  if,  however,  the 
withers  are  light,  it  should  be  postponed  until  the  head  and 
neck  fill  up  to  the  degree  required,  and  this  may  require 
from  one  to  two  years,  or  even  more.  If  the  head  is  large 
and  heavy,  early  castration  is  advisable.  Colts  should  be 
generously  fed,  and  protected  from  the  inclemency  of  the 


542  BREEDING. 

weather  in  winter.  They  should  be  Ireated  gently.  May 
be  broken  early  to  harness,  if  treated  gently  and  Avith  care. 
This,  however,  is  hazardous,  as  there  is  danger  of  over- 
driving young  colts  if  they  are  driven  at  all.  Many  seem 
to  take  pride  in  trials  to  which  they  subject  two  or  three- 
year-old  colts.  It  is  not  Avhat  they  can  do,  but  what  they 
ought  to  be  required  to  do. 


CHAPTER   XVIII. 


STABLING. 

The  stable  should  be  built  on  a  dry,  airy  location, 
facing  the  south  when  possible.  It  should  be  warm,  well 
ventilated  and  lighted,  and  so  constructed  as  to  prevent 
the  exposure  of  the  horse  to  sudden  changes  of  temperature. 
The  stall  should  be  safficiently  large  to  allow  the  horse  to 
turn  around  or  lie  down,  with  convenience^  for  feeding. 
The  width  should  be  not  less  than  six  feet,  but  when 
practicable,  it  Avould  be  better  to  allow  each  horse  ten  or 
twelve  feet,  to  admit  of  a  reasonable  degree  of  exercise. 
This  is  not  merely  a  great  convenience  to  the  horse,  but  it 
has  considerable  influence  in  preventing  swelled  legs, 
getting  cast,  etc.  It  is  also  important  in  that  it  permits  a 
safer  approach  to  a  doubtful  or  vicious  horse.  It  is  the 
common  custom  to  make  the  floor  inclining  backward,  but 
this  practice  is  unnatural,  as  shown  by  the  fact  that  the 
horse,  when  left  to  choose  his  own  position  in  a  field,  will 
almost  invariably  stand  with  his  fore  feet  the  lowest.  See 
illustration. 

The  floor  should  be  level ;  and  to  permit  this,  and  at 
the  same  time  keep  it  dry,  it  should  be  constructed  as  fol- 
lows :  Incline  the  floor  backward  about  two  inches,  making 
it  water-tight,  with  an  opening  or  drain  at  the  back  end  for 
the  water  to  pass  off.  Arrange  upon  this  an  extra  floor  of 
slats,  about  an  inch  to  an  inch  and  a  quarter  thick,  and 
five-eighths  to  three-fourths   of  an  inch   apart.     The  back 

(543) 


544 


STABLING. 


ends  should  be  two  inches  thicker  than  the  front,  to  com- 
pensate for  the  sloj^e  of  the  floor  underneath,  and  thus  give 
a  level  surface  for  the  animal  to  stand  upon,  while  the 
water  can  pass  between  the  slats  and  drain  off.  This  upper 
floor  should  be  made  in  two  parts,  so  as  to  open  from  the 
center  upward,  and  stand  upon  edge  while  the  lower  floor 
is  washed  or  cleansed  as  desired.  This  is  the  method  of 
construction  in  one  of  the  most  perfect  stables  in  the  coun- 


FiG.  303. — As  a  horse  usually  stands  while  resting  in  a  field. 

try,  to  an  examination  of  which  the  author  is  indebted  for 
the  idea. 

The  door  should  be  large,  with  an  extra  one  of  slats, 
which  can  be  used  during  warm  weather,  exclusively 
for  light  and  ventilation.  It  would  also  be  well  to  have 
screens  or  mosquito  netting  over  the  door  and  windows,  to 
protect  the  horse  from  flies, — a  great  annoyance  to  sensi- 
tive animals. 

One  of  the  most  serious  objections  to  stables  as  they 
are  usually  constructed  throughout  the  country  is  the  lack 


SEEIOUS  OBJECTIONS. 


545 


of  proper  ventilation.  Usually  they  are  nothing  but  close 
boxes,  and  entirely  too  small  for  the  number  of  horses  kept 
in  them.  The  doors  and  windows  are  closed,  and  the  bed- 
ding, saturated  with  ammonia,  is  tucked  away  under  the 
manger.  If  there  is  an  upper  flooring,  it  is  made  the  re- 
ceptacle for  hay,  so  that  it  not  only  obstructs  any  possible 
ventilation  through  the  stable,  but  by  becoming  impreg- 
nated with  the  poisoned  air  below,  it  is  rendered  unfit  for 
food.     Any  one  going  into  such  a  stable,  especially  during 


Fig.  304. — The  accepted  iiiethud  iu  geueral  use. 

warm  weather,  will  have  the  eyes  immediately  affected  by 
the  escape  of  ammonia,  which,  with  the  contamination  oi 
the  air  caused  by  being  breathed  over  and  over,  makes  it 
even  sickening  to  breathe  any  length  of  time. 

It  is  evident  that  to  supply  the  wear  and  tear  of  bodily 
structure,  the  food  must  not  only  be  good,  but  of  sufficient 
quantity  to  supply  nourishment  to  the  body.  Now  a  horse 
can  live  days,  and  even  weeks,  without  food,  while  he  can- 
not liA^e  five  minutes  without  air. 

It  is  needless  to  enter  into  details  as  to  the  quantity  of 
air  a  horse  breathes  in  any  given  time,  as  every  intelligent 
reader  has  a  good  idea  of  this ;   but  the  fact  that  a  horse 

35 


546 


STABLING. 


will  quickly  die  when  deprived  of  air  is  not  so  forcibly  im- 
pressed upon  the  mind.  Now  it  is  evident  tlmt  if  the  blood 
is  not  oxygenated  by  means  of  pure  air  passing  to  the 
lungs,  the  system  will  soon  be  poisoned  ;  thus  it  is  seen  how 
necessary  it  is  that  there  should  be  plenty  of  air  in  the 
stable,  and  as  pure  and  free  from  contamination  as  pos- 
sible. If  it  becomes  impure  in  consequence  of  there  being 
too  many  horses  in  the  stable,  and  also  loaded  with  am- 
monia from  the  bedding,  it  cannot  properly  purify  the 
blood    or    carry    away    through    the  proper    channels  the 


Fjg.  305.—  Objectionable  method  of  tying. 

broken-down,  worn-out  particles  of  matter,  and  thus  per- 
mit a  proper  nutrition  of  the  body.  Instead  of  this,  all  the 
various  conditions  of  disease  are  engendered.  This  is  par- 
ticularly noticeable  as  the  source  of  ophthalmia,  grease, 
glandular  swellings,  etc.  Now  if  pure  air  were  obtained 
only  at  a  great  expense,  it  might  be  a  reasonable  excuse 
for  not  furnishing  it  in  necessary  abundance ;  but  the  fact 
that  it  is  obtainable  in  all  cases  with  a  very  little  trouble 
and  care,  renders  this  neglect  little  less  than  a  crime,  for 
which  there  should  be   no   excuse  or  apology. 

Now  an  abundance  of  Yentilation  in  tbQ  stables  may  be 


YENTILATION. 


547 


supplied  in  various  ways,  but  the  simplest  and  best  is  sub- 
stantially as  follows  :  A  chimney  or  opening  through  the 
ceiling  may  be  made  in  the  form  of  a  dome  or  cupola.  The 
top  should  be  roofed  over  and  haA^e  lateral  openings  by 
means  of  weather-boards.  The  most  convenient  or  com- 
fortable stable  the  writer  has  ever  seen  had  such  a  venti- 
lator, which  was  so  regulated  that  it  could  be  partly  or 
wholly  closed,  as  desired.  This  was  accomplished  by 
means  of  two  cords  attached  to  opposite  edges  of  a  revolv- 
ing door,  and  adjusted  in  the  lower  part  of  this  opening  or 


Fig.  306.- -Rack  too  high. 

chimney.  Another  special  convenience  was  a  contrivance 
for  obtaining  and  measuring  grain  to  be  fed,  which  was  so 
ingenious  that  I  give  a  descrij)tion  of  it :  The  grain  was 
conducted  from  the  loft  to  the  feeding  floor  by  a  spout  in 
which  were  two  slides.  Pulling  out  one  of  these  slides  a 
few  inches  permitted  the  escape  of  two  quarts,  and  the 
other  one  of  four  quarts  of  grain,  which  was  deposited  in  a 
drawer  beneath.  In  the  bottom  of  the  drawer  was  a  screw, 
with  a  handle  projecting  from  the  side  of  the  spout.  Mov- 
ing this  handle  right  and  left  a  few  times  shook  the  bottom 
like  a  sieve,  and  thus  removed  all  the  dust  and  dirt,  leav- 
ing the  grain  clean,  fresh,  and  ready  for  use. 


548  STABLING. 

I  have  found  two  features  about  the  stables  as  usually 
constructed  through  the  country,  which  are  so  faulty  that 
I  would  urge  the  necessity  of  having  them  corrected. 
First,  in  the  construction  of  mangers  and  racks.  The  man- 
ger, an  open  trough,  is  usually  so  high  that  a  horse  of 
medium  height  can  liarely  reach  over  and  put  his  nose  to 
the  bottom.  Extending  over  this  manger  is  a  rack  so  high 
that  the  horse  can  scarcely  reach  the  hay  from  it.  There 
is  usually  more  hay  packed  into  this  than  the  horse  can 
eat  at  one  time,  so  it  is  suiTered  to  remain  there  until  it 
becomes  stale  and  sour  from  the  horse  breathing  upon  it, 
and  the  exhalations  from  the  bedding  which  is  usually 
packed  during  the  day  under  the  manger.  When  the  horse 
reaches  for  the  hay,  the  dust  and  dirt  which  have  accumu- 
lated are  thrown  over  his  head  and  eyes.  In  the  first 
place,  the  horse  does  not  like  to  eat  such  trash ;  secondly, 
it  is  difficult  for  him  to  reach  it ;  thirdly,  he  is  liable  to  be 
annoyed,  if  not  injured,  by  the  hay  and  dirt  filtering  into 
his  eyes  and  mane. 

The  nearer  the  horse  is  made  to  feed  in  the  stall  as  he 
does  in  the  field,  the  better.  But  if  compelled  to  eat  grain 
from  the  ground,  there  would  be  waste.  To  avoid  this,  a 
receptacle  must  be  provided  in  a  corner  about  on  a  level 
with  the  shoulder,  from  which  to  eat  grain ;  but  tho  hay 
should  be  measured  and  put  in  a  corner  .on  the  ground 
where  it  can  be  easily  reached.  If  there  is  not  too  much 
given,  the  horse  will  eat  it  clean. 

The  importance  of  this  is  now  so  well  understood  that 
all  first-class  horses  are  fed  in  this  way.  For  the  ordinary 
work  horse,  or  country  stables,  a  simple  low  rack  or  man- 
ger, one  side  made  into  a  box  or  receptacle  for  the  grain, 
and  the  other  part  for  hay,  is  all  that  is  necessary.  If  two 
horses  are  kept  together,  the  stall  should  be  about  twelve 
feet  wdde,  with  grain  boxes  at  the  right  and  left,  and  the 


PEOPEK  STYLE  OF  EACK. 


549 


manger  for  hay  in  the  center.  Horses  accustomed  to  work- 
ing together  will  always  agree  when  kept  in  the  same  stall, 
especially  when  they  have  separate  mangers,  and  are  pre- 
A^ented  by  their  halters  from  interfering  with  each  other's 
grain.  The  mangers  and  racks  should  be  on  a  level,  and 
about  three  feet  and  four  inches  from  the  ground.  The 
manger  should  not  be  less  than  sixteen  or.  eighteen  inches 
deep ;  eighteen  inches  from  front  to  back,  and  twenty  or 
twenty-two  inches  in  length.      For   one   horse,   the   rack 


Fig.  307. — The  accepted  form  of  single  stalls. 

should  be  about  four  feet  in  length.  The  advantage  of  such 
a  manger  and  rack  is,  that  all  the  hay  that  is  put  into  it 
will  be  eaten  clean.  There  will  be  less  danger  than  by 
the  common  high  rack  of  putting  more  hay  before  the  horse 
than  he  will  eat  at  the  time,  and  thus  his  mussing  and 
spoiling  it  will  be  prevented.  It  will  entirely  obviate  the 
objection  of  dust  and  seeds  falling  upon  his  head  and  into 
his  eyes,  or  of  pulling  the  hay  out  and  wasting  it  under  his 
feet. 

Some  horses  are  inclined  to  throw  their  hay   out   with 


550  STABLING. 


their  noses.  This  can  be  effectually  prevented  by  nailing 
two  or  three  bars  across  the  upper  part  of  the  crib  from  the 
back  to  the  front.  The  hitching  ring  should  be  on  the  off' 
or  farther  side,  to  j^revent  the  strap  from  being  caught  by 
the  foot.  If  the  horse  is  a  greedy  eater,  and  disposed  to 
throw  the  grain  out- of  the  box,  it  can  be  prevented  by  put- 
ting a  few  round,  cobbles  in  the  bottom,  thus  compelling 
him  to  take  his  grain  slowly.  The  division  between  the 
stalls  should  always  be  high  enough  to  prevent  the  horses 
from  interfering  w^ith  each  other.  If  windows  are  near, 
they  should  be  so  high  as  to  prevent  any  current  of  air 
from  striking  directly. 


©t^^^f«^f? 


CHAPTER    XIX. 


FEEDING  AND  WATERING;^= 

Hay,  corn  fodder,  oats,  and  corn  constitute  the  princi- 
pal food  of  horses  in  this  country.  Hay  and  oats  in  the 
Northern  States,  fodder  and  corn  in  the  South.  The  food 
should  be  of  the  quality  and  quantity  to  impart  strength, 
vitality,  and  elasticity ;  and  this  requires  some  discrimina- 
tion and  care,  as  the  food  shoukl  be  harmonized  both  to  the 
condition  of  the  horse  and  the  severity  of  the  labor  to  which 
he  is  subjected.  As  a  rule,  the  stomach  should  not  be  dis- 
tended with  food  when  prolonged,  energetic  effort  is  re- 
quired. This  is  to  be  especially  guarded  against  in  the  feed- 
ing of  hay.  Greedy  eaters  can  and  often  will  eat  so  much 
hay  as  to  unfit  themselves  for  active  labor,  and  it  usually 
results  in  heaves,  or  broken  wind.  Heaves  are  always 
found  in  the  teamsters'  or  carters'  stables,  where  there  is 
no  care  in  feeding.  This  disease  is  never  found  among  rac- 
ing horses,  from  the  fact  that  the  utmost  care  is  used  in 
selecting  the  food,  and  feeding  in  small  quantities,  or  in 
adapting  it  more  perfectly  to  the  wants  of  the  system. 

It  has  been  demonstrated  beyond  doubt  that  the  reason 
horses  improve  so  much  in  wind  by  eating  prairie  hay  is, 
that  it  is  so  coarse  that  they  cannot  eat  it  fast  enough  to 
overload  the  stomach.  The  quantity  of  hay  should  be 
carefully  regulated,  and  never  as  much  given  as  the  horse 


*  The  main  points  of  this  paper  were  dictated  by  Dr.  Somerville,  of  Buffalo, 
N.  y.,  to  the  writer  while  studying  with  him.  (551) 


552  FEEJDIJMO  AND  AVATEKING. 

will  eat  if  jit  all  voracious.  The  majority  of  owners  pack 
a  large  rack  full,  either  allowing  liberty  to  eat  too  much, 
or  making  it  unpalatable  and  unhealthful  by  being  breathed 
upon.  From  eight  to  ten  pounds  is  about  the  average 
quantity  for  an  ordinary  roadster  to  be  allowed  in  twenty- 
four  hours  more  or  less,  according  to  size,  the  kind  of 
work,  and  the  quantity  of  grain  given.  Dusty  or  mouldy 
hay  should  never  be  fed,  as  it  is  liable  to  produce  various 
forms  of  disease. 

The  food  should  be  clean,  and  in  quality  perfect.  Hay 
is  most  perfect  when  it  is  about  a  year  old.  Horses  would 
perhaps  prefer  it  earlier,  but  it  is  neither  so  wholesome  nor 
so  nutritious,  and  may  cause  purging.  When  it  is  a  year 
old,  it  should  retain  much  of  its  sreen  color  and  ao-reeable 
smell.'''  The  blades  of  corn  pulled  and  cured  in  the  sum- 
mer are  unquestionably  much  better  than  hay.  I  should 
certainly  prefer  this  kind  of  fodder  to  any  kind  of  hay,  for 
fine  horses.  It  is  strange  that  it  is  not  prized  more  highly 
in  the  North. 

Oats  make  more  muscle  than  corn.  Corn  makes  fat 
and  warmth.  Hence,  the  colder  the  weather,  the  more 
corn  may  be  given,  and  the  harder  the  work,  the  more  oats. 
Oats  should  be  a  year  old,  heavy,  dry,  and  sweet.  New 
oats  will  weigh  from  ten  to  fifteen  per  cent  more  than  old 
ones  ;  but  the  difference  is  principally  water.  New  oats 
are  said  to  be  more  difficult  to  digest,  and  when  eaten  in 
considerable  quantity  are  apt  to  cause  flatulency,  or  colic, 
and  derangement  of  the  stomach  and  bowels.  The  same 
may  be  said  of  corn.  If  not  sound  and  dry,  it  may  be  re- 
garded even  much  more  dangerous  than  oats,  and  should 
not  be  fed.  Doing  so  will  be  at  the  hazard  of  the  conse- 
quences above  mentioned. 

*In  packing  or  stacking  hay,  salt  should  be  slightly  sprinkled  through  it  so 
as  to  destroy  insects.  It  also  aids  in  preserving  it  bright,  and  makes  it  more  pala- 
table and  healthy  for  the  horse. 


GEAINS  AND  ROOTS.  553 

The  quantity  of  oats  given  daily  may  vary  from  eight 
to  sixteen  quarts.  If  the  horse  is  large,  and  the  work  is 
severe,  a  little  more  may  be  given.  Corn  should  be  fed  in 
the  ear,  and  like  oats  must  be  regulated  in  quantity  to  the 
size  and  labor  of  the  animal,  from  fiA^e  to  twelve  good  sized 
ears  are  a  feed.  I  give  a  larger  proportion  of  feed  at  night, 
and  less  in  the  morning  and  noon.  There  is  ample  time 
for  digestion  during  the  night.  There  is  not  during  the 
day,  if  the  labor  is  severe.  Experience  proves  that  some 
mildly  cooling  laxative  food  should  be  occasionally  given. 
A  bran  mash,  made  by  pouring  boiling  water  on  eight  or 
ten  quarts  of  wheat  bran,  covered  over  until  cool  and  fed 
at  night,  from  one  to  three  times  a  week,  is  the  finest 
and  best. 

Carrots  are  a  good  laxative  and  alterative  before  frost, 
but  are  too  cold  and  constipating  during  cold  weather. 
They  may  be  fed  in  October,  November,  and  December, 
but  in  the  Northern  States  not  later. 

I  feed  Irish  potatoes,  from  one  to  three  quarts,  with  the 
usual  quantity  of  grain,  from  two  to  three  or  four  times  a 
week,  and  would  recommend  their  use.  Feeding  a  small 
quantity  of  roots  and  giving  bran  mashes,  keeps  the  bowels 
open  and  the  system  in  a  healthy  condition.  Without  them 
constipation  is  probable,  and  this  is  one  of  the  primary 
causes  of  diarrhoea,  colic,  or  inflammation  of  the  bowels.  If 
it  is  desired  to  make  a  horse  fat  in  a  short  time,  feed  corn 
meal  and  shorts,  with  cut  straw,  to  which  add  a  pint  of 
cheap  molasses.  Nothing  like  this  for  recruiting  and  filling 
up  a  horse  that  is  out  of  sorts  or  poor. 

If  the  horse  is  exhausted,  or  when  sufficient  time  can- 
not be  allowed  for  him  to  eat  and  partially  digest  a  full 
meal,  he  may  be  greatly  refreshed  by  a  draught  of  Avarm 
gruel,  or,  in  summer,  of  cold  water  containing  a  small 
quantity  of  meal. 


554  FEEDING  AND  WATEEING. 

Cooking  the  Food. 

My  attention  was  some  time  ago  called  to  the  advantage 
of  cooking  food  for  horses.  Those  who  have  given  the  most 
careful  study  to  the  principles  and  best  methods  of  alimen- 
tation, state,  first,  that  well-crushed  grain  is  not  only  more 
readily  masticated,  but  more  easily  digested ;  second,  that 
cooking  the  food  enables  the  animal  to  assimilate  a  far 
larger  percentage  of  the  nutrition  than  from  the  same 
amount  of  grain  fed  in  its  raw  state.  The  amount  of  gain 
is  claimed  to  be  from  20  to  30  per  cent.  According  to 
report,  the  Germans  have  long  used  cooked  feed  for  their 
army  horses,  and  found  it  to  excel  all  other  kinds  of  food 
in  giving  greater  strength  to  the  horse,  and  increasing  his 
power  of  endurance.  It  is  also  claimed  by  the  most  suc- 
cessful stock-breeders  in  England  and  on  the  Continent, 
that  horses  and  cattle  thrive  better,  and  are  far  healthier, 
when  fed  on  cooked  food  than  when  fed  on  any  kind  of 
raw  food. 

I  copy  from  a  circular  published  hy  the  Chicago  Steam 
Cooking  Feed  Company,  some  of  the  advantages  of  cooked 
food  for  horses  : — 

1st.  Many  horses  are  so  voracious  and  eat  so  rapidly,  that  they 
do  not  properly  masticate  their  food,  and,  in  othei-  cases,  the  grain 
is  too  hard  to  be  properly  masticated. 

2d.  It  is  estimated  that  more  than  one-half  of  the  diseases 
which  afflict  horses,  ai'e  induced  by  the  use  of  uncooked  food,  and 
its  bad  effects  upon  the  digestive  apparatus. 

3d.  The  hard,  flinty  covering  of  i-aw  grain  can  neither  be 
properly  ground  by  the  teeth,  nor  is  it  soluble  in  the  stomach,  and 
most  of  it  passes  from  the  stomach  undigested. 

4th.  All  energy  expended  in  attempts  to  assimilate  certain 
parts  of  raw  food,  is  just  so  much  waste  and  positive  loss. 

Among  the  advantages  of  using  properly  cooked  food  for 
domestic  animals,  are  the  followingf  : — 

1st.  Cooked  and  ground  feed  is  mucn  more  palatable  for  the 
animal,  and  is  very  easily  masticated. 


COOKING  THE  POOD.  555 

2d.  The  hard,  dry  covering  of  grain,  when  it  has  been  steamed 
and  ground,  becomes  as  nutritious  as  any  part  of  the  grain,  and 
adds  just  so  much  to  its  food  properties. 

3d.  The  entire  grain  is  digested,  and  no  portion  of  it  wasted  ; 
Hor  is  there  any  loss  in  efforts  of  the  stomach  to  do  the  work  of 
the  cook  and  the  grist-mill. 

4th.  The  loss  in  feeding  raw  grain  is  changed  to  gain  in  the 
cooked  feed,  a  smaller  quantity  of  the  cooked  grain  giving  a  larger 
proportion  of  animal  strength. 

5th.  The  primary  cause  of  much  illness  and  derangement  of 
digestion  in  animals  is  removed  by  the  use  of  properly  cooked 
feed. 

It  seems  to  the  writer  that  cooked  food  is  especially 
important  to  horses  having  weak  digestion,  and  for  old, 
enfeebled  horses. 

When  a  horse  is  off  his  feed,  by  over-eating  or  want  of 
proper  exercise,  the  better  way  is  to  reduce  his  usual 
quantity  of  grain  one-half  for  three  or  four  days  or  a  week, 
when  he  will  eat  again  as  well  as  ever. 

I  here  give  Mr.  Bonner's  system  of  feeding :— - 

"  In  the  morning  at  five  o'clock  in  summer,  and  six  o'clock  in 
winter,  each  horse  is  given  two  quarts  of  oats.  At  nine  o'clock 
two  quarts  more  are  given,  and  the  same  quantity  is  given  again 
at  one  o'clock.  Before  feeding,  each  horse  is  given  all  the  water 
he  will  take,  unless  he  is  to  be  driven,  in  which  case  the  allowance 
is  cut  short  a  little.  At  five  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  the  allowance 
of  hay  is  given,  usually  about  ten  pounds  to  each  horse  ;  and  none 
is  given  at  any  other  time  during  the  twenty-four  hours.  At 
nine  in  the  evening  each  horse  is  given  a  warm  supper,  prepared 
as  follows  :  For  the  ten  horses,  twenty  quarts  of  oats  are  put  into  a 
large  kettle  and  boiled,  after  which  is  added  about  the  same 
quantity  of  wheat  bran  by  measurement,  with  the  proportion  of  a 
teaspoonf  ul  of  salt  to  each  horse.  The  whole  is  thoroughly  mixed, 
and,  when  sufficiently  cool,  each  is  given  his  share.  If  not  driven, 
each  horse  is  walked  from  half  an  hour  to  an  hour  daily,  and  the 
greatest  care  is  taken  not  to  expose  them  needlessly  for  a  moment 
without  blankets." 

The  following  is  the  routine  pursued  with  Dexter : — 

At  six  every  morning.  Dexter   has   all  the  water  he 

wants,    and    two    quarts    of  oats.      After   eating,    he    is 


00 


6  FEEDING  AND  WATEEING. 


"  walked  "  for  half  an  hour  or  more,  then  cleaned  off,  and 
at  nine  has  two  quarts  more  of  oats.  If  no  drive  is  on  the 
card  for  afternoon,  he  is  given  a  half  to  three-quarters  of 
an  hour  of  gentle  exercise.  At  one  o'clock  he  has  oats 
again,  as  before,  limited  to  two  quarts. 

From  three  to  four,  he  is  driven  twelve  to  fifteen 
miles ;  after  which  he  is  cleaned  off  and  rubbed  thoroughly 

dry. 

He  has  a  bare  swallow  of  water  on  returning  from  the 
drive,  but  is  allowed  free  access  to  his  only  feed  of  hay,  of 
which  he  consumes  from  five  to  six  pounds. 

If  the  drive  has  been  a  particularly  sharp  one,  he  is 
treated,  as  soon  as  he  gets  in,  to  a  quart  or  two  of  oat-meal 
o-ruel ;  and  when  thoroudily  cooled,  has  half  a  pail  of 
water  and*  three  quarts  of  oats,  with  two  quarts  of  bran 
moistened  with  hot  water. 

Before  any  specially  hard  day's  work  or  trial  of  his 
speed,  his  allowance  of  water  is  still  more  reduced. 

It  is  a  very  bad  practice,  and  one  that  should  never  on 
any  condition  be  permitted,  for  grooms  or  teamsters  to 
give  any  kind  of  medicine,  either  for  tonic  or  diuretic  pur- 
poses. Many  a  fine  horse  is  completely  ruined  by  ignorant 
grooms  and  owners,  who  think  they  can  help  nature  by 
giving  nitre  and  other  strong  medicines,  that  are  never 
admissible  except  in  certain  emergencies,  and  then  should 
be  given  only  very  cautiously. 

I  am  satisfied  that  many  veterinary  practitioners  give 
not  only  too  much  but  too  strong  medicine,  which,  though 
of  apparent  advantage  for  the  present,  must  ultimately 
result  in  serious  harm  to  the  health  of  the  horse.  Clean, 
good  food,  properly  prepared,  and  given  in  quantities 
according  to  the  needs  of  the  animal,  is  safer  and  better 
than  to  be  giving  medicine  for  every  little  change  of  condi- 
tion. 


CAUSES  OF  TEOUBLE.  557 

If  the  horse  is  out  of  sorts,  over-fed  in  proportion  to  his 
work,  becomes  dainty,  or  the  depurative  processes  are 
obstructed  by  the  feeding  of  too  much  or  of  two  hisrhly 
concentrated  food,  let  up  on  the  grain,  and  feed  more  bran 
mashes  or  green  food. 

Old  horses  that  are  not  feeding  well,  or  are  running 
down  without  apparent  cause,  should  have  the  teeth  care- 
fully examined  (see  article  on  The  Teeth),  as  sometimes 
the  horse  cannot  grind  his  feed.  The  simplest  way  of 
making  an  examination,  is  to  catch  the  tongue,  and,  with 
the  hand  closed,  let  its  under  part  rest  upon  the  lower  jaw^ 
with  the  end  of  the  thumb  forced  upward  against  the  roof 
of  the  mouth.  (See  illustration  of  giving  ball.)  This  will 
compel  the  horse  to  keep  his  mouth  open,  so  as  to  enable 
looking  into  it  or  passing  the  hand  far  enough  back  to 
examine  the  teeth.  If  they  are  found  to  be  the  cause  of 
the  trouble,  they  should  be  filed  down,  as  directed  under 
that  head. 

Watering. 

If  a  large  quantity  of  cold  water  is  taken  into  the 
stomach  while  the  system  is  agitated,  by  the  circulation 
being  so  increased  as  to  open  the  pores  of  the  skin  freely, 
it  is  liable  to  chill  the  stomach  and  close  the  pores  of  the 
skin,  and  thus  excite  some  one  of  the  common  alimentary 
derangements,  as  colic  or  inflammation  of  the  bowels,  etc- 
Hard  water,  especially  cold  well  water,  is  more  liable  to 
cause  mischief  in  this  way  than  soft  water.  Hard  water 
wiU  affect  some  horses  so  much  as  to  almost  immediately 
cause  the  hair  to  look  rough  or  staring,  and  derange  the 
appetite.  Horses  that  are  raised  and  worked  in  a  country 
where  the  water  is  strongly  impregnated  with  lime,  are 
troubled  with  intestinal  calculi ;  /.  <?.,  stone  in  the  bladder. 
Hence  soft  water  should  be  given,  if  convenient ;  but  if 


558  FEEDING  AND   WATEEING. 

well  water  be  given,  especially  during  warm  weather,  it 
should  either  have  the  chill  taken  off  or  be  given  very 
sparingly. 

The  best  time  to  water  a  horse  is  about  half  an  hour 
before  feeding.  While  driving,  the  rule  should  be,  little 
and  often.  None,  or  only  a  swallow  or  two,  should  be 
given  at  the  close  of  a  drive,  until  cool.  If  very  warm,  the 
horse  should  be  walked  moderately  where  there  is  not  a 
current  of  air  to  strike  him,  from  ten  to  thirty  minutes.  If 
any  danger  is  then  apprehended,  the  chill  should  be  taken 
off  the  water  if  very  cold,  and  given  sparingly,  or  only  a 
few  swallows  at  a  time.  The  common  custom  is  to  give 
about  a  half  bucketful.  The  safer  course  would  be  to  give 
less  and  repeat. 

The  rule  for  ordinary  use  should  be,  to  give  a  small 
quantity  often  during  the  day,  and  let  the  animal  pursue 
his  journey  or  labor  immediately  after.  If  allowed  to 
stand,  the  system  is  liable  to  be  chilled,  and  the  absorbents 
closed,  which  is  the  common  cause  of  laminitis  or  founder, 
although  this  disease  may  not  develop  itself  until  twelve  or 
twenty-four  hours  afterward.  Any  cause  which  will  chill 
the  horse — either  cold  winds  or  cold  water — will  be  almost 
sure  to  produce  this  disease. 


jfti^ 


CHAPTER   XX. 


HOW  TO  TELL  THE  AGE. 


Fig.  308.— One  week 
old. 


It  is  sometimes  very  important  to  be  able  to  determine  the 
age  of  a  horse  ;  and  as  this  is  indicated  most  surely  by  the  teeth, 
I  have  had  made,  imder  my  special  supervision,  a  large  proportion 
of  the  illustrations  here  given,  which  will  be  found  the  fullest  and 
most  complete  published  in  this  country.  I  en- 
countered very  serious  difficulties  in  obtaining 
these  illustrations,  as  I  found  it  next  to  impos- 
sible to  give  the  artist  an  idea  of  the  changes 
occurring  in  the  teeth  and  form  of  the  jaw  with 
age,  but  they  are  as  accurate  as  I  could  secure. 
I  have  tried  also  to  make  the  description  so  sim- 
ple as  to  enable  any  ordinary  person  to  determine 
the  affe  of  horses  with  considerable  accuracv.  or 
so  nearly  as  to  prevent  being  seriously  imposed 
upon.  In  doing  this,  1  have  not  hesitated  to  ap- 
propriate the  language  of  others  when  adapted  to  my  purpose. 

At  first  the  jaw  is  small,  and  to  accom- 
modate the  position,  temporary,  or  what  is 
termed  milk-teeth,  are  grown  ;  these  are 
succeeded  by  permanent  teeth,  as  the  jaws 
become  larger  and  stronger.  As  the  front 
teeth  or  nippers  only  are  usually  studied  to 
note  the  changes  which  determine  the  age  of 
a  horse  up  to  eight  years,  I  will  try  to  give 
such  an  explanation  of  them  as  will  serve  to 
aid  the  general  reader  in  catching  the  points 
«f  these  changes  most  clearly. 

When  the  colt  is  one  week  old,  the  two 
central  nippers  are  grown   about  as  here  represented.     In  from 

(559) 


Fig.  309.— Six  weeks. 


560 


HOW   TO  TELL  THE  AGE. 


five  to  six  weeks,  another  incisor  will  appear  on  either  side  of  the 
two  first,   and  the  mouth   will  appear  something  like  cut   308. 

At  two  months  they  will  have  reached  their 
natural  level,  and  between  the  second  and 
thii-d  months,  the  second  pair  will  have 
overtaken  them.  They  will  then  begin  to 
wear  away  a  little,  and  the  outer  edge, 
which  was  at  first  somewhat  raised  and 
sharp,  is  brought  to  a  level  with  the  inner 
one,  and  so  the  mouth  continues  until  some 

time  between  the  sixth  and  ninth  months, 

Fig.  310. — One  year  old.         ,  .  i  •  v      •        x  ^ 

when  another  nipper  begins  to  appear  on 

each  side  of  the  two  first,  making  six  above  and  below,  and  com- 
pleting the  colt's  mouth ;  after  which,  the  only  observable  differ- 
ence, until  between  the  second  and 
third  years,  is  in  the  wear  of  these 
teeth. 

These  teeth  are  covered  with  a  pol- 
ished, hard  substance,  called  enamel. 
It  spreads  over  that  portion  of  the  teeth 
which  appears  above  the  gum ;  and  no  I 
only  so,  but  as  they  are  to  be  so  much 
employed  in  nipping  the  grass,  and 
gathering  up  the  animal's  food,  (and  in 
such  employment  even  this  hard  sub- 
stance must  be  gradually  worn  away,) 

a  portion  of  it,  as  it  passes  over  the  up- 
per surface  of  the  teeth,  is  bent  inward, 
and  sunk  into  the  body  of  the  teeth, 
and  forms  a  little  pit  in  them.  The  in- 
side and  bottom  of  this  pit  being  black- 
ened by  the  food,  constitutes  the  mark 
of  the  teeth,  by  the  gradual  disap- 
pearance of  which,  in  consequence  of 
the  wearing  down  of  the  edges,  we  are 
enabled,  for  several  years,  to  determine 
the  age  of  the  horse. 
The  colt's  nipping  teeth  are  rojinded  in  front,  somewhat  hollow 


Fig.  311. — Twenty  months. 


Fig.  312. — Two  years. 


HOW  TO  TELL  THE  AGE. 


561 


Fig.  313,— From  2K  to  3  years 


toward  the  mouth,  and  present  at  first  a  cutting  surface,  with  the 
outer  edge  rising  in  a  slanting  direction  above  the  inner  edge. 
This,  however,  soon  begins  to  wear  down,  until  both  surfaces  are 
level,  and  the  mark,  which  was 
originally  long  and  narrow, 
becomes  shortei',  and  wider, 
and  fainter.  At  six  months 
the  four  nippers  are  beginning 
to  wear  to  a  level.  Cut  310 
will  convey  a  good  idea  of  the 
appearance  of  the  teeth  at 
twelve  months.  The  four  mid- 
dle teeth  are  almost  level,  and 
the  corner  ones  becoming  so. 
The  mark  in  the  two  middle  teeth  is  wide  and  faint;  in  the  two 
next  teeth  it  is  darker,  and  longer,  and  narrower;  and  in  the  cor- 
ner teeth  it  is  darkest,  and  longest,  and  narrowest.  At  the  age  of 
one  }'ear  and  a  half,  the  mark  in  the  central  nippers  will  be 
much  shorter  and  fainter ;  that  in  the  other  two  pairs  will  have 
undergone    considerable    change,  and  all  the  nippers  will  be  flat. 

At  two  years  this  will  be  more 
plainly  marked.  Cut  312  is  in- 
tended to  show  the  appearance 
of  the  mouth  at  this  stage. 

Cut  313  is  intended  to  show 
the  appearance  of  the  mouth  at 
t\\'<)  and  a  half  to  three  years  old. 
The  m.'xt  is  intended  to  show  it 
at  three  and  a  half  years  old. 
The  two  central  peimanent  teeth 
are  growing  do^^'ll,  and  are  larger 
than  th(i  others,  Avith  two  grooves 
in  the  outer  convx^x  surface,  and 
the  mark  is  long,  narrow,,  deep, 
and  black.  Not  having  yet  attained  their  full  growth,  they  are 
lower  than  the  others.  The  mark  in  the  two  next  nippers  is 
nearly  worn  out,  and  is  wearing  away  in  the  corner  nippers. 

Between  three  and  a  half  and  four  years  the  central  nippers 

86 


Fig.  314. — About  0^  years. 


562 


HOW   TO  TEIJ.   THE  AGE. 


Lave    attalnc"!  t(j  iieaily  their  full  growtli,  and  the  Koeoncl  pair 
■will  have  so  far  displaced  the  temporary  teeth  as  to  appear  throui^h 


¥ic..  315.— At  4  to  4Vf  years. 

I'lG.  ;U0. — At  4  years. 

the  gums,  Avhile  the  corner  ones  Avillbe  di- 
minished in  breadth,  worn  down,  and  the 
mark  become  small  and  faint. 

At  four  years  the  central  nippers  w'ill  l>e 
fully  developed;  the  sharp  edge  somewhat 
worn  oft',  and  the  mark  shorter,  wider,  and 
fainter.  The  next  pair  will  be  up,  but  they 
will  be  small,  with  the  mark  deep,  and  ex- 
t<mding  quite  across  them. 

At  foui-  years  and  a  half,  or  between  that 
and  five,  the  corner  nippers  are  shed,  and 
the  pei-manent  ones  begin  to  appear,  some- 
thing like  cut    315.      Tlie  central  nippers 

.  ,        ,  ,  T     , -i  ,  .        Fig.  317. — About  4  j'ears. 

are  considerably  worn,   and  the  next  pair 

arc  commencing  to  sliow  the  marks  of  usage.  The  tush  has  now 
protruded,  and  is  fully  a  half  inch  in  height;  externally  it  has  a 
roundel  ]jromiuenco  with  a  grooA"«?  or  hollow  in  the  inside. 

At  five  years  the  horse's  mouth  is  almost  perfect.  The  corner 
nippers  are  quite  up,  with  a  long,  deep,  irregular  mark  on  the  in- 
side, and  the  other  nippers  arc  showing  thfe  effects  of  increasetl 
Avear.  The  tush  is  much  grown,  the  grooves  on  the  inside  are  al- 
most or  quite  disappeared,  and  ibe  outer  surface  is  regularly  con- 


HOW   TO   TELL   THE  AGE. 


563 


Fig.  318.— At  5  years. 


vex.       It  is  still  as  concave  within,  and  the  erlgo  nearly  as  sliarp 
as  it  was  six  months  before. 

At  six  years  the  mark  on  the  central  nippers  is  worn  out 
In  the  next  pair  the  mark  is 
shorter,  broader,  and  fainter  ; 
and  in  the  corner  teeth,  the 
edges  of  the  enamel  are  more 
regnlar,  and  the  surface  is  ev- 
idently worn.  The  tush  has 
attained  its  full  growth,  beino- 
nearl}^  oi-  quite  an  inch  in 
length;  convex  outward,  con- 
cave within;  tending  to  a 
point,  and  the  extremity  some- 
what curved.  The  horse  may 
jiow  be  saitl  to  have  a  perfect 
mouth,  as  all  the  teeth  are 
produced  and  fully  grown. 

At  seven  years,  the  mark,  in  the  way  in  which  we  have  de- 
scribed it,  is  worn  out  in  the  central  nippers,  and  fast  wearing 
away  in  the  corner  teeth;  the  tush  also  is  beginning  to  be  altered"^ 

It  is  rounded  at  the  point; 
rounded  at  the  edges;  still 
round  without ;  and  besfinnino- 
to  get  round  inside. 

At  eight  years   the  tush  is 
rounder  in  every  way;  the 
mark  is  gone  from  all  the  bot- 
tom nippers,  and  it  may  almost 
be  said  to  be  out  of  the  mouth. 
There  is  nothing  remaining  in 
the  bottom  nippers   that   can 
afterward  clearly  show  the  age 
of  the  horse.      The  upper  nip- 
pers will  give  some  indications, 
but  nothing  certain. 
After  the  age  of  eight  years,  there  arc  no  points  that  will  ena- 
ble determining  age  with  any  degree  of  accuracy.     A  horse  that 


Fig.  319.— At  6  years. 


564 


HOW  TO  TELL  THE  AGE. 


is  fed  on  corn  will  show  an  older  mouth  than  one  that  is  fed  on 

oats  and  sloppy  feed. 

The  usual  time  for  determining  a  horse's  age  ls  in  May ;  but  a 

colt  may  come  any  time  be- 
tween then  and  fall,  so  that 
the  wearing  away  of  the 
teeth  or  disappearing  of  the 
marks  or  cups  may  in  some 
cases  indicate  the  horse  to 
be  older  or  younger  than  he 
really  is.  These  conditions 
must  be  taken  into  consid- 
eration. 

At  six  years  the  teeth  are 
rather  short,  flat,  or  wide,, 
and    the   gums  run    across 

them     horizontally,    some- 
FiG.  320.— About  7  years.  ,   osi  <         k  cl 

thmg  like   cut  324.     After 

the  eighth  year  the  gutns  begin  to  recede  from  the  center,  and  the 
teeth  become  longer  in  appearance.  By  looking  at  cut  325,  show- 
ing twelve  years,  we  can  see  that  the  gum  is  receded  and  run  to  a 
sharp  point  at  the  center  of  the  teeth.  At  twenty  years,  the  teeth 
are  considerably  narrower  and  longer,  and  the  gums  are  drawn 
back  sharpei". 

By  observing  the  face  of  the  teeth,  there  will  gradually  be 
seen  a  change  to  the  triangular  form,  which  can  be  best  seen  and 
described  by  cuts  830,  331.  From  the  age  of  fourteen,  we  see  this 
is  more  noticeable,  the  middle  nippers  gradually  increasing  and 
extending  out  to  the  corner  ones,  as  indicated  by  cut  331.  From 
fifteen  to  eighteen  this  triangular  form  becomes  laterally  contracted, 
so  that  at  about  twenty  and  afterward,  the  teeth  become  biangular. 
As  before  explained,  there  are  great  peculiarities  in  the  form  of 
the  teeth  with  advanced  age.  The  most  common  is  shown  by  cut 
332.  I  include  a  somewhat  rare  form  shown  by  extreme  age. 
See  cut  333. 

Many  curious  tricks  and  methods  of  telling  the  horse's  age 
after  eight  years  old  have  been  shown  the  writer  at  various  times, 
such  as  wrinkles  about  the  eyes,  and  root  of  the  tail,  etc.,  none  of 


HOW  TO  TELL  THE  AGE. 


565 


which  give  the  idea  so  correctly  as  the  general  appearance  of  the 
teeth  and  absorption  of  the  jaws.  In  young  horses  the  edge  of 
the  lower  jaw  is  round  and  full  ;  as  the  horse-  becomes  older,  this 
edge  becomes  sharper  and  thinner. 

The  most  unique  trick  shown  the  writer  of  telling  the  age  was 
the  following  : — 

If  a  gold  ring  be  attached  to   a  hair  pulled  from  the  tail  or 


Fig.  :i2-i.—At  S  years. 


Fig.  331.— About  8  years. 

mane  of  a  horse,  and  suspended  directly  above 
his  head  between  the  ears,  it  will  oscillate,  like 
a  pendulum,  just  the  number  of  times  the  horse 
is  year.s  old,  then  stop  and  repeat.  I  have  re- 
peatedly made  the  experiment,  and  it  certainly 
seemed  to  repeat  the  age  of  the  horse;  but  I 
could  not  feel  satisfied  that  the  motion  of  the 
ring  was  not  in  a  great  measure  controlled  by 
the  involuntary  movement  of  the  hand.  The 
man  who  gave  the  idea  made  the  experiment 
in  the  presence  of  the  writer  with  apparent 
success. 

Jockeys  frequently  resort  to  cutting  down 
the  teeth  of  aged  horses,  so  as  to  simulate  as 
much  as  possible  the  appearance  of  the  mouth 
at  eight  or  nine  years  of  age.  This  was  formerly  done  by  sawing 
or  filing,  but  more  recently  there  has  been  invented,  by  Dr. 
Dancer,  a  leading  veterinary  surgeon  of  New  Jersey,  a  very  in- 


FiG.  323.— At  8  years. 


r,GG 


HOW  TO  TELL  THE  AGK. 


genious  instrument  for  cliipping  off  the  teeth,  so  that  the  front 
nippers  can  be  cut  down  very  quickly  and  easily  by  any  amateur. 

But  the  breadth  of  the  teeth 
and  other  changes  of  form,  as 
(ixplained,  will  expose  the  de- 
ception ;  also  the  deep  hollow 
and  gTay  hairs  about  the  e}^es, 
Avitli  the  undei-  lip  considerably 
pendant.  This  treatment  is 
called  "bishoping,"  from  the 
name  of  the  man  who  intro- 
duced it  in  England,  and  is  prac- 

„      „„.      ,,,    ,^  ,-,  ticed  very   largely   by   iockeys 

Fig.  324.— About  6  years  old.  .  J  o    J       J    J  J 

in  the  larger  cities  of  this  coun- 
try,  especially  in 
New  York. 

I  wish  to  call  at- 
tention to  the  fact 
that  horses,  esj)ecially 
those  advanced  in 
years,  are  liable  to 
have  the  teeth  in 
wearing  overlap  one 
another,  become  very 
rough  and  wound  the 
inside  of  the  cheeks. 


or 


tlio 


grindei's  be- 


FiG.  336. — About  20  years  old. 


Fig.  325. — About  13  years  old. 


come  irregular  in  length 
when  they  do  not  come  oppo- 
site each  other  in  shutting,  or 
the  teeth  become  carious  and 
break  away  when  not  corres- 
pondingly worn  with  the 
other,  shoots  up  to  a  degree  to 
penetrate  the  jaw,  causing 
soreness  and  inflammation, 
and  seriously  interfering  with 
eating. 


DISEASES  OF  THR  TEETH. 


501 


The  writer  saw  a  very  interesting  case  of  this  kind  at  tlie 
Cohiinbia  Veterinary  College,  in  which  the  xmobstructecl  tooth 
ha,d  seriously  penetrated  into  the  upper  jaw.      Tn  the  endeavor  to 


Fjg.  3*^". — Aliout  11  yi-ars  of  age. 


Fig.     ,328.— Mouth     of 
tlu'  111  are  at  i:^>  A'ears. 


relieve  the  pressure  of  the  parts,  the  animal 
evidently  masticated  the  food  wholly  upon 
the  opposite  side  of  the  mouth  ;  in  conse- 
quence of  this  the  teeth  on  this  side  were  so 
M'orn  down  that  ]'»oth  upper  and  lower  jaw 
were  twistoil  around  more  than  an  inch  out 
of  line. 

Sometimes  caiies  or  ulceratioii  of  a  tooth 
produces  such  sei'ious  disturbance  that  there 
may  be  an  enlargement  of  the  parts,  growth 
r>f  fungus,  or  necrosis  of  the  parts.  This  too 
is  much  more  common  than  is  sii.spected. 
Prof.  Cressy  of  Hartford  called  my  attention 
t(^  a  case  in  which  a  back  tooth  in  the  lower 
JRW  became  ulcerated,  causing  much  enlarge- 
ment of  the  jaw.  He  first  removed  the  tootli, 
then  divided  the  skhi  at  the  lower  edge  of  the  jaw,  and  with  a 
diill  made  a  hole  through  the  bone.  Through  this  hole  he  put  a 
seton  to  keep  the  pai'ts  open  until  a  healthy  healing  process  should 
be  produced.  A  strong  preparation  of  carbolic  acid  was  put  upon 
the  seton  and  dressed  once  a  day,  which  finally  effected  a  perfect 
cure. 


Fig.    329. —Mouth    of 
the  mare  at  13  years. 


5G8 


HOW  TO   TELL   TJIL  AGE. 


When  the  horse,  Avithout  any  apparent  cause,  is  running- 
tlown,  munching  or  eating  liis  food  but  slowly,  especially  if  there 
is  any  lateral  action  of  the  jaw,  examine  the  mouth  cai'efully  to 

see  whether  there  is  an}' 
noticeable  cause  of  trouble 
in  the  teeth.  If  rough 
and  irregular,  they  should 
be  rasped  doAA^n.  The 
method  of  doing  this  is 
now  so  Avell  undei'stood  as 
to  scarcely  need  explana- 
tion. 

The  I'asping  down  of  all 
irregularities  should  be 
carefully  done,  and  if  there 
is  a  decayed  tooth  it  should 


Fig.  330.— At  14  vcars  old. 


be  removed  by  a  veterinary 
snrffeon  who  is  conversant 
with  the  simplest  and  best 
inethod  of  doing  it.  There. 
arc  now  reo-ular  hor.se  den- 
testry  implements  in  gt'n- 
ci-al  use  for  this  purpose, 
Avhich  can  be  easily  e)!)- 
tained.  If  the  tooth  has 
grown  doAvn  beyond  the 
level  of  the  others,  it  should 


Fi( 


Fig.  332.— From  17  to  18  years  old. 


331.— At  16  year.?  old. 

1  le  rasped  or  sawed  off  to 
the  proper  dimensions, 
and  carefully  watched  af- 
terward so  as  to  remove 
any  imdue  growth  harm- 
ful to  the  opposing  parts. 
If  there  is  any  enlarge- 
ment of  either  jaw,  more 
especially  of  the  upper 
one,  with  pei'haps  a  run- 
ningf  sore  offensive  to  the 
smell ;  and  if  in  addition 


DISEASES   OF   THE   TEETH. 


569 


there  is  offensive  matter  running  from  the  nostril  on  that  side,  the 
trouble  may  be  suspected  as  arising  from  a  carious  tooth,  and  the 
jaw  on  that  side  must  be  carefully  examined. 

It  may  be  asked,  "How  is  it,  if  the  trouble  arises  from  a  ca- 
rious tooth,  that  the  mat- 
ter comes    from    the  nos- 
trils ?  " 

Answer  :  By  the  im- 
pi'isoned  matter  forming  a 
sinus  into  the  nasal  cavity. 
The  treatment  for  all 
such  cases  is,  first,  in  tlie 
removing  of  the  offending 
cause,  namely,  the  tooth 
itself,  and  also,  as  far  as 
possible,  the  dead  or  dis- 
eased parts,  and  fa\'oring 
a  healthy  condition  of  growth  by  cleaning  out  the  parts  with  a 
strong  solution  of  carbolic  acid,  or  chloride  of  lime,  or  any  good 
disenfectant.  Next,  protect  the  parts  from  tlie  lodgement  of  par- 
ticles of  food,  by  filling  with  a 
pledget  of  tow  saturated  with  the 
tincture  of  myrrh,  or  any  good 
healing  astringent,  and  dress  once 
a  da}'.  If  there  is  diseased  bone, 
or  fungus  growth,     it    should    be 

treated  the  same  as  for  other  difh- 
FiG.  334. — Irresnilar  growth  of  teeth.         ,   .  „    ,  i  •     i  * 

"       *  culties  oi  the  same  kmd.* 


Fig.  333.  — Extreme  age. 


*  Since  writing  the  above,  my  attention  has  been  called  to  an  article  in  the 
Joiirnalof  Comparative  Medicine  and  tjnrgery  of  April,  1883,  by  Dr.  Robert  Jennings 
of  Detroit,  Michigan,  in  which  he  refers  to  a  large  number  of  cases  of  this  description- 


570 


HOW  TO  TELL  THE  AGE. 


Fig.  335. — The  lower  incisors  are  cliiefly 

depended  upon  to  indicate  the  ag^. 

From  their  position  they  have 

received  particular  iiames. 

The  two  middle   are 

termed  pincers, 

A ;  those  near  them  on  either  side,   the 

middles,  B  B;  those  which  complete  the 

half  circle,  the  corners,  C  C. 


Fig.  336. — Front  and  back  view  of 
an  incisor. 


Fig.  337. — A  longitudinal 
view  of  an  incisor. 


Fig.  33S. — Lateral  section  of  an  in- 
cisor; a,  external  enamel;  b,  central  en- 
amel :  c,  dental  star  formed  by  newly- 
formed  ivory  which  has  filled  tlic  cavity 
of  the  absorbed  pulp;  d,  primitive  ivory. 


HOW  TO  TELL  THE  AGE. 


m 


Fig.  339. 

The  shape  of  the  iucisor 
varies  considerably  when  exam- 
ined in  the  direction  of  its 
length.  At  its  free  extremity 
it  is  flattened  before  and  be- 
hind ;  further  down  it  becomes 
oval,  then  round,  then  triangu- 
lar, and  at  last  flattened  at  the 
sides,  so  that  if  the  length  of 
an  incisor  be  divided  into  a 
series  of  ci'oss-sections,  a  dia- 
gram will  be  obtained,  showing 
the  change  of  form  with  ad- 
vanced age. 

This  will  be  indicated  more 
particularly  by  referring  to 
other  cuts. 


Fig.  340. — Canines,  or  Tushes 
(the  mare  has  them  only 
in  a  rudimentary 
form) ;  A,  exter- 
nal face;  B, 
internal 
face. 


-J'— 


Fig.  341.— Temporary,  or 
Milk  Teeth. 


572 


CONTRASTS  OP  CHARACTER. 


Fig.  342. — A  noted  vicious  iKir 


se. 


Fig.  ^43. — Nervous,  sensitive  I'liaracter 


Fig.  34.5.— a  model  head. 


Fio.  344— Wild,  untamable  nature. 


Fig.  346.— a  vicious  character. 


CONTRASTS  OF  CHAEACTEll. 


.373 


Fig.  347.— a  si-ood  liead. 


Fig.  348.     Heads  showing-  no  vitality,  ,„■  action.     Fio. 


349. 


0/4' 


GOOD   POINTS. 


Fig.  350. 


BAD  POINTS. 


575 


Fig.  3.51. 


Fig.  352. 


Fig.  353. 


Fig.  354. 


576 


GOOD  POINTS. 


BAD  POINTS. 


577 


Fici.   356. 


Fig.  357. 


Fig.  358. 


Fig.  359. 


87 


578 


GOOD  POINTS. 


Fig.  360. 


BAD  POINTS. 


579 


Fig.  361. 


Fig.  363. 


Fig.  363. 


Fig.  364. 


CHAPTER   XXI. 


SHOEING.* 


The  foot  of  the  horse  is  composed  of  two  series  of  parts  ;  the 

one  interna,!,  organized  and  sensitive  ;  the  other  external,  formed 

of  a  horny,  organic  matter,,  but  possessing  no  vital  property  or 

sensibility. 

A.   The  internal  parts  are  : — 

1.  Bones  to  the  number  of  three ;  the 
third  phalanx,  the  lowest  portion  of 
the  framework  of  the  membei',  which 
is  continued  on  its  sides  and  I'ear  by 

— ^  elastic  prolongations  forming  the  base 
of  the  heel,  the  lateral  jihro-cartilage 
(which  gives  a  longitudinal  section  of 
the  foot)  ;  the  second  phalanx,  imme- 
diately above  the  third,  with  which  it 
articulates;  and  the  navicular,  shaped 
like  a  weaver's  shuttle,  situated  be- 
hind the  third  phalanx,  of  which  it 
forms  the  complement.  These  three 
bones  together  form  the  articulation 
of  the  foot.     See  Figs.  865,   866. 

2.  Special  ligaments  which  connect 
per  pastern ;  c.  Lower  pasteru ;   these  bones  to  each  other,  placed  chiefly 

/.    Coffin  bone;  g.  Navicular    on  the  sides  of  the  bones. 

8.  Tendons,  which  serve  the  three- 
fold use  of  agents  for  the  transmission  of  motion,  of  a  means  of 
fastening  the  bones,  and  of  organs  for  suspending  the  weight  of 
the  body.  These  tendons  are  three  in  number  :  an  extensor  in 
front  and  two  flexors  behind  ;  first,  the  perforator;  second,  the 
perforated.     See  Figs.  369,  370. 


Fig.  36.5. — Bones  of  the  foot. 

a.  Cannon  or  Shank ;  b.  Sesa- 
amoids;  c.  Fetlock  joint;  d.  Up- 


*From  Outline  of  Structure  of  the  Foot.     By  M.  Bouley. 
(580) 


SHOEING. 


581 


4.  An  elastic  fibro-cartilaginous  process  ;  the  plantar  cushion 
attached  to  the  third  phalanx,  which  it  complements  behind,  and 
enlarges  the  surface  by  which  it  takes  its  bearing  on  the  sole,  and 
transmits  to  the  ground  the  pressure  which  it,  supports.  It  is 
the  means  of  deadening  shocks  and  reactions. 

5.  Arteries,  veins,  and  lymphat- 
ics, vessels  which  contribute  to  the 
nourishment  of  the  foot,  and  are 
remarkable  by  their  number  and 
their  flexuous  and  anastomotic  dis- 
position. See  Figs.  371,  372,  and 
others  farther  on. 

6.  The  nerves,  the  organs  of 
sensibility  in  the  foot,  also  remark- 
able for  their  number, 

7.  An  integumental  membrane 
peculiar  to  the  region  of  the  foot, 
and  diifering  from  the  general  in- 
tegument, or  skin,  of  which  it  is  a 
continuation,  by  its  external  ap- 
pearance, its  modified  structure, 
and  its  special  functions  ;  thus  it 
is  this  membrane  which  secretes 
the  horny  case  or  hoof,  but  as- 
sumes a  particulai"  appearance  ac- 
cording as  it  is  required  to  secrete 
the  anterior  and  lateral  face  or 
ivall,  or  the  lower  face  or  sole.  At 
the  height  of  the  second  phalanx 
it  forms  a  thick  circular  pad  which, 
released  from  the  horn  which  hides 
it,  displayr:  the  form  of  a  rosy  mem- 
brane covered  with  an  infinite 
number  of  little  short  filaments, 
thick  as  those  of  velvet.  These 
form  the  matrix  of  the  horn,  and 
are  true  hair-roots,  for  the  horn  is 
nothing  but  a  great  quantity  of 
threads  or   hairs  attached  one  to 


Fig.  366. — Posterior    view- 
digital  region. 


of  front 


1.  Large  metacarpal  bone;  2,  3. 
Outer  and  inner  splint  bones;  4,  5. 
Sesamoid  bones;  6.  Suffraglnis;  7, 
8.  Tuberosities  for  insertion  of  cru- 
cial ligarieuts;  9.  Triangular  space 
for  insertion  of  short  sesamoid  lig- 
ament; J'^.  Anterior  face  of  suffra- 
giuis;  11,  12.  Tuberosities  for  liga- 
mentary  insertion ;  13.  Articular  de- 
pression separating  condyles;  14, 
1.5.  Second  phalanx;  16.  Scabrous 
surface  for  ligamentous  attachment; 
17.  Smooth  surface  for  gliding  of 
deep  flexor  tendon;  18.  Navicular 
bone;  19.  Pedal  bone;  20.  Basilar 
process;  21.  Plantar  foramen. 


582 


SHOEING. 


Fig.  368.— Deep  mus- 
cles on  external  aspect 
of  rigbt  anterior  limb. 

9.   Anterior  or  great 
extensor  of   the    meta- 
carpus;    10.  Ulna-,  11. 
Extensor  pedis ;  13.  Ul- 
naries    accessories,     or 
Ulna  portion  of  the  per- 
forans;   13.  Lateral  ex- 
tensor of  the  metacar- 
pus, or  extensor  suffra- 
ginis;    14.    Oblique  ex- 
tensor of  the  metacar- 
pus; 1.5.  Flexors  of  the 
foot;     IC>-    Trapezium; 
17.  Annular  ligament; 
IS.  Carpal  ligament  of 
pcrforans    tendon,    20; 
19.  perforatus;21.Ten- 


FiG.  367.— Riglit  fore 
foot  of  a  horse. 

1    Radius;    2.  Groove   for  the   an- 
terior extensor  of   the  phalanges;    3. 
Scaphoides;     4.   Lunare;     5.    Cunei- 
form;   6.    Trapezium;    7.    Magnum; 
8    Unciform;  9.  Metacarpal,  11.  Ses- 
amoid bone;  12.  Sutlraginis;  13.  Cor- 
onary; 14.  Navicular;   15.  Pedal;  16. 
Its  ala. 


Fig.  368. 


don  of  anterior  extensor  of  metacar- 
pus; 22.  Small  metacarpal  bone;  23. 
Suspensory  ligament;  24.  Lateral 
band  of  metacarpo-phalangeal 
sheath;  25.  Perforans  tendon;  26. 
Brancli  of  the  suspensory  ligament 
joining  the  extensor  pedis,  27. 


SHOEING. 


583 


another.  It  is  this  pad  which  .secretes  the  wall  of  the  hoof.  Be- 
low the  pad  the  integumental  membrane  presents  itself  under  the 
form  of  rosy  leaves  pressed  one  against  another,  and  so  disposed 
as  to  facilitate  the  gliding  of  the  horn  which  i.s  continually  pass- 
ing over  it.  This  leafy 
tissue  is  called  leaves  of 
flesh  or  podophyllous  tis- 
sue. The  podophyllous 
tissue  is  continued  under 
the  foot  by  a  velvety  tis- 
sue similar  to  that  of  the 
pad,  and  which  secretes 
the  sole  and  the  frog. 

B.  The  external  parts 
of  the  foot,  to  the  num- 
ber of  four :  the  Wall, 
the  Sole,  the  Frog,  and 
the  Periople,  forming- 
together  a  horny  box. 
The  Jtoof,  the  interior 
cavity  of  which  is  exact- 
ly fitted  to  the  external 
face  of  the  sub-mural 
m  e  m  b  r  a  n  e ,  the  two 
working  one  within  the 
othei",  thus  completing 
the  general  structure  of 
the  foot  by  furnishing  to 
it':  sensitive  parts  an 
envelope  thick,  hard,  i-e- 
sisting,  yet  elastic,  incor- 
porated with  them  and 
protecting  them  against  the  violence  of  bodies  with  which  the 
foot,  by  the  very  nature  of  its  functions,  is  required  to  )je  inces- 
santly in  contact.     See  Figs.  376,  377,  and  others  further  on. 

The  wall  is  that  pai't  of  the  horny  case  which  forms  its  front 
and  sides,  but  it  does  not  end,  as  many  may  suppose,  at  the  heels ; 
it  is  folded  back  and  prolonged  to  a  point  toward  the  extremity 
of  the  frog.     These  prolongations  of  the  wall  arc  termed  the  bars, 


Fig.  369. 


-Tendons  and  Ligaments  of 
the  fore  leg. 


A.  Flexor  perforatus;  d.  Bifurcation  of  the  ses- 
.anioidal  ligament;  y.  Continuation  forward  of 
branch  of  the  sesamoidal  ligament;  B.  Contin- 
uation of  the  flexor  perforans — afterwards  in- 
serted into  the  lower  side  of  the  ospedis. 


584 


SHOEING. 


aiiil  till'  nngles  whioli  tliuy 
foi-in  at  ilic  lu'cls,  tlic  cleft. 
Tlic  oxti'vnal  snrfatM!  of  the 
wall  is  glossy,  as  thougli  var- 
nished ;  its  internal  surfao** 
is  striated  throughout,  except 
at  the  hollowed  bevel  at  its 
upper  edge;  the  strijie  of  the 
external  face  of  the  Avail 
(horny  laminjie,  keraphyllous 
tissue)  are  designed  to  work 
into  the  fleshy  laminae  or  po- 
dophyllous  tissue.  The  bevel 
at  the  upper  edge  of  the  in- 
ternal face  of  the  wall,  hol- 
lowed like  a  groove,  is  de- 
signed to  receive  the  pad,  and 
is  pierced  with  a  number  of 
small  openings,  into  which 
penetrate  the  filaments  of  the 
pad,  which  are  true  hair-cells. 


Fig.  370. 

A.  The  imtbide  nei\c,  or  that  part  of  it 
where  the  branch  //  comnmnicates ;  H. 
Tlie  suspensorj- liijanieiit ;  C.  The  great  lig- 
ament of  the  back  sinew ;  D.  The  two 
back  sinews,  or  flexor  tendons ;  E.  E.  Tlie 
extensor  tendon  ;  1'.  The  cannon  or  shank 
lioiie  ;  G.  The  siJlintb  >ne,  which  is  placed 
on  each  side,  rather  posteriorly-,  ofthe  shank 
bone,  beginning  immediately  luider  the 
knce,and  extending  tapering  downward, 
and  terminating  at  fig.  1  in  a  sort  of  bulb  ; 
II.  The  back  sinews  and  their  great  sus- 
]ieusory  ligament,  ajjparently  joined  to- 
gether. This,  however,  is  not  the  case  ;  it 
incorporates  only  with  the  perforans  ten- 
don, marked  fig.  2,  and  so  intimately,  that 
Miej'  form  one  and  the  same  substance,  at 
tlic  j)art  markcil  Ity  tlie  .small  letter  /. 
'I'lie  i>erforat>is,  marked  (ig.  3,  forms  a 
sheath  for  the  perforans,  as  already  de- 
scribed in  the  article  Strains.  4.  The  knee 
johit.     b.  The  fctlock-joiut. 


i'lU.  :J1U. 


SHOEING. 


585 


The  wall  or  crust,  or  rather  its  lower  edge,  is  divided  into  por- 
tions designated  by  different  names,  as  explained  iu  Figs.  870  to 
379. 


Fig.  3T1.  FiCx.  873. 

Fore  leg.  with  skin  removed,  showing    veins,  arteries,  luid  nerves. 

a   I,  Plantar  nerve;   0,  digital  artery ;  k,  median  branch;    r,    brunch    of    artery; 
d,  pre-plan  tar  branch  of  nerve. 

The  sole  forms,  with  the  frog  and  bars,  the  lov/er  surface  of 
the  horny  case  ;  it  is  in  the  form  of  a  crescent,  and  is  suri'ounded 
by  the  lower  edge  of  the  wall,  to  which  it  adheres;  its  lower  sur- 


58G 


SHOEING. 


face  is  concave,  rugous,  and  formed  of  horn,  which  continually 
scales  off  and  oxfoliatt's.  The  upper  surface  is  slightly  convex, 
and  pierced  with  an  infinite  number  of  little  holes,  into  which 
penetrate  the  filaments  of  the  velvety  tissue  or  cushion.  The  ex- 
ternal edge  of  the  sole  bears  the  same  names  as  that  of  the  wall. 

The //'Of/  is  situated  in  the 
posteiior  cleft  of  the  sole  be- 
tween the  two  bai'S.  It  is 
foi'med  of  a  moi-e  elastic  de- 
scription of  horn,  resembling 
india-i'ubber,  which  is  secreted 
by  a  sensitive  frog,  covered 
with  a  velvety  tissue  like  that 
which  secretes  the  sole.  The 
frog  is  in  the  shape  of  a  trian- 
gle bent  twice  in  its  length  and 
cleft  in  its  base.  It  presents 
on  its  lower  surface  two  pro- 
jections bordeiing  tln-ee  hol- 
lows which  are  termed  lacun?e ; 
there  are  a  central  lacuna,  and 
two  lateral  lacunje.  The  pro- 
jections and  lacunpe  on  the  in- 
ferior surface  correspond  to 
hollows  and  ridges  on  the  su- 
perior surface.  Tlie  apex  of 
the  triangle  which  constitutes 
the  fi'og,  is  termed  the  point 
of  the  frog  ;  the  tw^o  ridges, 
separated  by  the  central  lacuna, 
the  branches  of  the  frog.  These 
branches  are  jDrolonged  behind 
a  thin  layer  of  soft  and  whit- 
ish horn,  which  after  having  surmounted  the  heels  under  the  name 
of  glomes,  is  extended  in  the  form  of  a  thin  band  which  encircles 
the  upper  part  of  the  wall,  and  is  termed  the  periople  or  coro- 
nary hand. 

The  foot  is  at  once  a  means  of  support  and  source  of  elasticity  ; 
it  is  at  the  same  time  an  oilcan  of  touch. 


Fig.  373.— Back  view  of  foot  with  half 
of  frog  removed,  showing  perforans  ten- 
don as  it  is  united  to  the  bottom"  of  coffin- 
bone.     Drawn  from  Manikin. 


SHOEING. 


587 


To  adapt  it  to  these  triple  functions,  nature  has  endowed  it 
with  three  properties  apparently  opposed,  but  Avhieh  are  neverthe- 
less here  made  compatible  with  each  other  ;  namely,  in  the  first 
place,  extreme  external  hardness,  which  is  found  in  the  envelope  of 
horny  substance ; 
secondly,  a  certain 
flexibility,  the 
combined  result  of 
the  physical  prop- 
erties of  this  corti- 
cal envelope  and 
of  the  mechanical 
arrangement  o  f 
the  different  parts 
of  which  it  is  made 
up  ;  and,  thirdly, 
a  highly  devel- 
oped sensitiveness, 
the  result  of  the 
exquisite  organi- 
zation of  its  integ- 
umentary mem- 
brane. 

But,   to   make 

good     the      mjury  -^^^  374.— Side  view  of  the  foot  with  the  part  of  the  frog 
mcessantly  caused  in  previous  cut  removed,  now  in  place,  showing 

by  wear    on     the  ligaments,  etc.,  under  the  lateral  cartil- 

horny  bed  which 
clothes  it,  the  foot 
should  possess  the  faculty  of  reproducing  it  in  a  manner  so  contin- 
uous that  the  activity  of  the  reconstruction  should  be  exactly  pro- 
portioned to  the  rapidity  of  the  destruction.  This  is,  indeed,  what 
actually  takes  place  ;  the  foot  is  the  seat  of  a  highly  important 
secretion — the  horny  secretion. 

The  nutritive  functions,  also,  in  the  digital  region  are  endowed 
with  great  activity,  indicated  especially  by  the  great  development 
of  its  vascular  apparatus,  the  remarkable  disposition  of  which  is 
made  known  to  us  by  anatomy. 


age  which  has  been  removed. 
Drawn  from  Manikin. 


588 


SHOEING. 


Such  arc,  in  their  entirety,  the  complex  functions  of  wi-tch  the 
foot  of  the  horse  is  the  si;at. 

As  an  organ  of  support,  the  foot  has  an  essential  duty,  since 
it  is  through  it  that  the  entire  machine  is  put  in  connection  with 

the  ground, 
while  the  point 
at  which  it  is 
placed  is  in  fact 
the  fulcrum  of 
the  levers — the 
limbs-on  which 
all  the  locomo- 
tive agencies 
work. 

As  an  organ 
of  elasticity,  its 
duty  is  no  less 
important  when 
it  is  considered 
what  enormous 
forces,  the  result 
of  the  weight  of 
the  animal  com- 
bined with  its 
powerful  mus- 
cular contrac- 
tions,  all    bear 

on  that  apparatus,  and  that  it  is  the  means  of  neutralizing  the  con- 
cussions which,  without  it,  M^ould  be  fatal  to  the  entire  mechan- 
ism, and  particularly  so  to  the  limbs.  The  elastic  apparatus 
furnished  by  the  foot  of  the  horse  is  very  complex,  for  the  greater 
part  of  the  elements  of  which  it  is  made  up  are  conducive  to  this 
purpose. 

A.  The  three  phalanges  obliquely  inclined  on  the  metacarpals 
or  metatarsals,  and  sustained  behind  by  the  ligamentary  and  ten- 
donous  apparatus  which  has  been  mentioned,  constitute  an  admir- 
able means  of  neutralizing  the  weight  of  the  body.  At  each  step 
it  is  seen  to  yield  and  spring  back  like  a  bow  that  is  bent  and  re- 


FiG.  375. — Foot  with  lateral  cartilage  in  place,  with 

outlines  of  nerves,  ligaments,  etc. 

Drawn  from  Manikin. 


SHOEING. 


589 


Fig.  376. — Lateral  view  of  horse's  foot  after 
removal  of  the  hoof. 

1.  Periople  ring,  divided  by  a  narrow  groove 
from  the  coronary  cushion;  2.  which  is  contin- 
uous with  the  plantar  cushion,  and  joins  the 
vascular  laminae;  3.  through  the  medium  of  the 
white  zone. 


a  '^M^!^^^^^  -f"  » 


Fig.  877. — Lower  face  of  the 

horse's   foot,    the   hoof 

being  removed. 


Fig.  378. 


Two  views  of  hoof  with  outer  portion  of  the  wall  removed  to  show  its 
interior.     Referred  to  in  the  text. 


a.  a.  Periople,  or  coronary  frog- 
band. 

h.  Cavity  in  the  upper  part  of  wall 
for  coronary  cushion. 

c.  Upper,  or  inner,  surface  of 
"bar." 

(I.  Vertical  section  of  wall. 

d'.  The  same  at  the  heel. 

e.  Horizontal  section  of  ditto. 

/'".  Lateral  aspect  of  a  lamina. 


h.  Junction  of  the  horny  laminae 
with  the  sole  (the  "white  line"). 

i.  Toe-stay  at  the  middle  of  toe. 

k.  Upper,  or  inner,  surface  of  the 
horny  frog. 

I.  Frog-stay. 

m.  Cavity  corresponding  to  a 
branch  of  the  frog. 

w.  Ditto  corresponding  to  the 
body  of  the  frog. 


590 


SHOEING. 


^   t    k 


Fig.    380. — Hoof   just   removed  from   tbc 
foot;  side  view. 

a.  Inuer  face  of  periople,  or  coronary  frog 
band,  witli  some  hairs  passing  through ;  a'.  Outer 
surface  of  same  at  posterior  part  of  foot;  a".  A 
section  through  the  ^\■a^\  to  show  its  thickness; 
b  to  c.  Quai-ter  of  tlie  hoof,  from  h  to  the  front  Fig.  381.— Plantar  or  ground  sur- 
is  the  outside  (or  inside)  toe;  from  c  to  d,  the  fj^j.^  „£  ^  hoof;   right  foot, 

outside  (or  inside)  lieel;  e.  Frog;  /.  Bevel  on  up- 
per margin  of  wall  for  reception  of  coronary 
cushion;  <j.  Keraphylla,  or  horny  laminae. 


m^ 


l\ 


.,ft<'ii>lm!i 


u 


!r;/jf< 


■:i .  '•  iS 


1  V'  i.'i^'i 


Fig.  382. 

Foot  with  outer  portion  of  the  wall  removed  to  show  its  interior. 
Referred  to  in  the  text. 


The  interval  from  a  to  a  represents  the  toe;  from  a  to  b  b  outside  and  in 
side  quartei's ;  c.  o.  Commencement  of  bars;  d.  d.  Inflexions  of  wall  at  the  heels,  or 
"buttresses;"  f.  Laminated  lacuna;  f-f-f.  Sole;  ^r.  White  line;  g.  g.  Ditto  be 
tween  the  sole  and  bar;  ?i.  Body  of  frog;  i.  Branch  of  frog;  k.  k.  Glomes  or  heels 
of  Irog ;  I.  Median  lacuna. 


SHOEING. 


591 


leased.  But  it  must  be  remembered  that  this  arrangement 
becomes  feebler  in  proportion  to  its  length  ;  that  is  to  say,  that 
the  tendons  sustaining  the  three  phalanges  become  more  weighted 


a.  Wall,  with  its 
h  o  r  n  t  u  b  e  s ;  &.  6. 
Horny  laminje  pro- 
jecting from  the 
wall  ;  c.  c.  Horn- 
t  u  b  e  s  formed  by 
the  terminal  villi  of 
the  vascular  lami- 
ii;e,  the  horn  sur- 
rounding them  and 
occupying  the 
spaces  between  the 
horny  laminae,  con- 
stituting the  "white 
line;"  d.  Horny 
sole,  with  its  tubes. 


Fig. 


h  c  d 

384. — Horizontal  section  of  the  junction  of  the 
wall  with  the  sole  of  the  hoof. 


and   fatigued    as   the  lever  formed   by   these  phalanges  becomes 
longer. 

B.  The  plantar  cushion  has  duties  indicated  by  its  structure 
and  position  ;  it  fulfills  the  office  of  a  buffer  on  which  shocks  may 
be  spent  and   extinguished.     When  subjected   to   .shocks  or  the 


a.  Inner  portion 
of  the  wall  with 
the  lamiriK  aris- 
ing h'om  it ;  h. 
Vascular  lamina; ; 
c.  Horny  lanihia; 
of  average  length ; 
(■'.  C.  Unusually 
short  lamina; ;  c  '. 
c".  Lamiiiella  on 
the  side  3  of  the 
horny  lamin;c  ;  (I. 
Vascular  lamina; 
passing  between  g*. 
two  horny  ditto  ; 
d'.  Vascular  lanii- 
n  a  passing  b  e- 
t  w  e  e  n  t  h  r  ee 
horny  lamina;; 
d".  Lateral  lami- 
nellae  ;  e.  e.  Arte- 
ries of  vascular 
laminte  which 
have  been  in- 
jected. 


-6 


c-       c"      d"  d' 

Fig.  385. — Horizontal  section  of  the  wall,  and  horny  and 
vascular  laminae,  to  show  the  junction  of  the  latter 
and    the   laminelle. 


pressure  of  weight,  it  flattens  and  extends,  to  resume  its  form 
when  the  pressure  is  removed  ;  but  in  its  enlargement  it  presses  on 
the  cartilages,  which  yield  because  of  their  flexibility  and  elasticity^ 
and  come  back  to  their  own  shape  immediately  when  the  action  of 
the  plantar  cushion  ceases. 


592  SHOEING. 

C.  The  natural  hoof  is  not  only  flexible,  as  is  affirmed  by 
Lafosse,  but  perfectly  elastic,  since  it  recoils  on  itself  after  having 
been  lightly  opened  behind.  Open  behind  Ijy  nature — evidently 
with  intention,  for  nature  does  nothing  in  vain — when  the  plantar 
cushion  comes  to  be  compressed,  and  bears  upon  the  lateral  cartil- 
ages of  the  bones  of  the  foot,  these  cartilages  transmit  the  pressure 
received  to  the  quarters  and  heels  of  the  wall,  which  yield  and 
open  slightly,  drawing  with  them  in  their  movement  the  branches 
of  the  sole,  which  itself,  pressed  also  by  the  plantar  cushion,  sinks 
a  little  ;  at  the  same  time  the  frog,  in  direct  contact  on  its  superior 
surface  with  the  plantar  cushion,  lodged  in  part  in  its  folds,  opens 
them,  unfolds  them  a  little,  and  forces  the  branches  to  open  also. 
All  these  movements  are  certainly  very  slight,  nuich  less  sensible 
than  Bracy-Clark  affirms,  but  nevertheless  very  perceptible,  when 
studied  on  young  subjects  which  have  not  as  yet  been  shod,  and 
in  which  the  diverse  functions  of  the  foot  are  yet  complete.  The 
older  the  subject,  the  more  obscure  they  become. 

It  is  to  these  diverse  motions  of  flexion  and  extension  of  the 
phalangeal  arrangement,  the  spreading  and  retraction  of  the 
plantar  cushion  and  the  horny  case,  that  is  owing  the  deadening 
and  extinction  of  the  forces  transmitted  by  the  limbs,  or  of  the 
shocks  of  the  ground  ;  and  they  are  the  combined  result  of  func- 
tions which  it  is  necessary  to  preserve  in  their  fullest  integrity. 

As  an  organ  of  touch,  the  foot  of  the  horse  is,  in  spite  of  its 
horny  envelope,  a  very  delicate  organ.  This  is  proved  by  the 
great  number  of  nerves  which  anatomy  shows  to  enter  into  its 
organization,  the  knowledge  which  it  possesses  of  the  condition  of 
the  ground  over  which  it  moves,  and  on  which  it  preserves  its 
equilibrium  at  diflferent  paces,  whatever  may  be  the  form  of  the 
ground,  its  consistency,  its  inequalities,  or  the  obstacles  with 
which  it  is  strewn. 


Fig.  386. 


Fig.  387. 

PLATE    I. 

Fig.  1. 

A  view  of  the  lower  extremity  of  the  coronary  bone,  .seen  from  beliind,  to  show 

the  surfaces  articulated  with  the  navicular  and  foot  bone. 
A  A  The  surface  articulated  with  the  navicular  bone. 
B  Cavity  filled  with  fat. 
C  C  The  surface  articulated  with  the  foot  bone. 


Fig.  2. 

A  posterior  view  of  the  navicular  and  foot  bone,  seen  from  behind  in  their  rela- 
tive situation. 

A  A  A  A  Rough  surface  of  the  navicular  bone,  from  which  the  upper  ligaments 
take  their  rise. 

A  B   Smooth  surface  corresponding  with  the  cavity  in  Fig.  1,  ot  B,  filled  with  fat. 


PLATE    II. 


PLATE  11. 

A  front  view  of  the  bonos  of  tliu  foru  feet  of  a  horse 
izi  their  relative  position. 

ti   Tho  pastern  bone. 

I)  Tho  coronary  bone. 

p  The  navicular  bone. 

d  The  foot  bone. 

e  The  point  of  insertion  of  the  tendon  of  the   extensor 
muscle. 

/  A  concavity  to  give  attachment  to  the  ligament  which 

unites  the  foot  l)one  to  the  coronarv  bone  at  (i. 
li  A  continuation  of  the  same  concavity,   to  which   the 

cartilage  of  tlio  foot  bone  is  attached. 
i  i  The  upper  and  lower  processes  of  the  foot  bone. 
Jc  Jc  A  groove  in  the  foot  bone,  which  receives  a  division 

of  the  main  arterv,  comino:  round  from  behind. 
k  I  A  groove  receiving  another  division  of  that  artery, 

which  proceeds  round  the  extreme  edges  of  the  foot' 

bone. 


PLATE    III. 


PLATE    III. 

Fig,  1. 

A  back  view  of  the  bones  of  the  fore  foot  in  their  relative  situation, 

A     Pastern  bone. 

B     Coronary  bone. 

C     Navicular  bone, 

D     Foot  bone. 

E     A  cavity,  which  in  the  natural  state  is  filled  with  fat. 

F  The  upper  surface  of  the  navicular  bone,  from  which  two  liga- 

ments arise,  and  pass  round  the  lateral  depressions  in  the  coro- 
nary bone,  marked  G-  G. 

B  Points  of  attachment  of   the  ligament  which  unites  the  navicu- 

lar bone  to  the  foot  bone. 

I  Two  grooves  in  which  two  main  trunks  of  the  arteries  are  con- 

tinued into  the  foot  bone. 

K  The  line  of  insertion  of  the  tendon  of  the  flexor  muscle. 


FiK.  2. 


'o 


A  view  of  the  anterior  and  inferior  surfaces  of  the  navicular  bone  de- 
tached from  the  other  bones. 
A  Tlie  anterior  surface  opposed  to  the  coronary  bone. 

B  The  inferior  surface  opposed  to  the  foot  bone. 

C  A  posterior  portion  of  the  inferior  surface  excavated  for   the 

purpose  of  giving  a  firmer  attachment  to  the  lower  ligament 


PLATE    IV. 


PLATE    IV. 

This  plate  represents  the  superior,  anterior,  and  posterior  faces  of 
the  third  phalanx,  or  j^edis,  known  as  the  coffin  bone. 

Fig.  1. 

Superior  and  anterior  face  of  the  third  phalanx. 
B  Superior  face.  B  Anterior  face. 

A  V>  Vascular  openings  disseminated  on  the  anterior  surf  ace  of  the  bone. 
C  Patilobe  eminence. 
D  Br.silar  apophysis,  or  process. 
E  Pre-plantar  fissure. 
F  Superior  border. 

G  Spreading  out  of  the  articular  tr.hle,  or  surface. 
K  Pyramidal  eminence. 
N  Glenoidal  cavities  of  the  superior  face. 
O  ()  O  Orifices  of  the  descending  osseous  canals. 
R  rtetrossal  apojihysis,  or  process. 
U  Notched,  or  denticulated  border. 
V  Posterior  border. 


Fi( 


Inferior  face  of  the  tliird  phalanx. 
A  Semi-lunar  crest. 

C  Vascular  orifices, — anterior  face  of  o.-;  pedis. 
II  Plantar  fissure, — groove,  or  opening;. 
J  Imprint  of  the  insertion  of  the  perforaus  tendons. 
T.I  Vascular  orifices. 
P  Anterior  view  of  the  inferior  face. 
R  Retrossal  apophysis,  or  process. 
S  Internal  edge  of  the  plantar  fissure. 
V  Posterior  border  of  the  bone. 


Fig.n. 


PLATE    V. 


PLATE    V. 

This  plate  represents  the  third  phalanx, — front  and  side  views. 

Fig.  1. 

Anterior  face. 

A  B  Vascular  openings  (apertures.) 

C  Patilobe  eminence,  or  anterior  face  of  os  pedis. 

D  Basilar  process,  or  wing  of  coffin  bone. 

E  Pre-plantar  fissure. 

F  Superior  border. 

K  Pyramidal  eminence. 

L  Base  of  the  pyramidal  eminence. 
O  O  Exterior  orifices  of  the  descending  canals. 

T  Cavity  of  insertion  of  the  anterior  lateral  ligament. 

U  Notched  border. 

t 

Fig.  2. 

Lateral  face. 

A  Imprint   of  insertion  of  lateral  ligament   at   base  of  the  pyramidal 

eminence. 
B  Vascular  orifices. 
C  Patilobe  eminence. 
D  Basilar  apophysis,  or  process. 
E  Pre-plantar  fissure. 

E'  Posterior  branch  of  the  pre-plantar  fissure. 
P  Superior  border  of  the  phalanx. 
Iv  Pyramidal  eminence. 
O  O  Exterior  orifices  of  the  descending  canals. 
R  Retrossal  process. 

T  Cavity  of  insertion  of  the  anterior  lateral  ligament 
IT  Notched  border. 


Pig.n. 


PLATE    VI. 


PLATE     VI. 

This  cut  represents  the  third  phalanx  seen  from  its  posterior 
part ;  and  the  navicular  bone, — inferior,  superior,  and  anterior 
views. 

Fig.  1. 

Posterior  part  of  the  third  phalanx  (adult). 
A  Semi-lunar  crest. 
D  Basilar  process. 
F  Superior  border. 
G  Spreading  out  of  the  articular  face. 
K  Anterior  view  of  the  pyramidal  eminence. 
M  Posterior  view  of  the  inferior  face. 
N  Glenoid  cavity  of  the  superior  face. 
Q  Portion  of  the  articular  surface  corresponding  to  the  anterior  border 

of  the  navicular  bone. 
R  Retrossal  process. 
S  Edge  of  the  plantar  fissure. 
V  Posterior  border  of  the  third  phalanx. 
X  Plantar  orifice  for  passage  of  blood  vessels. 

Fig.  2. 

Posterior  part  of  the  third  phalanx.     (Colt.) 

A  Semi-lunar  crest. 

D  Basilar  process. 

F  Sujoerior  border. 

M  Posterior  view  of  the  bone. 

R  Retrossal  process. 

8  Plantar  fissure. 


Fig.  3. 


Inferior  face  of  navicular. 


C  Transverse  ridge. 

E  Anterior  border. 

H  Extremity  of  the  bone. 

Fig.  4. 

A  Median  riage  or  bulge  of  the  superior  face. 
D  Anterior  superior  border. 
E  Anterior  inferior  border. 

G  Posterior  border  (is  very  thick  and  cribbled  or  pierced  with  vascular 
orifices). 

Fig.  5. 

Anterior  face  of  the  navicular. 

E  Soft  part  hollowed  under  the  anterior  articular  facet. 
H  Articular  facet  corresponding  to  the  posterior  facet  of  the  third  pha- 
lanx. 


Iig:lIL 


rigr.ll. 


0       * 


«r\\^h^' 


^-^}U'"/«IH# 


'LATE    VII 


PLATE    VIL 

This  plate  represents  the  third  phalanx  of  the  colt  seen  from  its 
lateral,  anterior,  and  inferior  faces. 

Fig.  1. 

Lateral   face. 

A  Base  of  the  pyramidal  eminence. 

B  Vascular  porosities. 

C  Patilobe  eminence. 

E  Pre-plantar  fissure. 

D  Basilar  process. 

K  Pyramidal  eminence. 

R  Retrossal  process. 

Fig.  2. 

Anterior  face. 

A  Pyramidal  eminence. 

B  Porosities  and  vascular  imprints. 

C  Patilobe  eminence. 

D  Basilar  process. 

E  Pre-plantar  fissure. 

F  Superior  border. 

luferior  face. 

Fig.  3. 

A  Semi-lunar  crest. 

H  Plantar  fissure. 

J  Imjmnt  of  the  insertion  of  the  perforans. 

P  luferior  face. 

8  Edge  of  the  jilantar  fissure. 


PLATE    VIII. 


PLATE   VIII. 

A  comparative  view  of  the  bones  of  the  fore  and  hind  feet. 

Figs.  1  and  2. 

Bones  of  the  fore  foot  explained  in  Plate  I. 

Fig.  3. 

Coronary  bone  of  the  hind  foot. 

Fig.  4. 

Foot  bone  and  navicular  bone  of  the  hind  foot,  show- 
ing that  the  surface  of  the  foot  bone,  which  is  artic- 
ulated with  the  coronary  bone,  is  rather  more  con- 
cave than  that  of  the  fore  foot,  and  the  position  of 
the  navicular  bone  more  upright ;  so  that  the  coro- 
nary bone  bears  more  upon  the  foot  bone  and  less 
upon  the  navicular  bone.  That  surface  of  the  na- 
vicular bone  (A  B)  which  in  the  fore  foot  was 
smooth,  appears  rough,  and  the  upper  ligaments  are 
attached  to  the  whole  of  this  surface. 

C  Portion  of  the  cartilage  of  the  foot  bone  ossified, 
which  is  not  natural,  but  so  frequently  met  with 
that  I  thought  it  necessary  to  notice  it,  merely  by 
giving  an  outline  of  it.  See  large  variety  of  mor- 
bid specimens  in  chapters  on  Navicular  Joint  Lame- 
ness and  Laminites. 


PLATE    IX. 


PLATE    IX. 

This  plate  shows  the  inferior  structure  of  the  third  phalanx. 
Pig.  1. 

View  of  the  third  phalanx  open  from  its  anterior  face. 
D  D  D  Descending  canals. 

P  Plantar  orifice  in  continuance  with  the  semi-lunar  sinuses. 
S  Semi-lunar  sinuses. 
Fio.  2. 

View  of  the  third  phalanx  open  from  its  inferior  face.     The  injected 
"venous  vessels  are  preserved  in  the  system  of  the  canals  in  the  interior  of 
the  bone. 
D  D  D  Descending  canals. 

P  Plantar  orifice  continuing  itself  with  the  semi-lunar  sinus. 

M  Plantar  vein  coming  out  of  the  semi-lunar  sinus  and  passing  along 

the  plantar  fissure. 
S  Semi-lunar  sinus. 


PLATE    X. 


PLATE    X. 

This  figure  represents  the  posterior  face  of  the  digital  region, 
flexed  backward  in  a  manner  to  show  in  its  full  extent  the  inferior 
or  plantar  face  of  the  foot. 

The  skin  has  been  lifted  from  aoove  the  third  phalanx,  and  the 
enveloping  sheaths  of  the  tendons  are  dissected.  The  velvety  tis- 
sue is  preserved. 

A  Median  part  of  the  pyramidal  body  (fleshy  frog)  of  plantar  cusliion,  or 

sensitive  tissue  of  the  sole. 
B  Branches  of  the  pyramidal  body. 
C  Cartilaginous  bulb. 

E  Angle  of  inflection  of  the  branches  of  the  pyramidal  body. 
F  Point  or  apex  of  the  fleshy  frog. 

J  Interval  of  separation  of  the  two  branches  of  the  perforatus. 
L  Lateral  lacunsB  of  the  pyramidal  body. 
M  Median  lacunae  of  the  pyramidal  body. 
Q  Q  Fibrous  sheath  of  union  of  the  two  branches  of  the  perforatus. 

R  Branches  of  the  perforatus  directing  themselves  towards  their  point  of 

insertion  at  the  second  phalanx. 
T  Tendon  of  the  perforatus. 
T'  Tendon  of  the  perforans  at  its  passage  between  the  branches  of  the 

perforatus. 
V  Strengthening  sheath  of  the  plantar  aponeurosis. 
X  Lateral  bands  of  the  strengthening  sheath  of  the  plantar  aponeurosis, 

which  cross  the  direction  of  the  branches  of  the  perforatus  to  go  and 

attach  themselves  on  the  lateral  parts  of  the  first  phalanx. 


UV;-- ■;■--■■■.-.;  ■  •■!,';!  Ilii:';i.''''ih7ftjfi   r-'   ■ 


PLATE    XL 


PLATE     XI. 

This  plate  represents  the  cartilaginous,  tendonous,  and  ligament- 
ous apjjaratus  of  the  digital  region  seen  sidewise  (anterior  limb). 
The  third  phalanx  is  represented  in  the  interior  of  the  horny  box, 
opened  laterally,  in  order  to  show  its  proportions  of  dimension,  with 
the  cartilaginous  apparatus  which  project  from  it  behind. 

A  A  Lateral  cut  (or  section)  of  the  horny  box,  or  hoof. 

B  Basilar  process. 

b  Posterior  extremity  of  the  cartilage  in  the  interior  of  the  angle  of  in- 
flection of  the  hoof. 

C  External  face  of  the  cartilage. 

D  Vascular  ajjerture  on  the  surface  of  the  cartilage  at  the  level  of  the 
point  of  reunion  of  the  cartilage  and  bone. 

F  Superior  border  of  the  cartilage. 

Gr  Anterior  lateral  ligament,  bordering  the  cartilage  in  front. 

H  Retrossal  process. 

I  Extensor  tendon  of  the  third  phalanx  at  its  insertion  at  the  pyramidal 
eminence. 

J  Posterior  border  of  the  cartilage. 

K  Lateral  branches  uniting  the  tendon  of  the  extensor  of  the  phalanges 
with  the  branches  of  the  suspensor  ligaments  of  the  fetlock  at  K'. 

Q  Portion  of  the  fibrous  envelojiing  sheath  of  the  flexor  tendons  of  the 
jihalanges.  This  sheath  has  been  reduced  in  this  manner  by  dissec- 
tion, to  show  the  disposition  of  the  tendons  under. 

R  Lateral  branches  of  the  strengthening  sheath  of  the  perforans  tendon. 

T  Perforans  tendon  at  the  point  it  disappears  under  its  proper  sheath. 

V  Strengthening  sheath  of  the  j^erforans  tendon  seen  above  the  superior 
border  of  the  cartilage. 

X  Insertion  to  the  third  phalanx,  of  the  lateral  bands  of  the  strengthening 
sheath. 

Z  Insertion  of  the  lateral  extensor  to  the  first  phalanx. 


PLATE    XII. 


PLATE    XII. 

This  plate  shows  a  longitudinal  section  of  the  digital  region  in 
its  median  plane; 

Its  object  is  to  show  the  spongeous  substance  in  the  interior  of 
the  bone,  the  fibrous  intersections  in  the  plantar  cushion  of  the  ar- 
ticular and  tendonous  synovial  sheaths,  and  of  the  plantar  cushion 
(or  pad)  in  the  interior  of  the  hoof  under  the  third  phalanx  and  the 
navicular  bone. 

A  Inferior  part  of  the  pad  (cushion). 

B  Ligamentous  bands  (filaments)  representing  the  structure  of  the  fibrous 

body  forming  the  plantar  pad. 
C  Enveloping  fibrous  membrane  of  the  plantar  pad. 
D  Point  of  insertion  of  the  plantar  pad  to  the  inferior  face  of  the  bone  of 

the  foot. 
E  Spongeous  substance  of  the  interior  of  the  second  phalanx. 
r  Articulation  of  the  first  phalanx  with  the  second. 
H  Branches  of  the  perforatus  at  its  insertion  to  the  lateral  parts  of  the 

second  phalanx,  or  small  pastern  bone. 
I  Insertion  of  the  plantar  aponeurosis  to  the  semi-lunar  crest. 
K  Interior  of  the  first  phalanx. 
L  Section  of  the  perforatus  tendon. 

M  Transverse  ligament  of  the  yellow  fibrous  tissue  uniting   the  anterior 
face  of  the  perforans  to  the  posterior  face  of   the    os   coronae,  etc. 
(2d  phalanx). 
N  Diverticulum  of  the  sheath  of  the  articulation  of  the  foot  between  the 

little  sesamoid  and  the  third  phalanx. 
O  Little  sesamoidal  sheath. 
P  Capsule  of  the  articulation  of  the  foot  set  superiorly  against  the  cut  du 

sax  of  the  great  sesamoidal  sheath. 
T  Perforans  tendon. 
Y  MetacarDO-phalangial  articulation,  or  fetlock  joint. 


PLATE    XIII. 


PLATE    XIII. 

This  plate  represents  a  transverse  section  of  the  pogterior  part 
of  the  foot  behind  the  phalanges,  between  the  two  fibro-cartilages. 

It  shows  the  disposition  of  the  bulbs  of  the  plantar  pad,  or 
cushion,  the  stratified  layers  of  the  pyramidal  body,  the  height  of 
the  cartilages  of  the  hoof,  and  the  direction  of  the  bars. 

B  Bulb  of  the  plantar  pad  (or  cushion). 
C  Internal  face  of  the  fibro-cartilages,  or  lateral  cartilages. 
C  Height  of  the  hoof. 

D  Part  of  the  lateral  band  of  the  reinforcing  sheath  of  the  perforans. 
E  Point  of  junction  of  the  inferior  border  of  the  cartilages  with  the  sub- 
stance of  the  plantar  pad,  or  cushion. 
F  Longitudinal  depression  of  the  anterior  face  of  the  plantar  pad. 
Q  Stratified  layers  of  the  plantar  pad  in  the  pyramidal  body. 
Z  Superior  surface  of  the  bars. 
y  Thickness  and  direction  of  the  bars. 


PLATE    XIV. 


PLATE    XIV. 

This  plate  represents  the  digital  region  dissected,  seen  from  behind 
three  fourths.  Its  obiect  is  to  show  the  disposition  of  the  lateral  lig- 
aments of  the  articulation  of  tbe  foot  and  of  the  flexor  tendonn  of 
the  phalanges.  It  shows,  placed  one  above  the  other,  the  two  lat- 
eral ligaments  of  the  articulation  of  the  foot,  and  the  lateral 
band  of  the  reinforcing  or  strengthening  sheath  performing  the 
duty  of  a  third. 

A  Anterior  lateral  ligament  of  the  articulation  of  the  foot. 

B  Extensor  tendon  of  the  phalanges. 

C  Internal  face  of  the  lateral  fibro-cartilage. 

D  Posterior  lateral  ligament  of  sesamoid  (or  navicular). 

E  Branch  of  the  posterior  lateral  ligament  diverging  outwardly,  etc. 

I  Lateral  band  of  the  strengthening  sheath  of  the  perforans  follow- 
ing a  direction  parallel  to  the  two  ligaments  of  the  foot,  and  at- 
tached to  the  lateral  parts  of  the  first  phalanx. 

R  Branch  of  the  perf  oratus. 

U  Insertion  within  the  retrossal  process  of  the  aponeurosis  of  the  per- 
forans doubled  by  its  strengthening  sheath. 

X  Superior  insertion  of  the  lateral  bands,  or  stays,  of  the  strengthen- 
ing sheath. 


PLATE    XV. 


PLATE    XV. 

Posterior  face  of  the  digital  region.     The  porforans  tendon  has 
been  cut  lengthwise,  and  a  half  taken  off  in  order  to  show  the  dis- 
position of  the  underlying  parts. 
E  Insertion  of  the  posterior  lateral  ligament  to  the  extremity  of  the  sesa 

moid. 
G  Complemental  swelling  (pad)  of  the  little  sesamoid. 
H  Branches  of  the  posterior  lateral  ligament  diverging  outward. 
I   *  Bursal  ligament  uniting  the  anterior  inferior  border  of  the  little  sesa 

moid  to  the  bone  of  the  foot  behind  the  semi-hinar  crest. 
R  Lateral  border  of  the  perforans  tendon  within  the  cartilage. 
S   Insertion  of  the  plantar  aponeurosis  to  the  semi-lunar  crest. 
T  Inferior  face  of  the  plantar  aponeurosis. 
V  Strengthening  sheath  of  the  plantar  aponeurosis. 

X  Lateral  bands,  or  fibres,  etc.,  of  the  strengthening  sheath  of  the  plan- 
tar aponeurosis. 


'One  of  the  most  important  and  delicate  ligaments  of  the  foot. 


PLATE    XVI. 


PLATE    XVI. 

This  plate  shows  the  apparatus  of  the  posterior  ligaments  of  the 
articulation  of  the  first  phalanx  with  the  second,  and  the  disposition 
of  the  strengthening  sheath  of  the  plantar  aponeurosis  at  the  sur- 
face. 

A  Median  prolongation  of  the  posterior  ligament  of  the  first  phalangial 

articulation,  or  superficial  sesamoidal  ligament. 
B  Pair  prolongations  of  the  posterior  ligament  of  the  first  phalangial  ar- 
ticulation. 
C  Lateral  bands  of  the  sheath  of  reinforcement  at  their  point  of  insertion 

to  the  first  phalanx. 
O  Section  of  the  branch  of  the  perforatus,  above  the  lateral  bands  of  the 

strengthening  sheath. 
S   Semi-lunar  crest. 

T  Strengthening  sheath  at  the  surface  of  the  plantar  aponeurosis. 
X  Lateral  bands  of  this  sheath. 


i^Ci^i 


PLATE    XVII. 

Arterial  A'essels. 

The  figure  shows  the  superficial  disposition  of  the  digital  artery 
on  the  lateral  face  of  the  phalanges. 

A  A'  A"  Digital  artery  from  its  emerging  point  above  the  great  sesamoids 
to  the  point  where  it  disappears  under  tlie  plate  of  cartilages  in  X. 
B  Anterior  transverse  branch  at  the  metacarpo-phalangial  articulation. 
C  Perpendicular  artery. 

D  Ascending  branch  of  the  perpendicular  artery. 
E  Descending  branch  of  the  perpendicular  artery. 
F  Transverse  branch  forming  with  the  corresponding  one  the  super- 
ficial coronary  circle, 
f   Descending  ramuscules  in  the  pad  of  the  superficial  coronary  circle. 
f  Ascending  ramuscules   of   the  podophyllous   tissue,    or   sensitive 

laminte. 
G  Posterior  transverse  branches  of  the  metacarpo-phalangial  articu 

lation. 
K  Artery  of  the  plantar  pad,  or  cushion. 
P  Circumflex  artery. 
U  U  Ascending  terminal  divisions  of  the  digital  artery;  they  emerge 
from  the  porosities  of  the  third  phalanx,  and  send  ramifications 
to  the  podophyllous  tissue. 


I  4*-- 


PLATE    XVIII. 


PLATE    XVIII. 

Arterial  vessels. 

The  figure  represents  the   superficial  disposition  of  the  digital 
artery  at  the  superior  face  of  the  two  first  phalanges  and  at  the  in- 
ferior face  of  the  third. 
A  A'  Digital  artery  in  its  passage  along  the  phalanges. 

G  Posterior  transverse  branches  of  the  metacarpo-phalangial  articula- 
tion. 
H  Branches  above  one  another  at  intervals. 
K  Artery  of  the  plantar  pad,  or  cushion. 
L  Internal  branch  of  the  artery  of  tlie  plantar  pad. 
P  P  P  Circumflex  artery. 
Y  Y  Solar  arteries,  or  arteries  of  plant  ;ir  surface. 


PLATE    XX. 


PLATE    XX. 

Arterial  Yessels. 

Fig.  1  represents  a  disj)osition  of  the  digital  artery  in  the  in- 
terior of  the  third  johalanx  different  from  that  given  in  plate  17. 

The  semi-lunar  anastomosis  in  this  figure  shows  a  circle  almost 
complete. 

S  Plantar  artery  in  the  plantar  fissure. 

T  Circle  of  the  anastomosis  of  the  two  plantar  arteries  in  the  semi-lunar 

sinus. 
Y  Descending  radiated  divisions  of  the  semi-lunar  anastomosis. 

Fig.  2. 

It  shows  the  disposition  of  the  anterior  terminal  branch  or  external  of 

the  digital  artery  or  pre-plantar  artery. 
N  Digital  artery. 
P  Circumflex  artery  formed  by  the  divisions  at  X  which  emerge  from  the 

vascular  orifices  that  open  above  the  notched  body  of  the  bone. 
Q  Pre-plantar  artery. 
R  Peturning  branch  of  the  external  branch  of  the  digital.     Between  Q 

and  R  we  see  in  this  figure  the  third  branch  of  the  external  terminal 

branch  of  the  digital  which  goes  to  contribute  to  the  formation  of 

the  circumflex  artery. 


PLATE    XXI. 


PLATE  XXI. 

A  side  view  of  the  foot  to  show  in  the  sketch  the  ar- 
teries and  veins.  In  the  sketch  the  arteries  are  shaded 
and  the  veins  are  not, 

A   Artery. 

B   Vein. 

C    Branches  of  veins. 


PLATE    XXII. 


PLATE  XXXI. 

A  view  of  the  posterior  surface  of  the  foot,  to  show 
the  arteries  and  veins.  In  the  sketch  the  arteries  are 
shaded,  the  veins  are  not. 

A    Artery, 

B   Vein. 

C    Branches  of  veins. 


PLATE    XXIII. 


PLATE    XXIII. 

Venous  Yessels. 
This  figure  shows  the  superficial  disposition  of  the  venous  ves- 
sels at  the  posterior  face  of  the  two  first  phalanges  and  the  venous 
solar  plexus  at  the  inferior  face  of  the  third. 

A  A'  Central  discharge  of  the  veins  of  the  sohir  plexus. 

B  B  Venous  peripheric  canal  or  circumflex  vein. 

C  C  Veins  of  discharge  of  the  venous  solar  plexus  in  the  superficial  coronary- 
plexus. 
D  Posterior  face  of  the  superficial  coronary  venous  plexus.  On  the  in- 
ternal limit  of  this  plexus  we  see  at  D  the  large  posterior  communi- 
ca)2t  vein  which  serves  as  a  confluent  to  the  canals  emerging  from 
the  cartilaginous  bulbs  and  to  the  posterior  part  of  the  solar  plexus 
which  discharges  itself  in  it  by  several  different  veins. 
J  Continuation  of  the  posterior  communicant  vein  in  which  the  veins  of 
the  superficial  coronary  plexus  discharge  themselves.  It  goes  and 
unites  at  X  to  the  anterior  communicant  vein  to  form  the  dio-ital 
vein  Q  Q'. 

N.  B.  The  marks  of  the  lines  J,  Q  Q,  and  X  are  prolonged  by  error  in 
the  figure  beyond  the  parts  they  should  indicate. 

R  Sheath  of  the  flexor  tendons  in  which  transverse  divisions  ramify  them- 
selves. 
T  T  Perforans  tendon. 

V  Strengthening  sheath  of  the  perforans  tendon. 


PLATE    XXIV. 


PLATE    XXIY. 

"Venous  Vessels. 

The  figure  shows  the  disposition  of  the  podophyllous  plexus  and 
the  superficial  coronary  plexus. 

AAA  Venous  podophyllous  plexus. 

B  D  Venous  coronary  plexus. 

B  Central  part  of  the  coronary  venous  plexus. 
C   C    Ascending  veins  of  the  venous  coronary  plexus, 
c   Superior   communicant   vein   between   tlie  two  superficial   coronary 

plexus. 
F  Digital  vein.  ._^J 

G  G'  Roots  of  the  di2:ital  vein. 

N  Inferior   communicant   vein    between   the    two    superficial   coronary 

plexus. 
N.  B. — The  other  letters  in  this  figure  give  the  indication  of  the  disposi- 
tion of  the  ligaments  and  tendons,  already  given  in  plate  VIII. 


PLATE    XXV 


PLATE    XXV. 

Nerves. 

This  figure  represents  the  superficial  disposition  of  the  plantar 
nerves  on  the  lateral  parts  of  the  phalanges. 

P  Plantar  nerve. 

A  Point  of  emergence  of  the  plantar  nerve  above  the  sesamoids. 
B  B  B  Cartilaginous  branch. 
C  C  C  Cutaneous  branch. 

D  Digital  artery  at  the  posterior  face  of  wliich  the  nerve  is  set. 
E  E  Anastomotic  divisions  between  the  cartilaginous  branch  and  the  cu- 
taneous one. 
F  F  Division  destined  to  the  cartilaginous  bulb — bulbous  branch. 

G  Transverse  branch  behind  the  metacarpo-plialangial  articulation,  or 
fetlock  joint. 

V  Digital  vein. 


PLATE    XXVI. 


PLATE    XXVI. 

This  figure  represents  a  disposition  a  little  more  plexTious  (more 
net- work  like)  of  the  nerves  of  the  digital  region  than  in  Fig.  XXI. 

The  plantar  nerve  occupies  the  same  situation,  but  the  divisions 
which  emanate  from  it  are  more  numerous  and  more  anastomotic. 

P  Plantar  nerve. 

A  Point  of  emergence  o'f  tlie  plantar  nerve  above  tlie  sesamoids. 
B  B  Cartilaginous  branch. 
C  C  Cutaneous  branch. 

D  Digital  artery. 

F'  Bulbous  branch. 

G  Transverse  branch  behind  the  metacarpo-phalangial  articulation. 

I  Nerve  of  the  plantar  pad. 

L  Lateral  band,  or  filamentous  stay,  of  the  proper  tunic  of  the  plantar  pad. 
It  crosses  obliquely  from  backward,  forward,  and  from  upward 
downward,  the  direction  of  the  plantar  nerve. 

V  Digital  vein. 


PLATE    XXVII. 


PLATE    XXVII. 

This  figure  represents  on  tiie  digital  region,  seen  from  three- 
fourths  behind,  the  disposition  of  the  plantar  nerve  on  the  posterior 
face  of  the  phalanges  of  the  terminal  divisions  in  the  interior  of  the 
bone  of  the  foot. 
P  Plantar  nerve. 

A  Point  of  emergence  of  the  plantar  nerve  above  the  sesamoids. 
B  Cartilaginous  branch. 
C  Cutaneous  branch. 
D  Digital  artery. 

H  Occasional  division  destined  to  the  cartilaginous  bulbs. 
1 1   Branch  of  the  plantar  pad. 
K  Transverse  coronary  branch. 
M  Podophyllous  division. 
O  Pre-plantar  nerve. 

Q  Descending  branch  in  the  patilobe  fissure. 
R  Arterial  remuscules   accompanying   the  digital   artery  in  the  plantar 

fissure. 
V  Vein  following  sometimes  behind  the  plantar  nerve  in  all  its  phalangial 
course.     This  vessel  does  not  always  exist. 


PLATE    XXVIII. 


PLATE    XXVIII. 

A  front  view  of  the  bones  of  the  fore  feet,  to  show  the 


ligaments. 


A   The  pastern  bone. 

])  The  coronary  bone  raised  from  its  natural  situation, 
to  show  the  upper  ligaments  of  the  navicular  bone 
at  C  C,  Avhich  pass  round  each  side  of  the  coronary 
bone,  and  are  lost  upon  the  anterior  surface  of  the 
pastern  bone  at  D  D. 

E  The  foot  bone  bent  forward,  to  show  the  low'er  liga^ 
ments  of  the  navicular  bone  at  F  F. 

G  The  navicular  bone. 

H  Ligaments  that  unite  the  coronary  bone  to  the  foot 
bone. 

I  The  surfaces  to  which  the  ligaments  PI  H  are  at- 
tached. 

K     '   The  tendon  of  the  extensor  muscle  cut  off  at  its 
attachment  to  the  foot  bone. 
L       The  skin  turned  down  to  expose  the  ligaments. 


PLATE    XXIX. 


PLATE  XXIX. 

A  posterior  view  of  the  bones  of  the  fore  foot,  to  show 
the  ligaments  of  the  sesamoid  <»v  nnvicular  hone. 

A  The  pastern  bone. 

B   The  foot  bone. 

C  The  cut  end  of  the  tendon  of  the  flexor  muscle  of  the 
coronary  bone.  ^ 

D  D        The  upper  ligaments  of  the  navicular  bone,  as 
they  pass  round  the  sides  of  the  coronary  bone.' 

E  E  A  thin  expansion  from  the  ligaments  D  D  D  D  cov- 
ering the  mass  of  fat  lodged  in  a  cavity  in  the  fcor- 
onary  bone. 

F  Attachment  of  the  lower  ligament  of  the  navicu- 

lar bone  to  the  foot  bone. 

G  The  tendon  of  the  flexor  muscle  cut  off  at  its  inser- 
tion into  the  foot  bone. 

B  The  natur.il  surface  of  the  villi    continued   from 

the  true  skin. 


PLATE    XXX. 


PLATE    XXX. 

A  view  of  the  under  surface  of  the  foot  bone,  with  its 
cartilages  and  fleshy  frog.  The  skin  which  immediately 
covered  the  whole  is  removed  and  exhibited  in  the  next 
plate. 

A    Cut  edges  of  the  skin. 


FiC.   400. 


PLATE   XXXI. 

The  skin  taken  olT  from  that  part  of  the  hoof  exhibited 
in  Plate  XII. 


Fig.  1. 
Fig.  1.  View  of  the  lower  surface  of  the  foot  borie,  showing  the  serious  effect  of 
long  continued  inflammation.     The  bone  has  become  absorbed,  and  its  libre  eo  weaJi- 
ened  that  it  has  become  fractured. 


V 


\W-^-.  ' 


Fig.  2.  The  foot  bone  greatly  reduced  in  size  by  rapid  absorption.     The  effect  of 
about  a  week's  acute  inflammation.     See  Chronic  Lameness. 

PLATE    XXXL    A. 


t— I 

X 
X 
X 

H 


C"; 


PLATE    XXXII. 

The  object  of  this  figure  is  to  show  the  disposition  of  the  cap- 
illary vessels  in  the  tegument  of  the  digital  region  seen  sidewise. 
A  A  Arterial  vessels  of  the  skin. 

B  B'  Arterial  vessels  of  the  coronary  band,  or  cushion. 
R      Villosities  of  the  coronary  cushion. 

This  Vessel  does  not  always  exist. 
This  figure  represents  the  principal  perioplic  bourrelet,  the  coronary 
groove  and  the  podophyllous  tissue  or  sensitive  laminae. 

A     B     Principal  coronae  (or  cutidura)  with  the  villosities  covering  it. 

C     Superior  border  of  the  coronary  cushion. 

D     Perioplic  coronary  groove. 

B     Perioplic  (pad)  covered  with  little  horny  substance. 

F     Inferior  border  of  the  cushion. 

G     Podophyllous  tissue  or  sensitive  laminae. 

H     Villosities  of  the  inferior  extremity  of  the  podophyllous  laminae. 

E     Arteriel  vessels. 

K     Small  arteriel  branches. 


X! 
X 


PLATE    XXXIII. 

This  cut  represents  a  longitudinal  section  of  a  hoof,  following 
its  median  plane. 

It  shows  the  superior  border  of  the  periople,  the  cutigeral  cav- 
ity, the  keraphyllous  tissue,  or  horny  laminae  of  the  superior  sur- 
face of  the  sole,  and  the  cut  of  the  wall  of  the  sole,  and  of  the  frog. 

M  M'  Keraphyllous  tissues  or  horny  leayes. 
O  Superior  extremities  of  the  horny  leaves. 

P  Inferior  extremities  of  the  horny  leaves  at  the  point  where  they  pen- 
etrate into  the  border  of  the  sole. 
R  R  Superior  border  of  the  cutigeral  cavity. 
S  S  Superior  border  of  the  periople  above  the  cutigeral  cavity. 
T  Limit  between  the  wall  and  the  sole. 
U  Plantar  border  of  the  wall. 
X  Cutigeral  cavity   or  groove  for  coronary  cushion. 


u    ^ 


PLATE    XXXIV 


PLATE    XXXIV. 

This  figure  represents  the  superior  face  of  the  floor  of  the  hoof 
formed  by  the  sole  and  frog.  The  wall  has  been  cut  at  the  level 
of  the  sole  in  order  to  show  the  termination  of  the  homy  leaves  in 
the  edge,  or  border  of  the  sole. 

A  Circular  digital  cavity  at  the  point  of  reunion  of  the  sole  and  wall. 

B  Superior  border  of  the  frog. 

C  Termination  of  the  horny  leaves  in  the  edge  of  the  sole. 

D  Cavity  formed  by  the  superior  face  of  the  frog. 

E  Ridge  of  the  frog,  or  frog  stay. 

F  Groove  of  the  superior  face  of  the  frog. 

G  External  face  of  the  glomes  of  the  frog. 

N  Keraphyllous  tissue  at  the  internal  face  of  the  bars. 

O  Cutigeral  cavity  at  the  level  of  the  angles  of  inflection. 

X  Bottom  of  the  angle  of  inflection. 

Y  Point  of  termination  of  the  bars  at  the  lateral  parts  of  the  frog. 


PLATE   XXXV. 


PLATE    XXXV. 

The  figure  represents  a  transverse  cut  of  the  posterior  part  of 
the  hoof  at  the  lerel  of  the  body  of  the  frog. 

Its  object  is  to  shoir  the  disposition  of  the  ridge  of  the  frog, 
from  the  bottom  of  the  angles  of  inflection  and  the  bars. 

Fig.  1. 

The  frog  seen  from  its  superior  face — a  continuity  of  the  periople 
by  its  glomes. 
C  C  Glomes  of  the  frog. 

D  External  face  of  the  periople. 
S  S  Superior  border  of  the  periople. 

Fig.  2. 

The  tubes  of  the  frog  desagregated  one  from  the  other  and 
forming  a  sort  of  brush  by  a  partial  separating  of  the  hornj^  filling. 
This  desagregation  has  occurred  spontaneously  on  the  foot  of  a 
horse  growing  new  sole  and  frog. 


PLATE    XXXVI. 


Showing  Interior  of  Hoof. 

A       The  Cutegeal  Cavity. 

B       The  Laminae. 

C       Cavity  formed  by  lower  face  of  the  frog. 

D      The  Sole.     (See  plate  34.) 


Fig.  1. 


Fig.  2. 

PLATE  XXXVI.     A. 

Fig,  1.     Showing   the    mutilation   of   Hoof   by  excessive   rasping. — a 
<;ause  of  the  greatest  injury,  etc. 

Fig.  2.     A  Hoof  showing  a  convex  sole  or  bulging  downward  of  the 
sole.     See  Chronic  Lameness,  page  803. 


PLATE    XXXVII 


PLATE    XXXVII. 

Yiew  of  the  hoof  from  its  inferior  face. 
P  The  wall. 
S  The  sole. 
L  The  frog. 

A  Line  indicating  the  commissure  of  the  sole  and  of  the  wall,  known  as 
linea  alba,  or  white  line. 

B  Angle  of  inflection  of  wall  of  the  heels  (buttress). 
C  Superior  border  of  buttress. 

D  Region  of  the  heels  of  the  foot  within  the  angle  known  as  seat  of  corn. 
E  Inferior  border  of  the  bars. 

F  External  face  of  the  bars  lining  the  lateral  lacunte  of  the  frog. 
G  Glomes  of  the  frog,  or  bulbs  of  the  heels. 
H  Terminal  extremity  of  the  bars  at  the  sides  of  the  frog. 
I   Point  of  the  frog. 
K  Branches  of  the  frog. 
M  Regions  of  the  maviellas  of  the  hoof. 
P  Region  of  the  toe  of  the  hoof. 
Q  Median  lacuna  of  the  frog. 
U  Region  of  the  quarters. 


PLATE    XXXVIII. 


PLATE    XXXVIII. 

This  plate  represents  the  inferior  face  of  the  hoof  of  the  colt  in 
the  first  "vveeks  after  birth. 

A  A  Elastic  pad  or  tent  of  the  fojtal  hoof  reduced  to  diverging  strips  by 
the  pressure  of  the  foot  on  the  ground. 


PLATE    XXXVIIT.     A. 


Plate  38  A,  hoof  the  same  size  as  shown  in  Plate  39,  Fig.  1,  cut  in  two, 
showing  the  thickness  of  wall,  sole,  and  frog  at  the  center.  The  circular 
form  towards  the  toe  could  not  he  fully  brought  out  by  the  artist,  as 
shown  in  the  hoof,  but  is  an  exact  rc])roduction  of  the  thickness  and  ])ro- 
nortion  of  the  various  parts. 


2  ^       ^ 

Fig.  1. 

ig.  1. 

An  exact  drawing  of  a  hoof  from  the  foot  of  a  ffve-year-old  horse  that 

liad  never  been  shod  but  once. 

The  shoe  is  in  form  and  weight  and  the  nailing  on  in  accordance  with 
the  Authors  idea  of  doing  it. 


PLATE   XXXIX. 

Fig.  2. 

Showing  the  exact  outlines  of  the  above  hoof  showing  the  common 
method  of  adjustment  and  the  nailing  of  the  shoe  to  the  foot  as  usually 
done. 

The  shoe  and  nails  are  too  large,  and  the  nails  too  many  in  number. 
The  shoe  is  set  back  too  far,  and  the  nails  driven  so  high  and  deep  as  to  en- 
dnger  driving  into  the  quick.  The  real  cause  of  injury  being  made  appar- 
ent by  reference  to  page  80. 

The  Hoof  is  rasped  away  so  much  as  to  weaken  and  destroy  its  sym- 
etry.  A  common  cause,  as  will  be  seen,  of  destroying  the  natural  adjust- 
ment of  a  good  foot  and  so  weaken  t'.;c  walls  and  sole  as  to  produce  lame- 
ness ahd  contraction. 


Fig.  414. 


A,    Cross  section  of  hoof,  Fig.  410,  indicated    in  412. 
showing  the  exact  thickness  of  wall,  sole,  and  frog  at  A. 


Fig.  415. 

B,  View  of  the  next  section  of   the  wall  of   the  same, 
drawn  on  an  exact  scale  as  indicated  in  the  foregoing 


Fig.  416. 

C,  Third  cross  section  of  the  same,  showing  the  thickness 
of  wall,  sole,  and  frog  at  the  points  indicated  by  the  same. 


1,  2,  3,  show  the  thickness  of  wall  and  sole  full  size  at  points  indicated. 
The  inner  or  solt  parts  of  the  wall  (not  represented  as  clearly  by  the  en- 
graver as  it  should  be)  represents  about  one-eighth  of  an  inch  less  in  thick- 
ness than  shown  in  1  and  3.  The  outlines  of  the  hard  part,  as  originally 
drawn,  being  cut  away  by  the  engraver,  show  the  wall  on  this  account 
thicker  than  it. should  be.  No.  3  v/as  drawn  to  show  the  thickness  of  hard 
liber  with  the  soft  or  laminated  part  omitted,  which  will  give  a  good  idja 
of  the  small  amount  of  horn  their  is  ia  an  average  light  foot  to  nail  to,  and 
how  easy  it  is  to  break  and  weaken  it  seriously  by  nailing  deeply,  rasping 
and  cutting  away  recklessly,  as  shown  by  Plate  39,  Fig.  2.  The  notches  Ije- 
tween  the  sole  and  wall  indicate  the  degree  to  which  the  soft  horn  at  tin's 
point  had  been  macerated  or  dissolved  by  the  action  of  moisture  to  which 
the  hoof  had  been  subjected  for  two  weeks. 


1  2  ■  ■  3 

Sections  of  hoof,  the  first  two  showing  an  outline  of  the  wall  at  the 
fjoints  marked,  with  an  estimate  of  the  amount  usually  cut  away  in  rasping 
and  fitting  the  foot  to  the  shoe.  Also  showing  the  liability  to  drive  the 
nails  so  deep  in  such  cases  as  to  be  bent  into  the  quick  when  clinched.  The 
third  shows  the  size  of  nails  and  the  depth  they  should  be  driven,  in  pro- 
per proportion  to  prevent  injury  to  the  foot. 


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621 


Fig.  410. 

An  exact  drawing  of  a  hoof,  on  a  scale  of  three-fourtlis 
size,  which  was  macerated'^'  from  the  foot  of  a  five-year- 
old  horse  that  was  never  shod  but  once.  The  shoe  is  ac- 
cording to  the  author's  idea  of  form,  and  the  nailing,  how 
it  should  be  done. 


*  The  hoof  from  which  the  above  drawing,  and  sections  of  the  same  following, 
vere  made,  was  as  nearly  a  perfect  specimen  as  could  be  found.  It  was  secured  by 
Prof.  McLellan,  and  by  him  given  to  Mr.  David  Roburg,  referred  to  in  another  part 
of  this  chapter,  by  whom  it  was  highly  prized  as  a  model.  The  writer  called  upon 
this  gentleman,  and  upon  making  known  his  desire  to  secure  the  specimen  to  make 
drawings  from,  it  was  cheerfully  presented  to  him  for  the  purpose.  The  difficulty 
of  securing  a  competent  artist  to  make  the  drawings  required,  notwithstanding  the 
greatest  effort,  nearly  defeated  the  accomplishment  of  this  object.  One  was  finally 
obtained  for  a  few  hours  at  a  time,  until  the  drawings  here  given  were  secured. 

It  was  the  intention  of  tlie  Avriter  to  give  in  this  part  not  only  a  number  of  illus- 
trations showing  different  kinds  of  feet  and  shoes,  but  also  the  changes  produced 
by  contraction  and  disease.  With  this  object  in  view,  several  visits  were  made  by 
him  to  the  docks  at  28th  street.  New  York,  where  all  dead  subjects  are  daily  col- 
lected, to  make  suitable  selections.  But  after  weeks  of  persistent  effort  he  found  it 
impossible  to  secure  a  competent  artist  to  make  the  drawings,  and  in  consequence 
the  project  had  to  be  given  up,  but  hope  to  be  able  to  accomplish  this  at  some 
future  time. 


622 


SHOEING. 


Fig.  411. 


Showing  the  exact  outHnes  of  the  hoof,  Fig.  410,  with  the 
form  of  adjustment  and  nailing  of  shoe  as  usually  done.  The 
shoe  and  nails  are  too  large,  and  the  nails  too  many  in  num- 
ber. The  shoe  set  too  far  back,  and  the  nails  driven  so  high 
and  deep  as  to  endanger  driving  into  the  quick,  the  real 
cause  of  harm  being  made  apparent  by  reference  to  Figs.  421 
and  422.  The  hoof  is  rasped  away  so  much  as  to  weaken  and 
destroy  its  symmetry ;  a  common  cause,  as  will  be  seen,  of 
destroying  the  natural  adjustment  of  good  feet,  and  so  weak- 
ening the  wall  and  sole  as  to  produce  lameness  and  contrac- 
tion. 


SHOEING. 


623 


Fig.  410,  hoof  the  same  size,  cut  in  two,  showing 
the  thickness  of  wall,  sole,  and  frog  at  the  center.  The 
circular  form  towards  the  toe  could  not  he  fully  brought  out 
by  the  artist,  as  shown  in  the  hoof,  but  is  an  exact  re-pro- 
duction of  the  thickness  and  proportion  of  the  various  parts. 


Fig.  413. — View  of  the  inside  of  the  hoof.     Drawn  by  Mr.  Norman, 

one  of  the  leading  artists  of  New  York,  under  the  special 

supervision  of  the  writer. 

a  Coronary  ring ;   h  Laminated  structure ;    c  The  frog ; 
d  The  sole. 


624 


SHOEING. 


"'^i''i'iii'piiii' 

V;i!!|"!||l|ffl 

Fig.  414. 

A,  Cross  section  of  hoof,  Fig.  410,   indicated  in  412, 
showing  the  exact  thickness  of  wall,  sole,  and  frog  at  A. 


Fig.  415. 

B,  View  of  the  next  section  of  the  wall  of  the  same, 
drawn  on  an  exact  scale  as  indicated  in  the  foregoing. 


Fig.  41G. 

C,  Third  cross  section  of  the  same,  showing  the  thickness 
of  wall,  sole,  and  frog  at  the  points  indicated  by  the  same. 


SHOEING. 


625 


Fig.  417. 


Fig.  41S. 


Fig.  iiy. 


1,  2,  3,  show  the  thickness  of  wall  and  sole  full  size 
at  points  indicated.  The  inner  or  soft  parts  of  the  wall 
(not  represented  as  clearly  by  the  engraver  as  it  should 
be)  represents  about  one-eighth  of  an  inch  less  in  thickness 
than  shown  in  1  and  2.  The  outlines  of  the  hard  part,  as 
originally  drawn,  being  cut  away  by  the  engraver,  show 
the  wall  on  this  account  thicker  than  it  should  be.  No,  3 
was  drawn  to  show  the  thickness  of  hard  fiber  with  the 
soft  or  laminated  part  omitted,  which  will  give  a  good  idea 
of  the  small  amount  of  horn  there  is  in  an  average  light 
foot  to  nail  to,  and  how  easy  it  is  to  break  and  weaken  it 
seriously  by  nailing  deeply,  rasj^ing  and  cutting  away  reck- 
lessly, as  shown  by  Fig.  41].  The  notches  between  the 
sole  and  wall  indicate  the  degree  to  which  the  soft  horn  at 
this  point  had  been  macerated  or  dissolved  by  the  action 
of  moisture  to  which  the  hoof  had  been  subjected  for  two 
weeks. 

40 


626 


SHOEING. 


Fig.  430. 


Fig.  421. 


Fig.  422. 


Sections  of  lioof,  the  first  two  showing  an  outline  of  the 
wall  at  the  points  marked,  with  an  estimate  of  the  amount 
usually  cut  away  in  rasping  and  fitting  the  foot  to  the 
shoe.  Also  showing  the  liability  to  drive  the  nails  so 
deep  in  such  cases  as  to  be  bent  into  the  quick  when 
clinched.  The  third  shows  the  size  of  nails  and  the  depth 
they  should  be  driven,  in  proper  proportion  to  prevent  in- 
jury to  the  foot. 


SHOEING. 


627 


Not  five  horses  in  a  hundred,  shod  a  few  years  by  the  system 
in  general  use,  have  sound,  healthy  feet.  Contraction  and  its 
consequences,  —  corns, 
quarter-cracks,  thick- 
eninsf  of  lateral  car- 
tilasres,  inflammation 
and  ulceration  of  the 
navicular  bone  and 
coffin  joint,  with  other 
changes  of  structure 
that*  make  the  horse 
liable  to  soreness  or  in- 
curable lameness,  are 
the  rule  ;  while  horses 
having  sound,  healthy 
feet,  are  the  excep- 
tions. The  loss  to  the 
people  of  the  country 
from  this  cause — ig- 
norant, bad  shoeing — 
is  enormous,  and  could, 
except  in  some  serious  cases,  be  entirely  prevented  or  cured  by 
good  shoeing  and  proper  treatment. 

This  being  true,  it  is  of  the  greatest  importance,  not  only  as  a 
matter  of  humanity  to  horses,  but  economy  to  owners,  that  such 
knowledge  as  will  prevent  or  overcome  these  serious  causes  of  in- 
jury and  loss,  be  made  available;  and  this,  as  explained,  I  have 
made  a  special  effort  to  do  in  this  chapter.  It  is  idle  to  assume 
that  shoeing-smiths  would  intentionally  spoil  or  injure  the  feet; 
that  they  are  not  willing  to  learn  or  heed  the  teachings  of  reason. 
While  there  are  a  great  many  who  are  unpardonably  stupid  and 
ignorant,  and  who,  in  the  blindness  of  their  prejudices,  are  not 
willing  to  learn ;  yet,  as  a  class,  the  writer  never  found  any  peo- 


FiG.  423. — Foot  of  a  five-year-old  horse  that 
had  never  been   shod.* 


*  Cuts  Nos.  423  to  428  were  copied  from  Bracy  Clark's  treatise  on  shoeing, 
published  in  1809.  No.  433  is  an  illustration  of  the  foot  of  a  five-year-old  horse 
which  had  never  been  shod.  The  others  in  the  order  as  placed  and  explained,  show- 
ing the  atrophied,  contracted  condition  of  the  heels  and  quarters  after  shoeing.  These 
are  followed  by  drawings  from  casts  of  colts'  feet  made  by  the  author.  In  the  parj 
on  contraction,  the  causes  and  proper  treatment  will  be  found  explained. 


628 


SHOEING. 


pie  more  appreciative  of  special  points  of  interest  to  them,  than 

shoeing-smiths. 

Nor  is  the  fault  wholly  to  be  accounted   to  the  shoer.     The 

man  who  scoops  out  and 
rasps  the  foot  most  per- 
sistently to  make  it  look 
artistic,  puts  the  most 
iron  into  the  shoe,  and 
nails  it  on  so  firmly  that 
it  will  remain  so  indefi- 
nitely, and  works  the 
cheapest,  usually  gives 
the  best  satisfaction,  the 
owner  believing  he  is  get- 
tine:  the  most  for  his 
money  ;  the  health  of  the 
foot  and  the  comfort  of 
the  animal,  being  a  mat- 
ter of  secondary  consid- 

FiG.  424.— The  same  after  one  5'ear's  shoeing.  , . 

eration. 

The  foot  is,  next  to  the  eye, 
the  most  beautiful  and  per- 
fect in    the   details  of  its 
structure.     It  is   in   every 
particular  the  most  perfectly 
adapted  of    any  part  of  the 
body  for  giving  the  greatest 
possible  strength  and  elastic- 
ity ;    and,  if    not  interfered 
with,  is  capable  of  sustaining- 
all  the  strain    and    wear   to 
which  it  can  be   reasonably 
subjected.    But  when  exposed 
to  causes  which  bring  about 
disease  and  change  of  struct- 
ure, there  are  also  involved,  to 
a  greater  or  less  degree,  the 
health  and   mobility  of   the 


Fig.  425. 


-The  same  after  three  years' 
shoeing. 


SHOEING. 


629 


entire  limb.  Any  one  knows  that  an  injury  to  the  toe  or  any 
part  of  the  foot  is  liable  to  cause  severe  pain  and  disturbance 
throughout  the  entire  limb.  The  effect  is  the  same  in  the  horse's 
foot.  This  being  true,  we  want  to  learn,  if  we  can,  the  causes  of 
these  derangements,  and  how  to  prevent  as  well  as  overcome  them. 
I  regard  this  subject  so  important  as  to  demand  more  than 
ordinary  care  to  make  it  so 
simple  and  practical  in  its 
explanations  that  it  can  be 
easily  understood,  as  well 
as  give  such  proofs  of  the 
faults  common  to  the  pres- 
ent system  of  shoeing  that 
the  necessity  for  correcting 
them  will  be  apparent.* 
To  aid  in  doing  this,  I  give 
a  large  variety  of  illustra- 
tions of  the  hoof  and  inter- 
nal parts  of  the  foot,  which 
will  give  a  good  idea  of  its 
general  structure.  Among 
these  will  be  found  many 
entirely  new    illustrations. 

For  example,   cuts  showing 

.       i;  -I       £        ,  1      Fig.  426. — The  same  after  six  years'  shoeing, 

parts  oi  hoot  cut  av/ay,  and 

different   views   showing   tendons,  lateral  cartilages,  etc. ;  also  a 

great  variety  of  shoes  which  have  been  drawn  or  copied  under 

my  special  supervision. 

*  Tliis  chapter,  as  first  written,  was  linaited  to  simple  details ;  but  upon  reading 
it  carefully  it  became  evident  to  the  writer  that  a  more  complete  and  thorough  ex- 
planation of  the  subject  was  necessary,  in  order  to  make  it  worthy  of  acceptance 
for  general  reference.  He  then,  as  a  preliminary  step,  obtained  every  work  availa- 
ble that  had  been  published  during  the  past  hundred  years.  He  also  took  notes 
from  leading  experts  on  the  subject  of  shoeing,  particularly  from  Dr.  Hamill,  for- 
merly professor  of  Pathological  Shoeing,  in  Columbia  Veterinary  College,  of  New 
York,  and  one  of  the  most  thorough  professional  students  of  the  foot  in  the  coun- 
try. After  re-writing  the  chapter,  it  was  first  submitted  to  him  for  revision  and 
correction;  next,  to  Hon.  Wni.  C.  Gage,  of  Battle  Creek,  Mich.,  who  had  been  led 
to  study  the  subject  in  the  preparation  of  a  work  on  Shoeing  Fome  years  previous. 
Again,  to  Dr.  McLellan,  of  Bridgeport,  Ct.,  the  present  professor  of  Pathological 
Shoeing  in  the  above-nanicd  College,  and  accepted  as  one  of  the  very  highest  author- 


630 


SHOEING. 


"'"^Uj.i.xii'i^ 


Fig.  427. — Foot  of  a  five-year-old  horse 
had  never  been  shod. 

point  which  I  find  the  author 
in  his  anatomical  description 
has  not  made  sufficiently  strong 
to  arrest  the  attention  of  the 
reader;  namely,  the  amount  of 
blood  that  passes  through  the 
foot ;  and  I  would  advise  the 
reading  of  the  description  of  the 
circulation  of  the  foot,  given  in 
the  chapter  on  L  a  m  i  n  i  t  i  s ,  or 
Foundei'. 

Many  years  ago,  in  Buffalo, 
N.  Y.,  a  well-known  veterinary 
suT-geon,  a  man  of  unexceptional 
skill  and  experience,  told  me 
that   years  ago  a   man  bought 


that 


In  addition,  at  the  conclu- 
sion of  the  chapter  will  be 
found  cxtiacts  from  a  num- 
ber of  loading  authors,  fol- 
lowed by  the  best  anatomical 
description  obtainable.  This 
course  I  have  thought  advis- 
able, for  the  reason  that 
shoers  and  also  most  owners 
would  be  likely  to  read  with 
more  cai'c  and  attention  the 
details  of  such  a  description, 
after  becominof  interested  in 
first  reading  the  details  of 
treatment. 

There  is,  however,  one 


Fig.  4^8. — The  same  after  one  year's 
shoeing  with  thick  shoes. 


ities  on  the  subject.  It  was  afterward  read  by  Mr.  David  Roburg,  of  New  Tork, 
who  is  probably  one  of  the  very  best  expert  shoers  in  the  country.  The  article  be- 
ing rather  lengthy,  it  was  particularly  desired  of  them  to  point  out  any  part  that 
could  be  omitted  with  advantage ;  but  it  was  tlie  opinion  of  all  that  no  part  could 
well  be  dispensed  with.  Dr.  Hamill  and  Prof.  McLellan  made  some  additions,  which 
are  noted.  The  writer  was  particularly  interested  in  Mr.  Roburg's  advice  on  con. 
traction,  as  he  is  aspecial  expert  on  the  subject,  but  he  suggested  no  changes. 


SHOEING. 


631 


out  a  livery  stable  in  that  city,  and  put  all  the  horses  on  short 
shoes  or  tips  ;  that  he  believed  at  the  time  that  the  horses  would 
be  ruined  by  such  treatment,  but,  to  his  surprise,  they  w^ei-e 
greatly  improved ;  several  of  them  that  had  been  affected  with 
obstinate  corns,  and  which  he  had  been  called  upon  to  treat,  and 
could  do  little  more  than  palliate,  though  for  the  first  few  weeks 
they  traveled  sore,  entirely 
recovered ;  and  that  the 
horses  of  his  stable  had  bet- 
tei"  condition  of  feet  than 
any  in  the  city.  Said  he, 
"  The  whole  point  of  suc- 
cess in  the  Goodenough 
shoe  is,  that  the  iron  is  so 
soft  that  it  weai's  down 
rapidly,  and  lets  the  feet 
come  to  the  ground." 

These  statements  were  so 
suggestive  to  the  writer 
that  they  led  to  his  study- 
ing the  conditions  of  shoe- 
ing with  more  discrimina- 
tion and  care.  It  was  no- 
ticed, first,  that  the  feet  of 
young  horses  that  had  not 
been  shod,  no  matter  how  driven  or  worked,  except  the  wearing 
away  of  the  outer  rim  of  the  wall,  retained  a  sound,  healthy  con- 
dition. This  being  true,  why  the  necessity  of  thinning  out  the 
sole,  opening  up  the  heels,  trimming  the  frog  and  other  parts,  and 
loading  down  the  feet  with  an  amount  of  iron  of  such  form  as  to 
be  in  most  cases  entirely  out  of  proportion  to  the  proper  adjust- 
ment and  wear  required  ? 

The  writer  was  next  led  to  observe  that  horses  shod  with  the 
most  care,  according  to  foregoing  principles, — the  bottom  of  the 
foot  and  frog  abundantly  cut  away  and  scooped  out,  the  shoe 
filed  and  fastened  on  firmly,  the  whole  made  artistic  by  rasping 
down  the  outer  surface  of  the  hoof — had  the  Avorse  condition  of 
feet ;  while  those  shod  most  carelessly  or  quickly,  barely  leveling 
the  wall,  without  regard  to  sole  or  frog,  and  nailing  on  the  shoe 


Fig.  429. — Foot  of  a  four-j-ear-old  colt  that 
had  never  been  shod. 


0:12 


SHOEING. 


with,  perhaps,  a  few  hurried  rakes 


"^at  1    & 


Fig.  430. — Foot  of  a  five-year-old  colt  that 
had  never  been  shod. 


It  will  be  noticed,  first, 
that  those  having  thick  shoes 
with  high  calks,  show  a 
greater  or  less  degree  of  curl- 
ing under  of  the  quarters, 
with  so  much  absorption  and 
weakening  of  them  as  to 
make  them  more  or  less  sore 
or  lame.  Or,  when  the  foot 
is  flat,  the  quarters  resting 
upon  such  largely  concave 
surfaces  (as  shown  by  sec- 
tional drawings  of  shoe),  the 
foot  becomes  convex,  or  the 
frosr  settles  down  below  the 
bearing  of  the  heels.  This 
causes  the  foot  to  become  so 
weak  as  to  be  unable  to  bear 
the  strain  of  severe  work, 
while  those  having  the  shoes 


of  the  rasp  over  the  clenches 
and  lower  edge  of  the  wall, 
maintained  the  best  condition 
of  health. 

This  is  particularly  notice- 
able in  horses  that  travel  on 
oround  which  alloAvs  the  feet 
to  settle  into  it,  so  as  to  bi-ing 
more  or  less  pressure  upon 
the  sole  and  frog.  These  re- 
sults are  more  noticeable  in 
large  cities,  especially  iu  New 
York,  where  there  are  large 
lines  of  travel  that  afford  am- 
ple opportunity  of  studying 
the  condition  of  the  feet,  in 
conjunction  with  the  method 
of  paring,  and  the  form  and 
weie'ht  of  the  shoe. 


Fio. 


431. — ^Foot  of  a  three-year-old  colt 
that  had  never  been  fhod. 


SHOEmG. 


633 


low  or  worn  down,  have  broader  and  stronger  heels.     This  will 

bo  more  noticeable  in  horses  used  exclusively  on  certain  lines,  that 

wear   shoes    without 

calks,    or    those  with 

slight  elevations  around 

the    outer    edge,    which 

soon    wear    down    and 

admit   of   a   reasonably 

close  contact  of  the  foot 

with  the  ground. 

Upon  inquiry  into 
the  mode  of  adjusting- 
such  shoes,  it  was  ascer- 
tained that  the  invaria- 
ble rule  was,  simply  to 
lower  the  wall,  fit  and 
nail  on  the  shoes  with- 
out touching  sole  or 
frog,  except  to  remove 
or  scale  off  any  extra 
accumulations.      Companies    adopting  this  method    all    admitted 

that  it  was  not  only  a  great 
saving,  but  greatly  improved 
the  condition  of  the  feet.* 

We  see  there  is  rarely  any 
trouble  with  the  feet,  no  con- 
traction,    quarter-cra-cks, 


Fig.  432 


Half  of  hoof  removed,  showing  coro- 
nary ring  or  cushion  from  which 
the  hoof  grows. 


Fig.  433. — Bottom  view  of  the  above. 


*  I  present  a  series  of  illustrations 
showing  the  bad  effects  of  a  few  years' 
shoeing  with  thick  shoes  which  re. 
moved  all  contact  of  the  sole  and 
frog  from  the  ground,  the  results  of 
careful  experiments  made  by  Bracy 
Clark,  and  published  in  1809.  First, 
of  a  healthy,  natural  foot;  next, 
showing  the  degree  of  contraction 
and  change  of  structure  produced  in 
the  same  foot  after  one,  three,  and 
six  years'  shoeing. 


634 


SHOEING. 


corns,  or  other   causes  of   derangeuient,   until  after  beino-   shod; 
also  that  the  feet  of  the  Indian  ponies,  though  ridden  and  driven 


Fig.  434. — Showing  the  frog-band,  or  coronary  ring. 

in  the  severest  manner,  without  shoes,  on  the  plains,  and  horses 
that  are  worked  in  sections  of  country  where  the  attrition  is  not 

so  great  as  to  re- 
quire shoes,  such 
as  Southern 
Michigan,  Illi- 
nois, Iowa,  and 
other  parts  of 
the  South  and 
West,  retain  a 
r  em  arkably 
sound,  healthy, 
natural  condi- 
FiG.  435.— Model  of  hoof  and  shoe,  made  by  writer  in  1860.       tion.* 


*  It  is  claimed,  and  not  without  reason,  that  the  feet  of  colts  are  not  always  in 
a  natural,  healthy  condition;  that  they  are  liable  to  grow  out  of  shape,  thus  de- 
stroying their  natural  adjustment  and  health,  and  that  it  is  often  necessary  to  ob- 
viate this  by  trimming  the  hoof  and  properly  adjusting  a  shoe.  This  tendency  is 
sometimes  induced  by  hereditary  causes,  resulting  from  bad  shoeing,  or  from  bad 
treatment  in  preventing  such  healthful  freedom  and  attrition  to  the  feet  as  would 
keep  the  horn  worn  down.  The  writer's  attention  was  especially  called  to  this 
point  when  in  New  York,  in  1872,  by  the  invitation  of  Dr.  Bryden,  a  well-known 
expert  in  the  art  of  shoeing,  to  accompany  him  to  witness  his  treatment  of  a  colt's 
feet  which  required  treatment  on  account  of  undue  confinement,  and  hereditary 
tendencies  to  contraction. 


SHOEING.  635 

We  observe  also  that  the  excessive  wear  is  always  at  the  toe, 
and  that  the  heels  rarely  suffer  even  on  bad  roads.  Consequently 
the  best  shoeing  for  the  feet,  for  all  roads  and  seasons,  when  in 
a  good  condition  of  health,  must  be  such  as  will  permit  them  to 
be  as  neai'ly  barefoot  as  possible,  or  at  least  that  the  posterior  part 
is  so,  yet  sustaining  all  the  attrition  of  wear  to  which  they  may 
be  subjected.  This  being  true,  the  object,  then,  of  shoeing  should 
be  to  prevent  excessive  wear,  give  power,  and  prevent  slippiug, 
which  necessitates  the  following  conditions:  First,  the  preparation 


Fig.  436. — Side  view  of  a  properly  proportioned  shoe. 

of  the  foot;  second,  the  weight,  form,  and  fitting  of  the  shoe;  and 
third,  nailing  to  the  foot. 

First,  in  preparing  the  foot  for  the  shoe,  the  aim  should  be  to 
cut  away  so  much  of  the  wall  as  would  be  a  surplus  of  growth, 
or  so  much  only  as  would  bring  it  back  to  its  natural  form  and 
adjustment. 

Second,  the  shoe  should  be  in  form,  so  that  when  on,  the  ad- 
justment of  the  foot,  or  its  power  to  obtain  hold  or  grasp  upon  the 
ground,  will  be  as  nearly  as  possible  what  it  was  before  being 
shod,  and  yet  sustain  the  wear  for  the  time  it  is  intended  to  be  on. 

Third,  it  should  be  nailed  on  firmly,  yet  so  as  to  break  or 
weaken  the  wall  of  the  hoof  as  little  as  possible,  and  not  interfere 
with  the  freedom  of  the  quarters,  or  enlargement  of  the  foot  as  it 


grows. 


Pedestrians  who  are  compelled  to  study  carefully  the  fitting 


636 


SHOEING. 


and  adjustment  of  shoes,  arc  particular  to  have  them  big  and 
easy,  >  et  support  the  foot  perfectly  in  all  its  parts  without  altering 
its  natural  adjustment.  The  shoe  must  exert  no  undue  'pressure 
upon  any  part,  nor  be  so  stiff  as  to  interfere  in  the  least  with  the 

natural  mobility  of  the 
foot.  Even  a  chance  knot 
or  seam  in  the  stocking 
would  be  fatal  to  these 
conditions  ;  because  when 
under  great  strain  it  would 
cause  chafing,  whicli,  if  not 
arrested,  would  set  up  so 
much  inflammation  as  to 
soon  induce  entire  disabil- 
ity. 

Now  in  shoeing  horses, 
we  see  that  the  hoof  is  a 
shoe  of  another  kind,  which 
is  the  exact  counterpart  of 
the  internal  parts,  and  is 
perfectly  adapted  for  the 
protection  and  support  of 
this  internal  structure.  If 
its  mobility  is  impaired,  or 
any  part  of  the  foot  is  sub- 
jected  to  excessive  press- 
ure or  injury  sufficient  to 
cause  inflammation,  the  same  effect  must  follow  of  producing 
inflammation  and  alteration  of  structure,  not  only  of  the  foot,  but 
of  the  entire  limb,  which  would  soon  ruin  a  good  horse. 

In  the  state  of  nature,  the  bones  of  the  foot  are  so  nicely 
adjusted  and  balanced  by  the  ligaments  and  tendons  of  the  limb, 
that  there  is  no  unequal  strain  brought  upon  any  joint,  but  each 
assists  in  supporting  the  others.  But  if  the  heels  are  raised  too 
hio-h,  there  will  be  correspondingly  increased  strain  brought  upon 
the  ligaments  supporting  the  back  or  front  part.  In  like  manner, 
raising  or  lowering  the  inner  or  outer  quarter,  would  produce  a 
lateral  strain  upon  the  joints  nnd  ligaments  which  must  ultimately 
cause  serious  injury,  and  cause  the  foot  to  grow  out  of  line. 


Fig.  437. — ^View  of  foot  from  which  the  hoof 
and  skin  have  been  removed,  showing 
circulation  through  the  arteries 
and  veins. 


SHOEING. 


637 


The  strain  comes  perpendicularly  from  the  shoulder  to  the  fet- 
lock, and  thence  to  the  ground  as  it  passes  along  to  the  pastern 
and  foot.  These  are  inclined  more  or  less  obhquely  forward  ;  con- 
sequently, the  strain  or  weight  imposed  upon  the  Hmb  has  a  con- 
stant tendency  to  be  in- 
creased by  the  length  of 
tlie  foot  and  its  obliquity. 
To  prevent  this,  there  are 
two  strong  tendons,  perfo- 
ratus  and  perforans  (see 
cuts  369,  370),  which  sup- 
port the  ankle  and  main- 
tain its  natural  angle. 

It  is  evident   that   the 
longer  and  less  upright  the 


lever,  the  greater  must  be 
the  strain  upon  these  back 
tendons.  If  the  degree  of 
obliquity  is  made  greater 
than  is  intended  by  nature 
(which  is  caused  by  allow- 
ing the  toe  and  foot  to 
grow  unnaturally  long), 
this  result  will  follow.  To 
prevent  this,  at  stated  in- 
tervals the  shoe  must  be 
taken  off,  and  the  foot  cut  down  to  its  natural  size  and  adjust- 
ment. On  the  other  hand,  if  the  toe  is  made  too  short  and  the 
heel  is  raised,  the  front  or  flexor  tendons  will  be  subjected  to  in- 
creased strain,  and  equally  liable  to  produce  serious  harm. 

A  popular  writer  says  :  "A  shortened  point  of  hoof,  with  or 
without  wrong  interference  of  the  heels,  alters  the  degree  of 
obliquity  of  the  whole  limb,  and  diminishes  the  power  and  possible 
rate  of  speed  of  an  animal,  from  the  instant  such  a  sta-te  of  things 
ia  begun.  One  of  the  first  signs  of  this  occurrence  in  a  young- 
horse  of  high  cast,  is  a  swelling  of  the  hack  sinetvs  heloiu  the  knees, 
and  it  is  that  enlargement  which  attracts  attention,  and  not  the 
foot."  I  give  here  a  variety  of  illustrations  showing  the  different 
degrees  of  obliquity,  and  length  from  the  fetlock  to  the  toe.     Fig. 


Fig.  438. — View  of  foot  froai  which  the  hoof 
was  removed  by  maceration. 


638 


SHOEING. 


447   shows   a   good   adjustment.      Fig.    445    shows  the  toe  too 
long.     Fig.  446  shows  the  toe  too  short,  with  fetlock  too  straight. 


Fig.  439.— Too  short 
and  upright. 


Fig.  440. — Too  oblique. 


Fig.  441. — Natural  ob- 
liquity of  ankle. 


If  the  heels  on  a  pair  of  boots  are  too  high,  there  will  not  only 
be  unnatural  strain  brought  upon  the  calf  of  the  leg  and  ankle 


Fig.  443.  Fig.  443.  Fig.  444. 

Different  modifications  ol  obliquitj'  and  length. 

while  walking,  which  in  a  short  time  produces  weariness  and 
pain,  but  a  sliding  or  crowding  of  the  foot  forward  against  the  toe 
and  upper.    This  condition  in  a  short  time  would  cause  a  shoulder 


SHOEING. 


639 


to  form  against  the  foot,  and  become  a  cause  of  soreness  and  in- 


flammation. On  the  other 
long  and  stiff,  there  will 
he  correspondingly  in- 
creased strain  brought  upon 
the  ankle  and  gTeat  ten- 
don at  the  heel,  causing 
fatigue  and  injury.  Again, 
if  the  heel  is  too  narrow  or 
drawn  in  too  much  on  one 
side,  the  sui-face  of  resist- 
ance being  thereby  less- 
ened, it  wears  down  more 
rapidly  and  i-uns  ovei*. 

To  remedy  this,  it  is  nec- 
essary to  make  the  adjust- 
ment of  the  shoe  to  conform 
to  the  line  of  bearing  of 
the  foot  ;  that  is,  low  heels, 
with  broad,  elastic  sole,  an 


hand,   should  the  sole  be  excessively 


Fig.  446. — Toe  too  sUort. 


Fici.  445. — Toe  too  long. 

increase  of  the  bearing  surface 
of  that  side,  and,  if  necessarj' , 
a  drawing  in  or  nariowing  of 
the  opposite  side  sufficient  to 
equalize  the  line  of  bearing. 
The  principle  is  the  same  in  re- 
storing or  preserving  the  ad- 
justment of  the  horse's  foot  ; 
consequently  properly  cutting 
away  and  leveling  the  foot,  and 
adjusting  the  shoe  to  it  so  that 
the  bearing  surface  will  be  ex- 
actly the  same  from  the  center 
outward  on  each  side,  and  of 
the  right  length,  requires  con- 
siderable skill  and  judgment. 

Again,  the  foot  is  continually 
growing  wider  and  longer,  .so 
that  after  being   shod,    proper- 


640 


SUOEING. 


tionate  to  the  amount  of  growth  or  length  of  time  the  shoe  is  on 
there  will  be  corresponding  change  from  the  original  size  and  ad- 
justment, making  the  shoe  too  small,  or  drawing  it  forward  under 
the  heels,  and,  as  before  explained,  increasing  the  strain  upon  the 
back  tendon.     To  restore  this  to  its  natural  adjustment,  at  stated 

intervals  of  four  or  six  weeks, 
according  to  the  rapidity  of 
growth,  the  shoe  must  be  taken 
off  and  the  wall  of  the  foot  cut 
down  to  its  original  form,  and 
the  shoe  nailed  on  again. 

In  its  natural  condition   the 
outer  rim  or  wall  of  the  foot 
comes   in    contact   with    the 
ground  fii-st;  second,  the  frog 
and    outer   edge   of    the    sole; 
third,  the  center  of  the  foot  and 
spaces   between  the   bars  and 
.  frog.     Now,  in  putting  on  the 
''  shoes,    the   aim    should   be   to 
keep  the  adjustment  of  the  feet 
as  nearly  as  possible    what   it 
was  before  shoes  wei-e  put  on. 
To  show  this  more    clearl}^, 
three  sectional  drawings  are  made,  showing  the  concavity  of  the 
foot  at  different  points  between  the  heel  and  turn  of  the  hoof,  and 
the  necessarily  great  disturbance  of  this  relation  by  the  form  of 
shoe  usually  put  on.     Cut  A  shows  the  foot  at  the  point  of  the 
heels  as  it  rests  upon  the  ordinary  thick  shoe,  with  calks  raising 
the  frog  and  sole  so  unnaturally  high  from  the  ground,  that  there 
can  be  no  contact  of  those  parts  with  it  necessary  for  obtaining 
moisture  and  preserving  a  condition  of   health.     In  addition  it 
will  be  noticed,  that  in  the  wa}'  shoes  are  usually  fitted,  the  bear- 
ing surface  is  very  nnich  concave,  teiiding  to  force  the  quarters 
together.     Cut  B  shows  the  same,  with  form  and  fitting  of  shoes 
as  they  should  bo;  cuts  C  and  D  show  the  same  at  relati\e  dis- 
tances between  there  and  the  turn  of  the  foot;  D,  at  the  widest 
part,  representing  a  heavy  shoe. 

The  better  to  explain  some  of  the  causes  of  contraction  and 


Fig.  iiT. — Foot  about  as  it  should  be. 


SHOEING. 


641 


Fk;.   44S. — Font  at  point  of  heel  on  thick  shoes. 


Fig.  -4  49. — Shoe  fitted  as  it  should  be. 


alteration  of  the  structure  of   the  foot  by   shoeing,  the  writer 
hitended  to  give  a  cut  of  the  impression  of  a  natural,  unshod  foot 
upon  the  ground,  showing  that  the  outei-  rim  or  wall  comes  first, 
and  that  when    the 
fifround  is  so  soft  as  to 
let  the  foot  settle  into 
it,   there    is    a  corre- 
spondingly   strong 
pressure  upward  and 
outward    upon  the 
quarters.     To  do  this, 
when    in  New  York 
City  making  illustra- 
tions for    this    work, 
he    made    three  trips 
to  Flatbush,  to  obtain 
casts  from  colts'  feet 
from    four    to    five 
years  old,  from  whicli 
to  make  the    desii-ed 
drawings.     After  the 
loss  of  a  week's  time, 
and  large  expense, 
two  drawings  of  such 
impressions      were 

made  by  two  of  the 

1      ,       ,.   ,     •     ,1        •,  Fig.  451. — Adjustment  at  turn  of  foot.  ^ 

best  artists  m  the  city.  ^     ! 

But  it  was  finally  decided  that  neither  could  bt;  engraved  so  as  to 

brhig    out   the   idea 

sufficiently  clear  and 


Fig.  450. — Adjustment  between  heel  and  turn  of  foot. 


Fig.  452. — An  exact  drawing  from  a  colt's  foul, 

one-half  size,  showing  the  natural  concavity- 

of  the  sole. 


good  to  be  of  any  spe- 
cial benefit;  coii.se- 
quently  it  was  abai*» 
(loned.     The  sectional 


di-awings 


ffivcn   arc 


made  from  a.  half -size  scale  of  casts,  showing  the  exact  degree  of 
concavity  at  different  parts,  as  given. 

The  colt's  foot  in  its  natural  state,  being  the  most  simple  and 


( I 


G42 


SHOKING. 


easy  to  prepare  for  the  shoe,  a\c  will  consider  first.  For  colts 
requiring  to  bo  driven  around  in  harness,  tips  or  thin  plates  only 
Avould  !)('  sufficient.  In  such  a  case,  simply  trim  off  the  wall  in 
front  down  to  a  level  with  the  sole,  and  adjust  to,  and  nail  on 
with  about  four  small  nails,  a  small  thin  strip  of  steel  or  iron  a 

little  broader  than  the 
thickness  of  the  wall.  Steel 
would  be  best,  because  it 
admits  of  being-  made  light- 
er, and  wears  longer.  The 
heels  and  frog  should  not 
be  interfered  with  unless 
one  heel  is  much  higher 
than  the  other,  when  it 
should  be  lowered  suffi- 
ciently to  restore  the  proper 
adjustment.  The  objection 
to  tips  is  that,  as  the  toe  is 
growing,  the  heels  are 
wearing,  which  in  time 
would  be  likely  to  increase 

the  strain  upon  the  flexor 

-Til)  about  as  it  should  be  adjusted.      ,        •,  i  • ,  „  i 

tendon  and  its  appendages. 

This  dispi'oportion  of  A\ear  would  be  more  rapid  and  noticeable 
should  the  roads  be  wet  and  gi-avelly,  as  moisture  and  grit  soften 
the  lioi-n  and  cause  it  to  break  and  wear  away  more  rapidly,  but 
not  so  much  as  may  be  supposed  on  paved  streets  and  mud  roads. 
The  writei-  saw  several  horses  in  New  York  City  that  had  been 
shod  with  tips  with  decided  benefit  to  the  health  of  the  feet  and 
without  any  apparent  disproportion  or  wearing  down  of  the  frog 
and  quarters,  though  the  iron  was  worn  down  fully  a  quarter  of 
an  inch.  The  parts  became,  as  it  were,  hardened  and  polished, 
thereby  i-esisting  the  wear  almost  as  nmch  as  the  iron.  If  the  colt 
or  horse  is  used  but  moderately,  and  the  roads  not  very  stony, 
tips,  if  properly  fitted  and  put  on,  will  be  found  of  decided  ad- 
vantage. They  are  necessary  in  cases  where  there  is  a  lack  of 
nutrition,  and  an  unhealthy  and  slow  growth  of  horn  usually  fol- 
lowing laminitis. 

As  there  lias  been  much  discussion  among  writers  in  relation 


Fig.  45:3.- 


SHOEING.  643 

to  the  use  of  tips,  or  thin-heeled  shoes,  and  desiring  to  make  this 
explanation  as  clear  and  reliable  as  possible,  I  requested  Dr.  Ham- 
ill  and  Dr.  McLellan,  the  two  best  veterinary  authorities  on 
this  subject  in  this  country,  to  give  me  a  statement  of  the  cases 
for  which,  in  their  judgment,  tips  would  or  would  not  be  adapted. 
I  give  herewith  the  reply  of  each,  and  invite  the  attention  of  the 
reader  to  the  points  made,  and  the  reasons  given  therefor.  Prof. 
Hamill  savs: — 

"  111  shoeing  the  horse's  foot,  the  question  of  frog  pressure  is  a 
debatable  one,  owing  principally  to  a  universal  but  mistaken  belief 
in  uniformity  in  horses'  feet.  Every  innovation  in  shoeing  for  the 
past  hundred  years  lias  been  Avrecked  on  this  point, — uniformity. 
No  two  horses'  feet  are  alike  ;  no  two  feet  of  the  same  horse  are 
alike.  This  may  sound  strange  to  most  people,  but  it  is  a  fact,  that 
they  are  no  more  alike  than  human  faces  are  alike.  And  why 
should  the  (so-called)  students  of  the  foot  insist  on  treating  all 
horses'  feet  in  the  same  manner,  and  with  the  same  shoe  ? 

"  Now  while  1  am  a  firm  advocate  of  frog  and  sole  pressure,  and 
have  driven  my  own  horses  for  years  over  the  pavements  of  New 
York  City,  with  nothing  on  the  feet  but  what  is  known  as  the 
English  tip  or  toe-piece  shoe,  which  gives  the  foot  the  entire  free- 
dom of  all  its  natural  movements,  yet  1  must  say  it  would  be  absurd 
to  attempt  to  shoe  every  horse  in  this  way.  There  are  any  number 
of  cases  where  this  system  would  be  injurious  to  the  foot  and  even 
to  the  limb.  But  as  the  foot,  or  rather  that  part  of  it  inclosed 
within  the  hoof,  is  the  object  oftenest  under  consideration,  I  shall 
explain  briefly  how  it  may  suff'er  from  extreme  frog  pressure. 
(One  point  which  we  should  always  keep  in  view  is  a  due  propor- 
tion, or  equal  distribution  of  the  weight  in  all  parts  of  the  hoof, 
and  by  no  other  system  can  the  foot  be  healthy.) 

"•  Any  foot  that  is  thin  in  its  general  structure,  but  more  so  in 
its  vertical  position,  or  from  top  to  bottom,  and  with  the  frog  full 
at  its  pja-amidal  eminence  or  body,  is  not  a  proper  foot  for  frog 
pressure.  In  such  feet  the  plantar  cushion,  or  what  is  known  as 
the  fibrous  or  fatty  frog,  is  very  thin,  is  easily  made  weaker  by 
absorption  through  extreme  pressure  or  irritation  on  the  horny 
frog,  and  therefore  offers  very  little  protection  to  the  great  flexor 
tendon  where  is  passes  under  the  navicular  bone. 

"  But  I  may  be  asked,  How  could  this  in  any  way  cause  injury, 
if  the  navicular  joint  be  perfect,  as  the  tendon  requii-es  only  a 
slight  cushion  underneath  ?  My  answer  is,  that  there  is  a  double 
impingement  of  the  tendon,  owing  to  the  navicular  bone  descending 
on  the  tendon  every  time  weight  is  thrown  on  the  limb,  the  proof 
of  which  is  the  pain  caused  by  this  action  on  the  internal  structures 
of  the  hoof  I  ask.  Where  is  the  shoeing-smith  who  has  not  seen 
the  agony  of  a  horse  while  standing  on  one  bare  foot  on  the  level 
floor  while  the  other  foot  is  being  shod,  and  the  relief  which  followed 


644  SHOEING. 

when  the  shod  foot  was  placed  on  the  floor  ?  I  may  be  told  that 
such  feet  have  been  previously  weakened  by  bad  tshoeing  and  bad 
care,  and  that  a  horse  which  never  had  been  shod  would  not  suffer  in 
this  Avay.  Those  who  make  such  assertions  are  entirely  ignorant 
of  the  anatomy  and  physiology  of  the  foot. 

"  My  answer  is,  that  Avhen  a  horse  first  comes  to  the  world  he 
has  no  frog  development,  and  for  the  first  year  of  his  life,  while 
walking  on  a  level,  can  have  no  frog  pressure.     It  is  only  animals 
that  are  raised  on  low  or  marshy  land  that  have  a  great  develop- 
ment  of  frog.     Horses  belonging  to  mountainous  countries  have 
very  little  frog,  and   generally  narrow  or  apparently   contracted 
feet,  Avhich    is  no  evidence  of  disease.     Witness  the  ass  and  the 
mule  for  example  ;  and  I  ma}^  add  that  although  wide  heels  are 
generally  desirable,  they  are  no  evidence  in  themselves  of  perfect 
health.  •!  am  well  aware  that  most  thin  heels,  and  generally  thin 
feet,  have  a  large  frog,  but  the  depth  of  such  a  fi"Og  is  more  apparent 
than  real,  as  it  will  be  found  on  close  investigation  that  the  flexor 
tendon   and  navicular  structure  arc  lower  or  nearer  the  ground- 
surface  in  such  a  foot.    Therefore  we  must  discriminate  in  all  cases, 
as  one  mistake  may  cause  irreparable  injury.     To  be  definite,  we 
can  safely  give  extra  frog  and  heel  pressure  in  all  cases  where  the 
hoof  is  deep  at  the  quarters,  where  there  is  a  tendency  toward  con- 
traction and  atrophy  of  the  frog,  where  the  obliquity  of  the  pastern 
is  not  too  great,  and  where  the  feet  and  limbs  are  2ierfectly  sound  and 
well  proportioned- 

"  (This  latter  will  narrow  the  circle  more  than  most  people  are 
aware  of)  ISTo  thoughtful  man  would  dare  to  throw  extra  weight 
on  the  sole  and  frog  of  a  foot  that  had  long  suffered  with  navicular 
disease,  however  excellent  this  would  be  as  a  preventive.  Neither 
should  we  throw  extra  weight  on  the  posterior  parts  of  a  foot  or 
limb  where  there  is  any  soreness  of  flexor  muscles  or  tendons,  or 
any  ligament  involved,  as  it  would  entail  greater  tension  on  the 
parts,  while  the  opposite  is  what  is  required,  viz.,  flexion  or  relaxa- 
tion. 

"  I  say  distinctly,  wc  should  only  carry  frog  pressure  to  the 
extent  of  bringing  into  activity  all  the  elastic  structures  of  the  foot, 
which  increases  the  circulation  of  those  parts  so  liable  to  atrophy, 
and  only  through  the  circu{atio7i  can  we  kee])  up  or  i-estore  the 
•  health,  vigor,  and  growth  of  frog,  sole,  heels,  and  quarters  of  the 
horse's  foot."  ' 

Prof.  McLellan  says: — 

"  In  reference  to  the  use  of  tips,  I  give  you  only  an  outline. 
They  are  useful  in  the  case  of  corns,  in  quarter-cracks,  in  thrush, 
in  interfering,  and  in  fitting  the  horse  to  run  at  grass.  They  are 
not  applicable  to  feet  that  have  thin,  flat  soles,  with  low  heels. 
They  are  not  applicable  to  heavy  work  horses  with  flat  feet  and 
prominent  frogs  (such  frogs  arc  liable  to  suft'er  bruises  when  so  ex- 
posed, the  resulting  inflammation  extending  frequently  to  deeper 


SHOEING. 


645 


and  more  vital  structures).  They  are  not  applicable  to  feet  having 
navicular  disease.  They  are  not  applicable  when,  in  applying  them, 
it  is  necessary  to  disturb  the  normal  relation  of  the  bones  of  the 
limb.  They  will  be  found  particularly  useful  in  strong  feet  that 
have  corns  in  both  heels,  and  in  the  case  of  bad  interferers." 


Fig.  454:. — Inferior  (lower  side)  Fig.  4.'55. — Superior  (upper  side)  surface 

concave  surface  of  shoe.  of  shoe,  bearing  on  the  sole. 

I  give  here  illustrations  of  the  form  of  shoe  and  method  of 
preparing  the  foot  advised  by 
Prof.  Williams  of  the  Edinboro 
College.  The  shoe  is  concave  on 
the  ground  surface,  flat  on  the 
bearing  surface,  and  drawn  back 
to  the  thickness  of  the  wall  at 
the  heels. 


"  The  calkins  and  toe  pieces 
should  be  done  away  with  for  all 
kinds  of  horses  except  those  used 
for  heavy  draft  in  towns  where 
the  streets  are  paved  and  steep. 
It  is  urged  that  all  horses  required 
to  go  beyond  a  walking  pace  are 
injui'ed  by  shoes  with  turned  up 
heels  and  toes.  Farm  horses  and 
those  employed  on  macadamized  Fig-  456.— The  foot  prepared  for  the 
roads  are betterwithoutthan  with  shoe.  The  sole,  frog,  and  bars  un- 
toe  pieces,   although  the   pace   at  touched  with  the  knife  for  two 

which  they  are  required  to  go  is  years;  the  natural  length 

never  faster  than  a  walk.    In  fact,  of  toe  and  depth  of 

all  horses,  when  possible,  should  wall  kept  in  their 

be    shod   with  a    flat   shoe.      The         relative  positions  by  the  rasp  only. 


646 


SHOEING. 


form  of  the  shoe,  as  shown  by  the  ilhistration,  ought  to  be  so  made 
and  fitted  as  to  bear  upon  all  parts  of  the  sole  and  crust  that  are 
calculated  to  bear  pressure — the  sole  around  the  margin  of  the 
crust  for  a  distance  of  about  half  an  inch  in  all  parts  of  the  foot 
except  at  the  heels  ;  i.  e.,  that  jjart  of  it  cmbi'aced  in  the  triangle 
between  the  wall  and  bar.  Here  the  shoe  should  rest  upon  the 
wall,  only  being  made  sufficiently  nan'OAV  at  this  part." 

See  statements  from  Lafosse  and  others  at  the    close  of  the 
chapter. 

Trimming, 

Before  preparing  the  foot  for  the  shoe,  the  smith  should  go  Id 
front   and    look  at  it,   so  as    to   determine   better  its    adjustment. 


I'lo  4.57. 


Fig.   458. 


Good  form  of  thiu-heeled  shoes,  from  models  presented  by  Mr.  Goodenough, 

of  New  York. 

Sometimes  the  foot  may  be  run  over  by  having  one  side  too  high 
or  the  toe  worn  off  excessively.  If  it  is  desired  to  be  particular, 
he  should  see  how  the  feet  are  carried  in  a  shaip  trot ;  whether 
too  high  or  too  low;  or  whether  he  travels  too  close,  endangering 
interfering  or  cutting — using  the  words  of  a  high  authority,  "  to 
see  whether  there  are  any  traces  of  bi-ushing  or  cutting  on  the 
inner  sides  of  hoofs,  fetlocks,  or  knees."  The  foot  can  then  be 
taken  up,  when  a  look  from  the  heel  forward  will  enable  an  expe- 
rienced shoer  to  determine  how  much  and  what  part  is  to  be  cut 


SHOEINC^. 


647 


away  to  level  it  to  tluj  proper  propoi'tion,  and  the  faults,  if  uny, 
that  can  ]>e  moditieJ  or  corrected.  If  the  horse  travels  high,  the 
shoes  must  he  light ;  if  low 
and  subject  to  stumbling, 
they  may  be  increased  in 
weight  a  little,  and  the  toe 
somewhat  rounded;  if  lia- 
ble to  strike,  then  set  close 
under  the  wall  with  edges 
filed  smooth. 

It  is  not  the  business  of 
the  Avriter  to  say  what  in- 
struments should  be  used 
for  doing  this,  the  buttress, 
drawing-knife,  or  rasp,  or 
each  alternately;  the  point, 
is  to  cut  away  or  remove 
the  surplus  growth  in  the 
easiest  and  best  manner, 
which  depends  more  upon 
the  deftness   and    ineenuitv  of  the  man 


Fig.  450.- 


-Location  of  nail-iKuo  ni  :iu 
ordinarv  flat  shoo. 


than  upon,  the  use  of 
any  special  means.  The  but- 
tress, in  the  hands  of  a  nmn 
Avho  knows  how  to  use  it-,  can- 
not reasonably  be  objected  to, 
next  to  which  a  good  sharp 
rasp  is  advisable.  The  wall 
should  be  reduced  to  nearly  or 
(j[uite  on  a  level  with  the  outer 
margin  of  the  sole,  providing 
the  sole  has  not  been  cut  away 
too  much.  As  a  rule,  the  less 
taken  away  fiom  the  foot  the 
better,  except  for  special  rea- 
sons, which  will  be  explained 
hereafter.  The  bearing  sur- 
face of  the  entire  wall  should 
be  made  level,  so  tliat  an  even  bearing  surface  of  the  shoe  will  rest 
upon  it  fully.     The  rasp  should  now  be  passed  around  the  toe,   to 


Fir, 


460. — An  ordinary  flat-  shoe 
nailed  on. 


648 


SHOKI^^O. 


cut  away  the  sharp  edges  and  bring-  it  to  the  size  required.  Prac- 
tically, this  should  be  little  more  than  rounding  off  the  sharp 
edges  of  horn  to  prevent  splitting. 

The  principle  is  the  same  of  leveling  and  prepai'ing  the  feet  of 
horses  that  have  previously  been  shod.     In  such  cases,  to  take  off 

the  shoe  the  best  method  is,  after  the 
clenches  are  cut  off,  to  raise  both 
heels  slightly  with  the  pincers,  then 
pry  forward  and  across  the  foot  a  lit- 
tle, when  the  nails  can  l)e  pulled  out 
one  by  one.  It  is  seriously  obj  ection- 
able,  as  generally  done,  to  pull  off  the 
shoe  by  force,  as  the  severe  wrench- 
ing endangers  tearing  the  hoof  and 
straining  and  injuring  the  foot.  This 
M^ould  be  especially  objectionable  if 
the  hoof  be  thin  and  the  horse  sensi- 
tive. Next,  any  stubs  or  nails  should 
be  removed. 

While  it  is  simply  intended  to  pare 
down  the  wall  to  its  natural  form,  if 
it  is  thin  and  weak,  growing  but  lit- 
tle, especially  at  the  heels,  where  there 
is  great  difficulty  to  grow  sufficient 
Avail  for  the  support  of  the  foot,  no 
more  should  be  removed  than  is  bare- 
ly necessary  to  level  it.  There  should  be  no  interference  with  sole 
or  frog,  excepting  to  chip  or  cut  away  the  portion  of  the  old  horn 
which  could  not  be  exfoliated.  Frequently  the  heels  are  too  high, 
or  the  toe  too  long  ;  in  thither  case,  whatever  the  excessive  accu- 
mulation or  growth  of  horn,  it  should  be  cut  away  until  the  foot 
is  brought  back  to  its  natural  form  and  adjustment.  Sometimes 
there  is  excessive  accumulation  to  the  amount  of  half  an  inch  or 
more  at  the  heels,  or  even  of  the  whole  wall  of  strong,  upright 
feet,  yet  to  the  ordinary  observing  shoeing-smith  it  may  not 
appear  excessive,  because  cutting  away  so  much  would  make  the 
foot  appear  to  him  to  be  unnaturally  small.  Several  specimens 
of  abnormal  growth  of  feet  are  given.  (Figs.  463,  464  are  taken 
from  life.)     Fig.  461,  which  was  seen  by  the  writer  at  Fulton 


Fig.  4G1. — Mobility  entirely  de- 
stroyed in  right  foot. 


SHOEING. 


64d 


Ferry,  is  that  of  a  pony  mare  driven  before  a  huckster's  wagon. 
The  right  foot  was  so  contracted  by  this  excessive  accumulation 
of  horn,  that  its  mobility  Avas  entirely  destroyed.  It  will  be 
noticed  that  the  toe  of  the  shoe  is  carried  forward  something  like 
a  sled  crook,  to 
enable  a  rolling 
motion  upon  the 
ground.  It  was 
pitiable  to  witness 
the  pain  and  mis- 
ery this  poor  ani- 
mal exhibited. 
She  walked  with 
a  crippled,  sensi- 
tive motion,  and 
while  standing- 
would  put  out  one  '^^^-  462.— Showing  extreme 
foot,  then  the  oth-     ^"^'"^'^  *^  "'^'''^  ^^^  ^°ter- 

-  ,11  113,1  structure  has   been 

er,  but  mostly  the  eompressed  and  forced 

right   one.      The       upward  out  of  the  hoof. 

case  could  have 
been  easily  relieved  of  pain  and  soreness,  by  simply  cutting  down 
the  feet,  and  thoroughly  soaking  and  opening  the  quarters,  as  ex- 
plained in  treatment  for  "Contraction."  In  Fig.  463  the  dotted 
lines  represent  the  point  to  which  the  horn  should  be  cut  away, 
showino;'  an  excess  of  accumulation  of  over  three  inches. 

Figs.  464  and  465  were 
taken  from  a  specimen 
belonging  to  the  Colum- 
bia Veterinary  College,  of 
New  York,  loaned  to  the 
writer  by  Prof.  Walton, 
the  House  Surgeon,  to 
make  a  drawing  from. 
The  Professor  told  the  writer  that  the  horse  when  livin.q:  was  com- 
pelled  to  walk  on  the  heels,  a  complete  cripple,  on  account  of  the 
extreme  length  of  the  toes.  The  original  size  was  estimated  to  be 
about  where  the  outline  runs,  the  alteration  being  the  result  of 
contraction  while  drying.     The  exact  proportion  of  the  original  is 


Fig.   463. — View   of  right 

foot   enlarged.      Dotted 

lines  showing  point  to 

which  the  horn 

should  have  been  cutaway. 


Fig.  404. — Outside  view  of  hoof. 


650 


SHOEING. 


maintained  in  all  its  parts.  A  reversed  view  of  the  same  is  shown 
by  cut  465.  The  dotted  lines  show  the  point  to  which  the  hoof 
should  be  shortened,  and  the  relation  of  the  internal  parts  to  the 
wall  and  sole.  The  illustrations  heretofore  given  of  the  hoof  and 
internal  parts  will  give  a  good  idea  of  the  parts  generally,  and 
how  much  should  be  removed.  But  shoers  wishing  to  study  the 
subject  more  thoroughly,  can  easily  do  so  by  procuring  a  dead 
foot  and  letting  it  remain  in  water  until  the  parts  can  be  sepa- 
rated ;  or  burying  it  in  stable  dung  for  a  short  time,  when  the 
hoof  can  be  easily  taken  off,  showing  its  exact  thickness,  and  the 


Fig.  465. — Reversed  view  of  Fig.  46i.     Half  size.     Degree  to  which  the 
bones  are  crowded  up  out  of  the  foot. 

relation  it  has  to  the  parts  within.  In  any  case  of  paring  the 
foot,  the  principle  should  be  to  reduce  it  from  its  deformity,  what- 
ever it  is,  to  its  natural  proportion  and  adjustment.  If  the  frog 
is  hard  and  bony,  it  should  be  cut  dov.'n  so  as  to  come  v/ithin  the 
lower  edge  of  the  shoe ;  for  in  such  a  case  it  would  bo  like  any 
ether  hard,  unyielding  body  under  the  heel.  But  usually  the 
frog  is  small,  and  seldom  requires  any  attention. 

The  authorities  most  common  on  "  Shoeing  "  are  explicit  in 
directing  that  the  sole  should  be  well  pared  out — made,  in  fact, 
so  thin  that  it  Avill  spring  to  the  pressure  of  the  thumb.  This  is 
so  injurious  that  I  regard  it  necessary,  though  subjecting  me  to 
considerable  expense  and  trouble,  to  give  at  the  conclusion  of  the 
chapter  such  proofs  as  would  convince  of  this,  and  would  ask  for 
a  careful  reading  of  them. 


SHOEING. 


651 


When  a  chip  of  horn  cut  from  the  foot  falls  to  the  floor,  the 
moisture  being  absorbed  from  the  upper  surface  quickest  by  its 


¥iG.  •AGO. 


-Good  modul  of  a  concave  road-shoe,  adapted 
for  summer  or  winter. 


greater  exposure  to  the  air,  causes  it  to  curl  upward,  the  same  as 
a  thin  board  or  shingle  will  warp  when  exposed  to  the  heat  of  the 
sun.     Now,  when  the  sole  is  trimmed  out,  as  explained,  the  expos- 
ure of  its  denuded  surface  to 
the  dry  air  causes  it  to  lose  its 
moisture  rapidly,   contract 
and  bend  upward  against  the 
soft   parts,    making    the  sole 
more   hollow.       But  paring- 
out  the  sole  so  excessively  that 
it  will  yield  to  slight  pressure, 
will  allow  the  horse  to  travel 
better  for  the  present,  and  it 
is  quite    natural    for    one  to 
believe  it  so  great  a  benefit, 
that  at  each  time  of  shoeing 
it  is  repeated,    regardless   of 
the  fact  that  the  feet  will  be 
brought  ultimately  into  a  con- 


FiG.  467. — Bearing  surface  of  the  same. 


055 


SHOEIN"G. 


Fig.  468. — Good  model  of  road-shoe. 


(lition  to  require  a  continual  paring  away,  and  the  horse  is  hope- 
lessly ruined.      AVealthy  men  in   England,  who  are  in   the  habit 

of  riding  much,  finding 
that  a  horse  will  ride 
easier  by  having  the  soles 
pared  out  thin,  require  to 
have  it  done,  not  caring  if 
it  does  spoil  the  horse  in  a 
short  time,  as  they  are 
Mble  to  buy  others. 

While  in  conversation 
on  this  subject  with  Dr. 
Hamill,  before  referred  to, 
I  asked  the  question: 
"Doctor,  what  do  you 
think  of  thinnino-  out  the 

O 

sole  as  usually  practiced?  " 
His  answer  was:  "It  is 
death  to  the  foot,  because 
the    foot    in    consequence 

loses  its  moisture  so  rapidly  that  it  becomes  a  direct  cause  of  con- 
traction through  the  absorption  which  takes  place.      This,  acting 

on  the  nutrition  of  the  part, 

may  cause  various  changes, 

etc.    Yet  there  are  occasions 

when  extreme  paring  ma 

be  resorted  to  with  son 

advantage."      In    explan 

tion  he  related  the  folloA 

ing  incident:     Some    yeai 

ago  when  John   H.    Cool 

the    celebrated    equestriai 

came  from    Paris    to    pel 

form  at  the  New  York  Cii 

cus,  his  horses  were  consid 

erably  the  worse  for  the  long 

passage  and  close  confine- 
ment.    Two  of  them,  both 

splendid  animals,   had  their        JTig.  409.— Bearing  surface  of  the  same. 


SHOEING. 


653 


feet  trimmed  and  shoes  reset  to  enter  on  rehearsal  the  next  day  af- 
ter landing,  but  they  were  very  stiff  and  sore,  apparently  foundered. 
As  no  other  horses  could  be  put  to  this  special  act,  Cook  despaired 
of  making  a  creditable,  first-class  performance.  As  there  was  no 
time  for  the  usual  treatment  of  such  cases,  ho  consulted  the  boss 
hostler,  and  together  they  acquainted  Dr.  Hamill  of  the  difficulty. 
Hamill  promised,  if  they  would  allow  him  his  own  Avay,  to  relievo 
the  horses  immediately,  which 
he  did  by  cutting  away  almost 
the  entire  sole  of  the  front  feet, 
relieving  the  quarter,  in  fact, 
cuttmg  the  foot  until  it  was 
clastic  or  yielding  in  all  its  in- 
ferior and  posterior  parts.  This 
was  death  to  the  foot,  as  he 
told  Cook.  The  soles  were 
protected  by  leather  and  tar- 
dressing  until  recovery  took 
place.  Although  this  was  an 
extreme  mode  of  treatment, 
Mr.  Cook  was  well  pleased  at 
the  result.  I  asked  him  if  he 
could  not  counteract  this  effect 
of  paring  by  keeping  the  feet 
wet.  He  said:  -"Yes,  to  a  certain  extent;  that  was  Avhat  he  did 
where  it  was  possible."  ^ 

In  1869  the  Humane  Society  of  Edinburgh,  Scotland,  offered 
a  series  of  prizes  for  the  best  essays  on  "  Shoeing,"  having  in  con- 
sideration the  comfort  and  soundness  of  the  horse.  About  forty 
essays  were  sent  in  for  competition.  The  Vice-President,  Mr.  H. 
S.  A.  L.  Hay,  says:  "It  is  gratifying  to  find  so  general  a  concur- 
rence among  the  writers  in  their  utter  condenniation  of  the  com- 
mon but  unscientific  and  irrational  practice  of  paring  away  the 
sole  and  frog  as  a  necessary  preparation  for  shoeing  " 

For  the  special  benefit  of  shoers,  I  think  it  advisable  to  include 
here  Prof.  Gamgee's  instructions  on  paring: — * 

*  "  Horse-Shoeing  and  Lameness,"  London,  1874,  by  Joseph  Gamgee,  Vet.  Sur., 
Lecturer  on  the  Principles  and  Practice  of  Farriery  iu  the  new  Veterinary  College 
of  Edinburgh, 


Fig.  470. — Model  of  shoe  for  express 
horses,  from  Prof.  HamUl's  collec- 
tion in  New  York. 


C54  SHOEING. 

"  There  is  scarcely  a  horse  that  comes  imder  our  hand  to  shoe  that 
does  not  require  some  jiortion  of  the  hoof  to  be  removed,  even  thougli 
it  may  be  so  excessively  weikened  by  mismanagement  as  to  i-eqiiire 
several  months'  conservation  before  due  quantity  and  proportion  can  be 
produced.  Bad  management  and  disproportion  of  hoof  go  together, 
iind  though  the  latter  may  be  slight,  it  i-equires  attention  and  adjust- 
ment ;  all  the  horn  we  may  remove  with  a  file  (not  a  coarse  rasp)  will, 
in  some  cases,  amount  to  no  more  than  would  cover  the  surface  of  a 
shilling,  yet  the  bearing  surface  of  the  foot  is  thereby  both  increased 
and  greatly  improved.  It  is  just,  in  these  cases,  when  with  equal  mas- 
tery a  shoe  is  selected  and  fitted  out,  so  that  the  siu-face  of  both  foot 
and  shoe  are  counterparts  of  each  other,  and  the  latter  is  nailed  to  its 
place  with  all  possible  care,  that  the  animal  which  reached  the  shoeing 
forge  in  torture  and  unable  to  walk,  leaves  it  with  freedom  of  action 
and  a  cheerful  countenance. 

"  If  I  be  asked.  From  what  part  would  any  hoof  require  to  be 
removed  in  various  degrees  in  those  cases  vulgarly  termed  slumped  ap 
cases  ?  I  I'eply  that  it  is  impossible  to  state  this  here,  and  nothing  but 
an  apprenticeship  at  shoeing,  or  some  such  eqiuvalent,  can  make  a  man 
reliable  for  putting  into  execution  details  of  the  kind,  where  rule  helps 
so  little  ;  but  generally,  if  not  exclusively,  the  wall  ii  the  part  requiring 
adaptation  of  surface;  at  the  toe  it  may  be  projecting,  and  the  edge  re- 
quire the  file  to  be  passed  transversely  acioss  it ;  or,  the  toe  being  too 
short,  the  columns  of  the  heels  on  cither  side  may  be  lowered  slightly, 
by  holding  the  foot  in  the  left  hand  and  passing  the  flat  part  of  the 
file  over  the  bearing  surface  from  behind  forward  in  one,  say  outside, 
extremity  of  near  fore,  and  backward  over  the  inner  heel,  taking  care 
that  both  heels  are  level;  the  off  foot,  by  reversing  the  action  of  the 
hand,  is  treated  in  the  same  way. 

"  But  many  men  will  say,  Why  not  take  the  horse's  foot  between 
the  legs,  as  is  the  custom  "?  Because,  where  so  very  little  has  to  be  done, 
1  want  to  see  how  to  do  it,  and  I  do  n't  require  the  greater  purchase 
which  the  firm  hold  of  the  foot  between  my  knees  gives.  I  am  only 
stating,  however,  what  I  do,  and  how  I  do  it.  In  the  hind,  feet  we  see 
and  can  manage  best  by  taking  the  foot  in  the  ordinary  way.  .  .  . 
I  then  take  each  foot  forward  ui:)on  my  knee,  and,  having  seen  exactly 
how  much  hoof  is  required  to  be  removed,  and  from  what  parts  I  take 
the  rasp,  and  with  either  the  rough  or  file  surface,  according  to  the 
quantity  of  hoof  to  be  removed,  I  pass  it  vertically,  so  as  to  take  ofi"  the 
outer  edge  to  the  extent  required;  then  placing  the  foot  between  my 
legs,  remove  the  exfoliated  sole,  and,  detaching  parts  of  the  frog,  the 
lirst  by  means  of  the  bvifier,  raising  the  loose  flakes  of  horn  from  the 
front  backward  by  tapping  the  tool  with  the  hammer,  the  superfluou;; 
exfolications  of  the  frog  are  then  removed  with  the  drawing  knife,  not 
by  paring  it  at  all,  or  much  cutting,  but  more  by  i-aising  the  flakes  with 
the  left,  thumb  and  finger,  and  detaching  them  with  the  knife.  This 
done,  the  bearing  surface  of  the  wall  is  to  be  adapted,  and,  holding  the 
foot  in  the  ordinary  way,  fore  or  liind,  the  rasp  is  passed  over  the  point 
of  the  wall  to  reduce  it  to  its  i)ropcr  depth.     .     .     . 

"  If  the  instructions  just  given   be   intelligently  carried    out,  the 


SHOEma  655 

quarters — the  surface  across  the  bottom  of  the  foot — will  be  fairly 
provided  for  from  the  extreme  ends  to  the  middle,  which  is  commonly 
left  flat  or  hollow  and  weak  ;  tJie  sheer  will  be  assisted  in  avoiding  this 
defect  by  acquiring  the  habit  of  glancing  down  the  foot,  from  heel  to 
toe  on  each  side  in  parallel  lines  ;  his  eye  will  then  be  able  to  judge 
whether  he  has  secured  the  object  on  which  I  am  laying  stress — a  full- 
ness in  the  surface  across  the  center  of  the  foot.  The  center  of  the  foot 
is  the  region  of  the  greatest  breadth  and  depth  of  its  arch  ;  on  the  pres- 
ervation of  its  breadth  and  depth  depend  the  strength  of  the  arch  and 
of  the  foot  itself,  and  the  firmness,  safety,  and  power  of  the  horse's 
action. 

"  The  third  class  of  feet  are  those  in  which,  by  mismanagement,  a 
morbid  accumulation  of  hoof  places  them  out  of  form.  Some  of  these 
are  not  in  this  state  because  they  have  not  been  shod  at  regular  inter- 
vals, but  because  those  who  shod  them  have  not  known  their  art — how 
to  reduce  the  abundance  of  horn  to  due  proportion  in  different  parts  of 
the  hoof. 

"There  is  a  common  saying,  that  in  shoeing,  'the  shoe  should  be 
made  to  fit  the  foot,  and  not  the  foot  to  fit  the  shoe.'  This  hackneyed 
expression,  when  closely  examined,  amounts  to  nonsense.  The  horse- 
shoer,  if  he  be  an  artist  worthy  of  the  art,  is  required  to  know  the  foot 
so  that  he  can  with  the  greatest  possible  exactness  and  extent,  econo- 
mize its  want  of  substance  and  enei^gy  ;  he  must,  like  the  sculptor  with 
his  clay  or  marble,  bring  out  the  true  figure  from  a  mass  of  deformity. 
That  the  over-reduced  and  weak  hoofs  ai-e  tlie  most  numerous,  is 
granted  ;  but  I  have  seen  numerous  bad  cases  of  deformity  and  lame- 
ness due  to  the  excess  of  hoi-n  in  the  wrong  places. 

"  One  difference  between  the  English  mode  of  shoeing  and  that 
adopted  in  all  other  countries  in  the  world  is,  that  we  hold  up  the 
horse's  foot  to  work  at  it.  I  only  incidentally  allude  to  the  fact,  because 
the  origin  of  our  custom  is  as  much  hidden  by  antiquity  as  the  more 
extended  mode.  It  is  that  of  holding  the  horse's  foot  and  working  at  it, 
to  which  I  allude,  while  the  continental  farrier  has  the  foot  held  while 
he  shoes  it.  This  last  is  the  chief  difference  which  attacts  the  atten- 
tion of  travelers.  In  using  the  buttress,  the  rasp  is  superseded  as  well 
as  the  drawing  knife ;  the  latter  altogether,  and  the  former,  a  small, 
fine  rasp,  employed  only  to  smooth  off  the  surface  of  the  lower  wall,  as 
the  last  act  in  the  process.  Together  with  the  buttress,  the  continental 
sheer  uses  a  tool  analagous  to  that  which  we  formerly  employed  under 
the  name  of  toeing-knife ;  but  a  modern  continental  sheer,  if  a  good 
workman,  uses  this,  which  in  wrong  hands  would  be  very  destructive, 
with  admirable  effect.  This  foot-rounder — the  literal  translation  of  the 
name  of  the  instrument — is  a  straight  steel  blade,  of  about  nine  inches 
in  length  by  one  and  a  half  in  breadth,  and  moderately  sharp,  by  means 
of  which  the  hard  margin  of  the  wall  of  the  hoof  is  cut  off  by  light  taps 
of  the  hammer,  while  the  instrument  is  held  so  as  to  regulate  the  quan- 
tity to  be  detached. 

"  The  plan  which  I  have  given,  which  I  adopt  with  the  rasp,  of  tak- 
ing the  foot  forward,  was  founded  upon  This  method  ;  but  when  we 
come  to  those  hoofs  where  overgrowth  and  disproportion  to  an  indefinite 


Go  6  SHOEING. 

extent  prevail,  I  find  that  no  amount  of  skill  in  the  application  can 
bring  the  rasp  iiud  druAving-knife,  with  the  rest  of  our  tools,  up  to  the 
round  pied  and  buttress  of  the  continental  sheer.  To  produce  the  same 
effect,  we,  with  equal  knowledge  of  the  requirement,  take  much  longer 
time  and  devote  more  labor  to  the  work  ;  while  in  ordinary  practice, 
with  us,  the  work  is  liable  to  remain  undone  or  be  badly  done,  as  a 
rule,  it  is  fairly  accomplished  on  the  continent.  Take  a  foot  grown  to 
one  or  two  inches  beyond  its  normal  depth  and  length,  curled  over  at 
both  heels  upon  itself,  the  bottom  of  the  column  being  in  an  almost 
transverse  line  with  the  center  of  the  foot,  and  a  morbid  thickness  of 
sole  and  frog  impprisoned  and  bound  immovably  together — such  a  foot 
puzzles  a  workman ;  with  such  a  weapon  as  the  rr.sp  and  knife,  he  does 
not  know  how  to  begin  or  proceed  with  a  view  to  its  proper  reduction.* 

"In  such  a  case  the  foreigner  lays  his  foot-rounder  transversely, 
with  the  edge  toward  one  heel  or  column,  about  one-fourth  of  an  inch 
from  its  lower  surface,  and  with  two  or  three  taps  with  the  hammer, 
cuts  transversely  forward  from  one  to  two  inches;  the  same  thing  is 
done  with  the  other  column,  and  then  usually,  but  not  always,  a  greater 
depth  is  rounded  off  the  toe,  and  a  little,  if  there  be  abundance,  at  the 
sides ;  all  of  which  can  be  effected  in  the  space  of  a  minute  or  two;  the 
man  then  takes  the  buttress,  and  in  the  foreign  mode  of  holding  the 
foot,  cuts  from  toe  to  heel,  and  when  the  hard  edge  of  the  wall,  and 
some  of  its  depth  has  been  removed,  that  which  remains  is  pared  down 
to  give  the  required  surface. 

"  One  advantage,  at  this  point  of  the  operation,  I  find  favorable  in 
the  continental  practice,  is  that  when  there  are  morbid  accumulations 
of  sole,  which  come  in  the  way,  and  are  as  much  foreign  and  incompat- 
ible with  its  functions  as  a  snowball  at  the  bottom  of  the  foot,  they  are 
met  and  easily  broken  up  by  the  direction  in  which  the  buttress  is 
pushed ;  whereas,  by  holding  the  foot  ourselves,  and  working  more  from 
heel  to  toe,  our  instrument  slips  over  the  exfoliations  of  horn  which 
have  their  fixed  basis  behind,  and  rise  in  front  as  they  become  ripe  for 
being  cast  off. 

"  Having  learned  these  conditions  by  experience,  acquired  late,  and 
working  according  to  what  I  was  taught  in  the  course  of  apprenticeship, 
I  faii-ly  met  the  inconvenience  by  making  use  of  the  buffer  for  breaking 
up  the  loose,  imprisoned  sole  and  exfoliations  of  the  frog ;  these  parts 
would  detach  spontaneously  after  the  wall  was  reduced  to  its  normal 
proportion,  and  the  local  condition  would  not  ensue  but  for  the  general 
state  and  want  of  motion  of  the  foot ;  such  motion  implies  health  and 
freedom,  in  the  enjoyment  of  which  sole  and  frog  cast  off  their  flakes 
and  maintain  their  proper  substance.  It  might  appear  that  this  disen- 
gaged horn,  if  left  unheeded,  would  fall  with  time — a  j)lausible  theory, 
but  incompatil)le  with  good  practice.      Such  incumbrance  must  be  got 


*  Many  intelligent  smiths  iu  various  parts  of  this  country  visited  by  the  writer, 
are  in  the  habit  of  using  the  toeing-knife  and  buttress.  If  the  growth  is  excessive, 
the  wall  is  chipped  off  as  descril^d,  auti  then  reduced  by  the  buttress  by  cutting 
from  the  heel  forward. 


SHOEI^^G. 


G57 


rid  of,  not  only  before  the  shoe  is  put  on,  but  before  the  proper  surface 
can  be  adapted  for  it." 

The  shoe  should,  in  form  and  size,  little  more  than  cover  the 
wall,  excepting  at  the  heels,  whei-e  it  should  be  so  much  wider 
and  longer  as  to  compensate 
for  the  growth  of  the  foot, 
and  be  heavy  enough  to 
sustain  the  attrition,  or 
wear,  for  the  time  it  is  ex- 
pected to  be  on.  But  should 
this  require  an  excessive 
thickness,  then  the  bar  may 
be  made  wider,  to  permit 
more  wearing  surface.  It 
should  fit  closely  all  the  way 
around  to  the  bearing  sur- 
face prepared  for  its  recep- 
tion, so  that  it  may  give  to 
the  crust  all  the  support  it 
can  receive,  and  carry  out  in 
its  ground  surface,  as  nearly 
as  possible,  the  form  of  the 
wall  before  it  was  cut  away.     It  is  a  rule,  recognized  by  the  best 

authorities,  that  the  sole  should 
not  rest  upon  the  shoe,  except 
around  the  toe  where  the  out- 
er edge  is  left  full  and  nat- 
^\  ural.  But  if  the  wall  is  cut 
down  close,  and  the  sole  rath- 
er thin  (which,  as  explained 
|ji"jl  before,  in  no  case  should  be 
done  except  for  special  patho- 
logical reasons),  it  is  advisa- 
ble, if  it  comes  too  near  the 
iron,  to  lower  the  part  coming 
under  it.  As  a  rule,  the  bear- 
ing surface  should  be  level, 
and  the  ground  sui-face  con- 
cave, or  the  inner  edge  of  th^ 


Fig.  471. — Ground  surface  of  the 
Goodenough  shoe. 


Fig.  472.— Bearing  surface  of  the  same. 


4? 


658 


SHOEING, 


ground  surface  so  bevelled  off  that  it  will  not  liarbor  stones   and 
dirt,  and  be  so  stiff  that  it  will  not  bend. 

If  the  horse  is  expected  to  be  driven  only  occasionally,  as  for 
family  use,  and  upon  common  dirt  roads,  the  wear  will  be  but 
little,  and  the  shoes  should  be  correspondingly  light  ;  but  if  much 
travel  is  required  on  stony  or  macadamized  roads,  the  weight 
should  be  sufficient  to  sustain  such  wear.  The  addition  of  a  small 
bit  of  steel,  hammered  well  into  the  toe,  and  tempered,  would  add 


Fig.  473.- -Badly  fitted.     Tout 
trimmed  too  much.     Outer 
edge  of  wall  only,  resting 
upon  the  shoe,  which  is 
made  concave. 


hio.  '174. — The  same  not  cut 

away  enough.     The  shoe, 

though  properly  fitted, 

Is  too  thick. 


gi'cath'  to  its  durability.  It  would  be  much  better  tii  make  them 
wholly  of  steel,  as  they  would  be  very  much  lighter,  equally  stiff, 
and  less  liable  to  bond.  An  objection  to  steel  is,  especially  in 
cities  where  there  are  paved  streets,  that  there  will  be  more 
tendency  to  slip,  than  by  the  use  of  shoes  made  of  iron.  (See  cuts 
for  light-driving  shoes.) 

In  a  condition  of  health,  from  the  light  family  driver  to  the 
heavy  draught  horse,  the  principle  of  shoeing  is  the  same;  the  size, 
thickness,  and  weight  only  differing  so  as  to  adapt  to  eacli  case, 
with  the  difference  that  when  exceptional  power  is  necessary,  as 
for  di'aft  horses,  or  to  prevent  slippmg,  calkins  must  bo  used.  As 
a  rule,  nothing  more  is  wanting,  unless  necessaiy  for  extra  wear, 
than  just  iron  enough  to  protect  the  out-er  crust  of  the  foot,  and 


SHOEING. 


659 


prevent  its  breaking.  More  ii-on  than  this  becomes  extra  weight, 
and  causes  fatigue  in  carrying,  Uke  thick,  heavy-soled  shoes  or 
clogs. 

It  is  a  question  among  English  authorities  whether  a  shoe 
should  be  "rounded  at  the  toe"  (a  i^ractice  known  as  the  French 
system)  to  aid  mobility.  As  shown  by  Fig.  478,  it  brings  the 
bearino-  surface  in  the  form  of  a  circle. 

On  this  point  I  copy  here  from  Mr.  Goodwin's  new  system  of 


Fig.  475. 


Fig.  476. 


As  the  heel  ofteu  rests  upon  the  inner  edge  of  shoe,  with  the  bearing  surface 
hadly  concave — a  direct  cause  of  contraction  and  weak  heels. 

shoeing.     "If  we  refer,"  says  he,  "to  the  action  of  the  fore  leg,  it 

will  tend  to  explain  some  of  the  advantages  to  be  derived  from 

the  curved  shoe.     When    a   horse    is 

about  to  move,  the  first  indication  of 

motion  is  a  bend  at  the  knee,  which 

raises  the  heels,  and  they  become  more 

and  more  elevated,  till  the  toe  (which 

is  the  last  part  that  leaves  the  ground) 

is  suspended  for  the  moment  that  the 

foot  is  lifted.     The  base  of  the  foot, 

just  at  its  leaving  the  ground,  is  al- 
most perpendicular.  When  the  knee 
is  bent  to  its  fullest  extent,  the  foot 
is  then  in  the  same  position,  with  the 

heels  of  the  shoe  pointing  upward.  If  we  consider  this  first  part 
of  the  motion  of  the  limb,  we  find  the  movement  of  the  foot  very 
nearly  describes  a  semicircle  ;  and  on  viewing  the  form  of  thejomts 
connected  with  the.  action,  the  necessity  for  a  curve  at  the  toe  is 
clearly  demonstrated.     Again,  the  form  of  the  shoe  worn  out,  at 


Fig.  477. — About  as  the  shoe 
should  be  fitted. 


660 


SHOEING. 


once  shows  that  it  must  be  more  suitable  to  put  on  a  new  one  of 
that  form,  rather  than  to  suffer  the  action  of  the  leg  to  be  opposed 
until  it  is  worn  to  that  form. 

"  The  fore  legs  may  be 
considered  simply  as  pillars 
of  support,  having  no  pow- 
er of  themselves  to  prop(;l 
the  body  forward,  progres- 
sion being  entirely  per- 
formed by  the  hind  parts. 
If  it  were  not  so,  the  action 
would  be  different,  as  I 
have  before  observed  it  to 
be  in  those  horses  that  have 
,T   1  1    p    17       IV        I      •         oreat  weights  to  draw ;  and 

Fig.  4<3. — Model  of  a  French  shoe,  showing       8   ""  &  '     _ 

average  amount  of  curve.  this  may  bo  more  readily 

observed  in  any  draught  horse  going  up  hill.  I  have  offered  these 
remarks  upon  action,  in  order  to  bring  the  reader's  attention  to 
the  curve  of  the  French  shoe  at  the  toe.  This  form  of  shoe  cer- 
tainly  harmonizes  more  with  the  motion  of  the  fore  foot  than  the 
English  shoe  does  ;  it  affords  a  greater  surface  of  bearing  at  the 
toe  than  the  projecting  ridge 


jfj  n.itn,r///n. 


of  the  straight,  ordinary  shoe, 
and  is  much  more  calculated  to 
allow  of  the  motion  of  the  leg 
and  foot  ;  the  labor  of  the 
muscles  is  also  diminished,  and 
the  limb  being  in  its  natural 
position,  the  ligaments  have 
less  imposed  upon  them  ;  tlu  y 
are  more  at  ease,  and  conse- 
quently are  not  so  liable  to  be 
stranunl." 

A  moderate  rounding  at  the  toe  would  seem  desirable  in  all 
cases  where  there  is  want  of  mobility.  It  is  especially  desirable 
when  the  horse  is  a  little  stiff  or  sore,  as  it  enables  him  to  travel 
much  easier.  This  is  proved  Avhen  the  mobility  of  the  foot  is 
destroyed,  and  thei'e  is  necessity  for  using  a  rounded  shoe  to  con- 
form with  the  action,     Wlien  winter  shoes,  ov  calk  shoes,  must  be 


Fig.  479. — French  shoe — taken  from  an 
old  work.     See  Navicular  Lameness. 


SHOEING. 


661 


Fig.  480. — Shoe  too  short  and  thick,  with  nails  driven 
deep,  and  too  far  hacls  iu  the  quarters. 


■used,  the  forward  calk  may  be  set  well  back  in  the  toe,  as  shown 
by  illustration. 

The  object  of  nailing  should  be  to  hold  the  shoe  firmly  to  the 
foot  without   injur- 
ing the   wall,    and  ,,ait«,rf;MI 

leave  the  foot  as  in-  |.(^1II1W«»»1 
dependent  of  the  re-  | 
straint  of  the  shoe  at  ' 
the  quarters  as  pos- 
sible.      The    nails 
should    be    driven 
where  there  will  be 
most    secure    nail- 
hold;  more  or  less  as 
well  as  heavier  nails 
being  necessary,    in 
proportion    to  the 
thickness  of  the  wall, 
weight  of   the  shoe, 
and  severity  of   the 

work.     The  wall  is  thickest  and  strongest  at  the  toe  or  front,  and 
becomes  thinner  and  more  flexible  toward  the  quarters  and  heels, 

especially  so  at  the  in- 
ner heels,  where  it  is 
sometimes  exceedingly 
thin  and  flexible. 

By  reference  to  Figs. 
423,  429,  it  will  be 
seen  that  there  is  con- 
siderable difference  in 
the  breadths  and  form 
of  the  quarters  ;  that 
of  428  is  most  notice- 
able. The  end  secured 
in  this  part  being  nar- 
rower and  straighter, 
is  supposed  to  be  the 
prevention  of  interfering  or  striking  ;  but  the  narrowness  is  com- 
pensated for  by  the  increased  height  of  the  wall,  for  the  purpose 


Fig.  481. — Nailing  that  will  do  no  harm. 


662 


SHOEING. 


of  giving  more  bearing  surface  to  the  laminated  structure.  This 
inner  quarter  or  wall  is  very  much  thinner  and  more  elastic,  and 
on  this  account  it  becomes  necessary  to  give  very  particular  at- 
tention to  the  adjustment  and  freedom  of  the  part. 

There  has  been  much  speculation  during  the  past  few  years  in 
relation  to  the  cause  of  this  quarter's  giving  out  before  the  other,  as 
nature  evidently  intended  it  to  stand  strain  and  wear  equally 
with  other  parts.  The  cause,  undoubtedly,  is  the  interference  in 
its  mobility  by  bad  fitting  and  nailing.  This  being  true,  it  is  ev- 
ident that  the  principal  nailing  should  be  at  the  toe  and  front, 
because  there  is  more  horn  there  to  nail  to,  and  less  liability  to  do 
harm  by  separating  and  breaking  the  fibers  of  the  wall.     They 


Fig.  4S2. 


Fig.  -483. 


Turner.     The  unilateral  method  of  nailing,  with 
model  of  a  shoe. 

should  not  extend  any  fa.rther  back  into  the  quarters  than  is 
barely  necessary  to  give  a  safe  hold  of  the  shoe  to  the  foot.  The 
fewer  and  smaller  the  nails  driven,  the  better,  providing  they  are 
sufficient  to  hold  the  shoe.  But  much  will  depend,  in  doing  this, 
on  the  accuracy  of  the  fitting,  thickness  of  the  wall,  and  weight 
of  the  shoe. 

If  the  nails  are  driven  well  back  on  the  outer  quarter,  and 
only  round  in  the  toe  of  the  inner  side,  for  the  purpose  of  affording 
more  freedom  to  the  quarters,  it  will  be  found  that  as  the  foot 
grows,  the  shoe  will  be  carried  to  the  outside  quarter  and  toe  to 
such  an  extent  that  the  inner  heel  of  the  shoe  will  be  drawn  inside 
of  the  wall  at  the  heel,  and  rest  upon  the  sole,  causing  a  bruise  or 
corn.  In  addition,  so  much  of  the  shoe  being  left  unnailed,  makes 
it  liable  to  get  loose  and  work  under  the  quarter,  which  would 
cause  a  rapid  wearing  or  l^reaking  down  of  structure.     All  things 


SHOEiNG- 


663 


Fig.  484. — Foiuts  showing  M'here  the 

horn  is  strongest  for  the  driving 

of  the  nails. 


considered,  the  be&t  way  is  to  nail  back  to  tlie  turn  of  the  vvali 

securely.     Or   the  nailing  may  be  extended  a  little  farther  back 

on  the  outside,  and  shortened  a 

little  on  the    inner  side,  in  any 

case  giving  both  quarters  all  the 

freedom  conipatibli.^  with  security, 

in  retainino-  a  tirm   hold  of   tlie 

slioe.      As  th<'  foot  grows,  the  shoe 

will  be  brought  forward  so  evenly 

under  it  as  not  to  do  harm- 

For  ordinary  light  shoes,  I  am 

in  the  habit  of  using  from  six  to 

seven    nails,    evenly    distributol 

around  the  fi'ont  part  (something- 
like   Figs.    457,  459);  sometimes 

extending  the  outer  nail   a  little 

beyond  or  nearer  the  quarter  than 

the  inner  one.     But  if  the  shoes 

are  heavy,  and  the  work  hard,  as 

for  draught  horses,  heavier  nails,  and  from  seven  to  eight  in  num- 
ber, will  in  most  cases  be  required.     A  small,  thin  clip  turned  up 

at  the  toe,  and  one  at 
the  outer  quarter, 
will  help  greatly  in 
holding  the  shoe  hrrn- 
ly  in  position  ;  but 
they  should,  be  turned 
up  thin,  and  set  well 
out  on  the  edge  of  the 
shoe. 

But  very  little  of 
the  wall  should  be  cut 
away,  so  as  not  to 
weaken  or  injure  it  ; 
hni  sufficient  to  en- 
able bringing  the  shoe 
to  its  position.  The 
shoes  should  not  be  hammered  down  tight  to  the  wall,  but  simply 
sufficient  to  rest  easily  against  it.     Next,  if  the  foot  is  broken,  or 


Fig.  485.- 


-m —       \ir 

-The  same  as  it  would  appear 
with  the  shoe  on. 


664  SHOFJNU. 

much  weakened  by  old  nail-holes,  puneh  the  holes  where  there  ia 
soundest  horn  to  nail  to.  A  thin  shoe  will  not  admit  of  any  full- 
ering, because  it  weakens  the  shoe,  without  giving  any  special  ad- 
vantage in  nailing.  The  stamp  form  of  punching  the  holes  should 
))e  used  ;  that  is,  the  hole  made  larger  at  the  surface  and  smaller 
at  the  bottom,  so  that  the  nail  heads  will  fit  into  it  exactly. 

The  method  of  diiving  the  nails  is  next  worthy  of  considera- 
tion. There  ai-e  two  methods  ;  one,  starting  the  nail  rather  near 
the  outer  surface  and  driving  high,  called  the  English  method, 
which  is  practiced  very  generally  in  this  country ;  the  other, 
stai-ting  the  nail  deep  and  loringing  out  low,  known  as  the  French 
method,  which  leading  authorities  concede  to  be  the  best.  If  the 
nail  is  driven  very  near  the  surface,  it  is  liable  to  chip  or  break 
the  horn  out,  which  injures  and  weakens  the  wall  very  much  ; 
whereas  driving  deep  and  bringing  out  low,  insures  a  good  hold, 
and  the  wall  will  be  almost  grown  out  by  the  next  shoeing.  Con- 
sequently tl^y  should  be  punched  deep  over  those  points  where 
the  wall  is  thickest,  and  less  so  toward  the  quarters  where  it  is 
thinnest,  or  proportionately  farther  from  the  outer  margin  of  the 
shoe. 

The  common  method  of  fullering  all  shoes  alike,  and  bringing 
the  nails  at  the  same  distance  from  the  edge,  can  be  no  more 
adapted  for  all  kinds  of  feet,  than  can  the  size  of  the  shoe  itself. 
This  straight-jacket  way  of  punching  all  alike,  brings  the  nail-holes 
at  the  same  location  at  each  repetition  of  shoeing,  so  that  if  the 
shoe  becomes  loose,  or  is  pulled  off,  this  part  of  the  wall  is  liable  to 
be  torn  off,  or  so  split  and  broken  as  to  leave  only  a  soft,  imperfect 
horn.  In  resetting  such  a  shoe,  it  becomes  necessary  to  put  it 
farther  back  under  the  foot  in  order  to  gain  secure  nail-hold.  Not 
only  this,  but  the  portion  of  the  protruding  wall  being  cut  down 
to  the  shoe,  leaves  it  deformed  and  injured  to  an  extent  that 
several  months'  growth  cannot  repair.  But  if  the  holes  be  punched 
over  parts  that  would  give  a  secure  hold,  the  shoe  can  be  nailed  on 
sufficiently  firm  to  hold  it  without  doing  harm,  and  thereby  pre- 
serve the  symmetry  of  the  foot.  In  such  a  case  it  may  be  neces- 
sary to  nail  rather  close  to  the  heels  ;  but  even  this  had  better  be 
done  for  a  short  time  than  risk  injury  and  malformation  by  the 
method  named. 

If  by  carelessness  or  otherwise  a  nail  should  be  driven  into  the 


SHOEING.  665 

quick,  which  will  be  known  by  tiie  horse's  flinching,  it  should  be 
pulled  out  at  once;  or  should  a  horse  show  soreness,  after  being 
taken  out  of  the  shop,  the  foot  should  be  examined  carefully  by 
tapping  over  the  part,  and  the  nail  at  the  point  of  soreness  pulled 
out.  (For  more  details,  see  treatment  for  Pricking,  Rucking,  etc., 
in  latter  part  of  this  chapter.) 

Clenching  down  the  Nails. 

When  the  nail  is  twisted  off,  the  end  should  be  filed  down  to 
the  proper  length,  and,  with  the  corner  of  the  i-asp  or  little  punch, 
cut  out  the  pith  or  raised  part  under  the  clench,  and  turn  down 
lightly  but  firmly.  The  common  custom  is  to  make  a  deep  notch 
with  the  corner  of  the  rasp,  which  extends  across  the  face  of  the 
hoof  from  one  nail  to  the  other. 

This  is  so  injurious  that  it  should  not  be  permitted  even  to  the 
smallest  degree.  No  rasping  of  the  outer  surface  of  the  wall 
should  be  allowed,  excepting  to  touch  or  smooth  any  roughness  of 
the  clenches,  and  to  round  ofi*  the  edge  of  the  wall  down  near  the 
shoe.  It  has  been  explained  under  the  proper  head,  that  the  inner 
surface  of  the  wall  is  soft  and  spongy,  and  that  as  it  approaches 
the  outer  surface,  it  becomes  hard  and  bony,  and  the  fibers  closer 
and  denser,  and  that  over  the  surface  is  a  sort  of  skin  or  thin 
covering  of  enamel,  that  prevents  too  rapid  evaporation  of  moist- 
ure ;  and  it  is  necessary  to  retain  intact  this  strong,  fibrous  horn, 
as  well  as  that  of  its  outer  covering,  so  as  to  hold  the  nails  firmly, 
as  well  as  to  prevent  the  excessive  evaporation  of  moisture  which 
would  follow. 

Should  the  shoe  be  too  short,  which  is  liable  to  happen,  to 
remedy  the  difficulty  it  is  the  common  custom  to  set  it  back  under 
the  wall,  and  rasp  the  thick,  strong  wall,  extending  out  over  the 
shoe,  down  to  it ;  or,  should  the  shoe  be  too  straight  or  narrow 
for  the  foot  across  the  points  of  nailing,  to  drive  the  nails  so  deeply 
as  to  not  only  endanger  pricking,  but  to  greatly  weaken  the  wall. 

The  excessive  rasping  not  only  destroys  the  strongest  part  of 
the  wall,  that  best  able  to  retain  the  nail-holes  and  support  con- 
cussion, but  causes  a  sei'ious  internal  disease  not  usually  under- 
stood, which  shows  its  effect  in  an  absorption  of  the  coffin  bone 
and  other  parts  beneath.     Fig.   486  is  a  good  illustration  of  this. 


666 


SHOEING. 


The  specimen  from  which  it  i;s  drawn,   was  obtained   from   Dr. 

Hamill.  The  small  sketch  is  full  size,  and  shows  the  exact  appear- 
ance of  its  surface,  and 
small  points  of  horn  which 
are  over  a  ({uarter  of  an 
inch  long,  extending  out 
like  pegs. 

It  is  needless  to  add  that 
this  is  the  result  of  the  most 
inexcusable  ignorance,  and 
the  cause  of  much  harm. 
If  there  is  much  wall  ex- 
tending out  over  the  shoe, 
it  should  not  be  deformed 
by  cutting  down  to  it ;  the 
edge  should  simply  be 
rounded  off  and  let  alone. 


Fig.  486. — Showing  effects  of  excessive  rasping. 


Shoeing  the  Hind  Feet. 

There  is  usually  so  little  trouble  with  the  hind  feet,  that  it  is 
scarcely  necessary  to  give  any  directions  as  to  their  management. 
The  horn  is  thickest  at  the  quarters,  and  the  principal  nailing 
shouki  be  done  there.  Sometimes  there  is  a  curling  under  or  con- 
tracting of  the  heels,  which  may  be  the  cause  of  more  or  less 
inflammation,  extending  to  the  sheaths  of  tendons  and  other  parts 
of  the  leg  ;  in  such  a  case,  if  thought  advisable,  either  or  both 
quarters  can  be  treated  as  explained  under  that  head. 

I  think  it  advisable,  in  this  connection,  to  say  a  few  words 
about  pricking,  which  is  more  common  than  many  suppose.  It  is 
not  unusual,  indeed  it  is  a  very  common  occurrence,  to  drive  the 
nail  too  near  the  quick  or  into  it,  and  thus  by  a  little  carelessness 
cause  great  harm.  First,  if  the  nail  be  driven  so  as  to  go  to  the 
quick,  in  which  case  the  horse  may  show  it  by  flinching,  it  should 
in  all  cases  be  pulled  out  at  once,  and  the  hole  bo  left  vacant.  If 
this  is  done,  no  harm  will  follow.  Sometimes  the  smith,  especially 
if  he  expects  to  be  scolded,  will  drive  the  nail  down,  which  in  a 
few  hours  or  next  day  will  show  itself  by  making  the  horse  lame  ; 
or  the  nail  may  be  driven  so  deeply  as  to  go  near  the  soft  parts  of 
the  inner  edge,  and  when  the  point  strikes  the  hard  horn  of  the 


SHOEING.  667 

outer  surface,  it  may  bend  inward  or  press  upon  and  break 
through  to  the  sensible  parts.  This  is  called  rucking.  (See  Fig. 
420.)     The  nail  should  be  pulled  out  at  once. 

Still  aaother  cause  of  harm  is  what  is  termed  fittins"  and 
drawing  the  nails  too  closely.  If  the  nails  are  driven  i-ather  deep 
and  clenched  down  firmly,  they  are  liable  to  bend  inward  and 
press  upon  the  sensible  parts.  This  is  called  pinching.  If  present 
when  the  horse  is  shod,  and  it  is  noticed  that  the  nails  are  driven 
rather  deep  for  the  thickness  of  the  wall,  insist  upon  their  being 
driven  farther  out. 

An  ignorant  or  thoughtless  man  may  claim  there  is  no  danger, 
when  he  is  driving  the  nails  much  too  deep.  Should  the  horse 
show  soreness  or  lameness  within  three  or  four  days  after  being 
shod,  especially  if  he  puts  the  foot  forward  to  ease  it,  give  the 
matter  attention  at  once.  First  rest  the  hand  lightly  upon  the 
hoof  to  discover  whether  there  is  any  unusual  heat,  and  if  so,  at 
what  point  ;  next  take  a  light  hammer  or  small  .stone,  and  tap 
lightly  round  over  the  nails,  until  the  horse  flinches,  when  the 
oflTending  nail  or  nails  can  be  discovered  and  pulled  out.  If  this 
is  done  soon  after  being  shod  or  during  the  same  day,  all  that  may 
be  necessary  to  do  is  to  leave  the  nail  out. 

I  have  had  success  by  pouring  a  little  callendula  into  the  hole. 
In  one  case,  where  there  was  considerable  soi-eness  a  few  houi's 
after  being  shod,  though  the  horse  was  quite  lame  on  account  of 
the  nail  being  driven  too  deep,  after  pulling  out  the  nail,  a  little  cal- 
lendula was  poured  in,  and  the  shoe  again  put  on,  and  the  horse  in 
a  few  hours  was  free  from  lameness.  But  if  he  shows  lameness  in 
a  day  or  so  after  being  shod,  cut  away  the  wall  from  around  the 
hole,  so  as  to  let  out  any  ma-tter  which  may  have  formed.  Next 
poultice  the  foot  until  the  inflammation  subsides,  then  cover  the 
hole  with  a  little  digestive  ointment  (which  i  made  by  melting 
together  equal  parts  of  tar  and  hog's  lard,  and  stirring  till  cool), 
over  which  put  a  little  tow  and  put  on  the  shoe. 

More  especial  directions  v.^ill  be  given  under  the  head  of 
Pricking,  Eucking,  Nail  in  the  Foot,  etc.,  in  Medical  Department. 


668 


SHOEIN"G. 


Contraction. 

I  am  now  entering  upon  what  must  be  considered  as  practi- 
cally iievA"  ground.  There  is  nothmg  published  by  any  author  of 
whom  the  writer  has  any  knowledge,  explaining  reliably  how  to 
cure  contraction  and  quarter-crack.  Indeed,  the  leading  veteri- 
nary surg(H:)ns  of  the  country  seem  to  be  so  much  at  sea  in  relation 
to  accomplishing  this,  that  they  do  not  pretend  to  give  practical 


Fig.  487.— Front  view  of  .sound, 
healthy  feet. 


Fig.  488. — Side  view  of 
sound  feet. 


treatment.     The  treatment  herein  given  is  published  for  the  first 
time,  and  will  be  found  as  reliable  and  effective  as  it  is  simple. 

I  give  illustrations  of  the  usual  position  assumed  by  horses  suf- 
fering from  contraction,  as  well  as  appearance  of  feet  and  legs  gen- 
erally, in  Figs.  489,  490,  which  have  been  drawn  from  life.  The 
contrast  between  such  conditions  and  those  of  health,  which  are 
also  shown,  are  quite  noticeable.  By  looking  at  Figs.  414,  and 
also  448  to  452,  it  will  be  seen  that  the  arches  formed  by  the 
union  of  the  bars  and  frog  near  the  extreme  of  the  heel,  extend 
well  upward  into  the  foot.  Fig.  493  shows  the  outline  of  the  hoof 
in   its   natural    condition.     Fig.  494  shows   the   heels   somewhat 


SHOEING. 


669 


drawn  together,  and  a  corresponding  elevation  of  the  sole.  Fig. 
494  shows  extreme  contraction  of  the  quarters,  now  perpendicu- 
lar, with  the  arch  of  the  sole  correspondingly  acute  and  elevated. 
The  points  before  referred  to,  noticed  inside  the  heels  in  this  con- 
dition, are  crowded  together  as  well  as  upward,  so  that  in  extreme 
contraction  they  press  upward  severely  against  the  great  tendon, 
where  it  passes  over  the  navicular  bone.  This,  in  connection  with 
the  strong  upward  pressure  of  the  solo  against  the  bottom  of  the 
coffin-bone,  forces  the  whole  internal  structure  upward,  as  it  were. 


Pig.   489.— The  efEect   of 
contraction    and  soreness. 


Fig.    490. — A   bad   case    of 
contraction  and  soreness. 


out  of  the  hoof,  thereby  seriously  interfering  with,  or  obstructing, 
the  circulation,  as  well  as  locking  the  whole  machinery  of  the  foot. 
Consequently  the  whole  foot  is  tied  and  cramped,  by  such  unnat- 
ural pressure  upon  the  soft  parts,  so  that  walking,  or  even  stand- 
ing, becomes  painful.  In  this  condition  the  horse  will  stand  first 
upon  one  foot,  then  upon  the  other,  or  put  the  worst  one  forward, 
to  ease  the  pain  and  pressure  upon  it.  In  traveling  he  will  try  to 
shield  the  feet  all  he  can  from  concussion. 

For  over  two  hundred  years  there  has  been  great  effort  made 
to  prevent  and  cure  contraction.  I  give  a  few  illustrations,  mainly 
from  the  French,  ont  of  a  large  number  coming  into  my  posses- 


670 


SHOEING. 


sion,  used  for  this  purpose  during  the  past  one  hundred  years. 
Wo  see  first  not  only  a  hinge  shoe,  but  a  combination  of  hinges. 
Next,  shoes  with  clips,  by  %vhich  to  spread  the  heels.  The  shoes, 
after  being  fastened  on,  were  spread  by  screws  and  other  means, 
some  of  which  were  quite  ingenious  in  their  construction,  but  not 
of  sufficient  importance  to  give  them  a  place  here. 

In  1802  Prof.  Coleman  introduced  and  patented  a  convex  shoe. 
See  Fig.  502.  Goodwin  soon  after  introduced  a  combination  of 
this  form  of  shoe  with  that  of  the  French  system  of  rounding  or 


Fig.  4111.  Fio.  492. 

How  a  liorse  stands  when  sore-footed. 

turning  up  the  toe.  Bracy  Clark,  in  1809,  devised  a  shoe  with  a 
liinge  at  the  toe,  with  a  steel  livet  to  protect  the  joint  from  wear- 
ing, so  that  the  quarters  could  have  freedom  to  expand.  See  Fig. 
503.  I  find  also  that  this  form  of  shoe  was  devised  as  lonff  ago  as 
the  16th  century,  by  Ceasar  Fiaschi,  specimens  of  which  are  given 
in  another  part  of  this  chapter.  He  also  gave  the  "bar,"  and 
other  shoes.  But  tho  most  recent  modification  of  this  form  of 
which  the  writer  has  any  account,  was  made  by  a  man  in  New 
Hampshire  in  1875.  He  had  a  shoe  jointed  at  the  toe,  with  wide 
bar  at  the  heel,  so  fitted  that  one  edge  overlapped  the  other  at  the 
center.  See  Fig.  501.  The  bars  were  made  of  malleable  iron, 
about  three-eighths  of  an  inch  thick,  with  slight  calks  at  the  heels, 


SHOEIJ!^G. 


671 


* 


k 


Fig.  493. — Showing  the  usual  arch  of 
sole  iu  a  healthy  foot  bfefore 
contraction. 


and  riveted  together  at  the  toe.  On  this  shoe  he  claimed  to  have  a 
patent.  I  was  in^dted  to  examine  the  feet  of  several  -horses  hav- 
ing these  shoes  on.  In  some  cases  . 
the  bars  were  separated  from  an 
eighth  to  a  quarter  of  an  inch,  by 
the  spreading  of  the  quarters. 
This  expansion  was  partly  owing 
to  the  natural  enlargement  of  the 
quarters  by  growth,  and  frog  press- 
ure. But  the  same,  or  even  better, 
results  could  have  been  obtained 
by  the  use  of  an  ordinary  thin 
shoe,  as  this  would  sfive  the  hos 

contact  with  the  ground,  provided  the 
quarters  were  not  unduly  restrained 
by  excessive  nailing. 

The  shoe  above  described  would  be 
of  undoubted  advantage  on  pavements 
or  rough  roads  where  the  thin  shoe 
could  not  be  worn,  as  it  gives  necessary 
support  to  the  frog,  while  protecting 
Fig.  494. -Showing  arch  of  the   the  foot  from  the  rough  pavement ;  but, 

as  explained  elsewhere,  the  frog   will 
not  alway'!  bear  long-continued  press- 
ure of  this  kind  without  producing  harm. 

About  tw^enty  years  ago,  a  smith  named 
Terrel,  in  Batavia,  N.  Y.,  devised  a  shoe  for 
the  cure  of  contraction,  with  clips  turned  up 
at  the  inner  side  of  each  heel,  with  the  for- 
ward part  weakened  on  each  side  of  the  toe. 
The  foot  was  simply  beveled  down,  tlie  shoe 
fitted  to  it  closely  so  that  the  clips  rested 
against  the  quarters  at  the  point  of  the  heels. 
It  was  firmly  nailed  on,  well  back  upon  the 
quarters  on  each  side,  and  the  quarters  reck- 
lessly spread  with  the  tongs.  He  had  very 
strong  indorsements  from  leading  horsemen, 
claiming  its  effectiveness  for  curing  contrac- 
tion, etc.,  and  doubtless  it  was  successful  in  curing  many  cases; 


sole  bent  upward  by  partial 
contraction. 


Fig.    495. — Showing   the 
sole  bent  upward,  press- 
ing against  the  ten- 
don   and    joint   in 
center   of    foot, 
caused  by  contraction. 


672 


SHOEING. 


but  in  spite  of  the  utmost  efforts  made  to  introduce  it,  it  went 
into  disuse.* 

But  the  most  striking  innovation  was  that  made  by  a  man 


Fig.  490. — Hinge  shoe  for  cure  of 

contraction.     From  a  French 

work. 


Fig.  497. — Form  of  shoe  devised  for 
preventing  contraction.     From 
a  French  work. 


named  Dunbar,  whose  method  consisted  in  cutting  away  the  bars, 

opening  the  heels,  and  cutting  out  the 
sole  almost  to  the  quick,  then  fitting 
the  shoes  larger,  and  nailing  back  to 
the  quarters.  The  principle  was,  that 
the  removal  of  this  horn  which  tied  the 
heels  together,  enabled  the  quarters  to 
spread  and  grow  wider.  While  this 
seemed  but  a  crude  idea,  it  was,  how- 
ever, so  successful  in  many  cases  as  to 
attract  considerable  attention,  and 
proved  an  additional  step  toward  the 
key  of  curing  contraction. 

The   government  gave  this  man 


Fig.  498.— Shoe  used  by  the 

French  for  the  cure  of 

contraction. 


*  Passing  through  this  part  of  the  country  in  1866,  I  was  persuaded  by  this 
man  to  have  such  a  shoe  put  on  one  of  my  horses  that  was  a  little  lame  in  one  of 
liis  feet.  I  cautioned  him  not  to  nail  the  shoe  on  too  firmly,  or  open  it  too  vio- 
lently (which  I  could  see  was  his  intention  to  do),  as  it  would  be  sure  to  cause  seri- 
ous irritation  in  the  foot.  But  disregarding  my  wishes,  assuming  that  he  knew 
just  how  to  do  it,  and  saying  that  it  would  be  all  right,  he  put  it  on  in  his  own  way. 
The  result  was  as  I  had  anticipated ;  the  lameness  that  followed  soon  compelled  me 
to  take  it  off. 


SHOEING. 


673 


S2r),00()  foi-  teaching  the  secret  to  the  veterinary  surgeons  of  the 
ai-uiy .     His  instructions  in  explaining  his  system  were  as  follows : — 

"If  the  foot  is  healthy,  and  of  a  natural  shape,  and  has  been 
shod  regularly,  no  alteration  is  required,  but  simply  to  pare  out  the 
sole  of  the  foot,  removing  the  bors  [bars]  entirely,  and  opening  out 
the  heels  back.  The  surface  of  the  frog  should  be  trimmed  out  very 
Httle,  but  the  sides  should  never  be  touched.  By  removing  the 
bors  [bars]  and  opening  out  the  heels,  contraction  is  prevented,  and 
the  frog  retains  its  natural  shape,  because  all  pressure  is  removed 


Fig.  499.  Fig.  500. 

Old  forms  of  shoes  used  by  the  French  for  the  cure  of  contraction. 

from  each  side.  The  shoe  is  now  to  be  fitted  and  nailed  on  moder- 
ately tight. 

"  The  treatment  for  contraction,  briefly  speaking,  is  expansion. 
If  the  hoi'se  is  lame,  the  farrier  should  shorten  the  toe,  lower  the 
foot  all  around,  and  open  the  heels  back,  until  the  blood  is  drawn. 
The  sole  of  the  foot  should  be  pared  as  closely  as  possible  on  each 
side  of  the  frog.  The  frog  should  be  lowered,  but  the  sides  should 
not  be  cut.  A  groove  should  be  made  with  the  rasp,  just  under 
and  parallel  with  the  coronet  on  each  side,  deep  enough  to  di-aw 
blood;  then,  with  a  fine  shoeing-knife  cut  little  notches  down  from 
the  coronet  at  equal  distances  across  the  entire  length  of  the  groove. 
These  notches  should  be  deep  enough  to  draw  blood.  This  will  re- 
lieve the  pressure  caused  by  contraction  of  the  cartilages  on  both 
sides,  and  allow  them  to  resume  their  proper  shape. 

"  The  shoe  must  be  very  carefully  fitted,  and  have  eight  nail 
holes,  for  the  reason  that  it  is  the  heel  nails  that  relieve  a  foot  while 

43 


674 


SHOEING. 


iu  coiitniction.  It  should  be  so  littcd  asjo  ])j-oject  a  quarter  of  an 
inch  on  either  side  of  the  foot,  and  so  as  to  see  the  nail-holes  pro- 
ieetins;"  on  either  side  of  both  outer  and  inner  quarter.  This  accom- 
plished, the  bearing  should  be  equal.  The  nails  should  be  driven 
half  wav,  first  toward  the  toe,  then  toward  the  heel.  The  higher 
they  are  driven  the  better,  the  shoe  bring  fitted  so  wide  there  is  no 

fear  of  jnneking.  The  nails  toward 
the  heels  should  be  driven  by  al- 
ternate taj>s  on  each  side,  because 
the  foot  expands  on  account  of  be- 
ing ])ared  so  thin  on  either  side  of 
the  frog.  Considerable  soreness 
will  result  from  this  mode  of  treat- 
ment, which  may  be  relieved  bj' 
keeping  the  feet  wet,  or  by  poultic- 
ing.'" 

This  principle  of  treatment  was 
well  understood  long  before  Dun- 
bar's day,  and  doubtless  Avas  ob- 
tained by  liini  from  old  authors. 
In  relation  to  the  scoring  of  the 
wall,  J.  Clark,  in  his  work  pub- 
lished in  1782,  says: — ; 

general  method,  a  long  shoe  with  a 
broad  web  is  unfortimately  put  on.  which  is  made  thicker  at  the 
heel  than  at  the  toe,  the  consequence  which  commonly  ensues  is 
that  of  hindering  the  expansion  of  the  heel  of  the  foot,  which  in 
that  case  soon  overcontracts  itself  This  circu)nstance  produces  very 
great  pain  to  the  foot  by  occasioning  too  great  a  compression  of  the 
"cartilages,  and  of  the  blood-vessels  by  which  they  are  surrounded. 
To  ease  these  blood-vessels.  T  have  hiown  scores  made 2)erpend%ndarly 
all  the  way  down  every  part  of  the  outward  wall  ivith  a  draioing-knife, 
and  the  blood  taken  by  a  lancet  underneath.  This  is  but  a  partial 
remedy,  and  frequently  a  bad  one  ;  for  although  temporary  ease 
may  be  given  to  the  foot  by  a  process  which  possibly  does  diminish 
the  power  of  contraction  in  the  heels,  as  long  as  the  crust  is  weak- 
ened by  the  scores  on  the  Avall ;  yet  as  the  crust  is  perpetually  renew- 
ing itself,  the  heel  has  in  a  short  time  a  power  of  becoming  still 
stronger  and  more  contracted,  after  the  temporary  weakness  has 
ceased,  which  was  occasioned  by  scores.  But  the  worst  of  all,  al- 
though too  often  practiced  in  the  case,  is  the  cutting  aioay  the  bars. 
This  causes  the  heels  to  contract,  having  no  mechanical  power  to 
open  and  hold  the  quartei-s  in  place." 

Bracy  Clark,  in  his  Avork  published  in  1809,  in  describing  some 
of  his  expennients  on  contracted  feet,  says: — 

'•The  bars  were  pared  awayfrotu  thefroy,  the  heels,   as  we    were 


Fig.  501. — Hinge  bar  ehof  for  cure 
of  contraction. 


When,  according  to  the 


SHOEING. 


675 


used  to  term  them,  were  well  opened,  the  quarters  rasped  thin,  and  to 
give  it  the  better  chance  of  expansion,  a  deep  longitudinal  channel 
Avas  cut  Avith  the  drawing- 
knife,  down  the  front  of  the 
hoof,  that  it  might  have  no 
resistance  to  the  expansion  of 
the  sides  ;  further,  to  assist 
these  measures  of  dilating  the 
heel,  they  were  drawn  very 
thin,  and  the  bars  as  much 
as  possible  clear  froni  the 
sides  of  the  frog 

"  In  the  course  of  making 
these  experiments,  a  circum- 
stance occurred  which  gave 
me  much  satisfaction,  for  I 
found  that  if  the  horn  of  the 
bars  or  inflexures  of  the  hoof 
were  pared  awa}''  from  the 
sides  of  the  frog,  it  greatly 
contributed  to  the  pleasant 
ness  of  his  going." — pp.  104, 
109. 


Fig.  503. — Coleman's  convex  shoe. 


Many  other  passages  of 

this  description  could  be  included,  if  desired.     Of  late  years  there 

have  been  many  parties  traveling  tluough  the  country,   claiming 

to  cure  contraction  and 
all  diseases  of  the  feet,  by 
sawing  into  the  heel,  and 
Avitli  the  screw  oi-  other 
means  violently  spread- 
ing the  quarters  apart, 
subjecting  the  poor  ani- 
mal to  so  much  pain  and 
torture  by  the  operation 
that  frequently  ho  oould 
not  stand  up  for  many 
days.  This  was  regard- 
ed as  a  matter  of  no  con- 
sequence, as  the  horse 
would  soon  get  over  it. 

The  main  point  was  to  get  all  the  money  they  could,  and  get  out. 
Contraction  is  induced  by  six  different  causes,  all  acting  more 

or  less  upon  each  other  to  aggravate  the  difficulty  :  1.  Trimming 


Fig.  503. — Bracy  Clark's  hinge  shoe. 


676 


SHOEl^^a. 


the  frog   and  solo  so  as  to  cause  them  to  lose  their  moisture.     2. 

The  thickness  of  the  shoe,  greatly  increased  by  high  calks,  Avhich 

removes  the  frog  and  sole  from 
all  contact  with  the  sfround, 
and  prevents  them  from  ob- 
taining moisture  from  it.* 
3.  Bad  fitting  of  the  shoes,  by 
which  means  the  bearinof  sur- 
face  of  the  heels  is  made  to 
a  greater  or  less  degree  con- 
cave, so  that  when  weight  is 
thrown  upon  the  limb,  the 
heels  slide  inward.  4.  Nail- 
ing back  in  the  quarters  so 
that  as  the  feet  grow,  instead 
of  becoming  wider  as  they 
would  if  free,  they  are  to  that 
degree  crowded  together.  5. 
Allowing  the  feet  to  become 
too  dry  ;  because  the  drier 
and  harder  they  become,  the 
more  direct  is  the  tendency 
to  become  small.  6.  If  from 
any    cause    inflammation  is 


Fig.  504. — Pony  that  cut  his  foot  seriously 
by  calking,  causing  so  much  inflamma- 
tion   and  pain  that   the    foot   was 
held    up,    as    represented,    for 
several  days. 


produced  in  the  foot,  it  will  in  a  short  time  perceptibly  diminish 
in  size.  See  Figs.  505,  506,  showing  the  effect  of  acute  or  chronic 
inflammation  in  causing  severe  and  rapid  contraction. 

The  results  of  these  causes,  separately  or  combined,  are  sufii- 
cient  to  ruin  even  the  best  of  feet  in  a  short  time.  But  all  the  ef- 
forts heretofore  made  for  the  cure  of  contraction  seem  to  have  been 
simply  to  spread  the  heels  open,  which  failed  of  making  a  cure  on 
account  of  the  crude  way  in  which  it  was  done,  regardless  of 
bringing  about  a  natural  condition  of  circulation,  whereby  healthy 
tissue  could  be  grown. 

*  I  Mould  remark  here  that  Iceeping  horses  in  stalls  so  narrow  that  they  are 
greatly  restricted  from  moving  more  than  a  few  feet,  and  with  floor  largely  inclined 
backward,  is  not  ouly  so  exceedingly  hard  on  the  feet  as  to  be  a  cause  of  fever  and 
contraction,  but  so  uncomfortable  for  the  horse,  that  every  humane  owner  should 
do  what  ho  can  to  remedy  the  difficulty.  Particular  reference  to  this  will  be  found 
under  the  head  of  "  Stabling." 


SHOEmc^. 


677 


Contraction  may  be  divided  into  three  different  classes  :  1. 
A  general  compression  or  drawing  in  of  the  wall  upon  the  vascu- 
lar structure.  2.  When  but  one  or 
both  quarters  are  drawn  in.  3. 
When  the  heels  are  curled  in,  or 
pushed  forward  under  the  foot. 
Hence  the  prevention  and  cure  of 
contraction  must  depend  upon  re- 
moving excess  of  horn,  frog-pressure, 
freedom  of  the  quarters,  or,  if  nec- 
essary, opening  them  mechanically 
as  desired,  and  upon  moisture.  Any 
of  these  conditions  lacking,  there 
must  in  serious  cases  be  partial  or 
entire  failure,  no  matter  what  the 
means  or  methods  used.  If  the  feet 
could  have  conditions  that  Avould 
afford    natural    moisture,    and    the 

Fig.  505.— The  foot  after  the  inflam- 
mation subsided,  growing  down 
nearly  a  quarter  of  an  inch 
larger. 

shoes  made  so  thin   that   the   frog 
and  sole  could  have  reasonable  con- 
tact with  the  ground,  the  quarters 
so  free  that  they  could  expand  with 
the  grov.  th  of  the  feet,  there  could 
be  but  little  if  any  contraction. 
We  see  that  in  all  cases  where  there 
ii  reasonable  frog  pressure,    it   be- 
comes larger,  firmer,  and  more  elas- 
tic ;  while  raising  the  f i"og  from  con- 
tact, causes  it  to  become  small  and 
Fig.  506.— The  foot  drawn  in  and  bard,  the  quarters  to  draw  in,  and 
deformed  from  long-continued  in-     the  whole  f oot  to  diminish  more  or 
flammation  caused  by  a  nail  be-        ]q^^  \^  ^{^^e.      But  if  not  aCCUStomed 

ing  driven  into  the  foot.    The  ,  -i     i        i  i  i         •      „  _     j 

r'  ,  to  pressure,  it  shoukl  be  given  gracl- 
hoof  growing  about  half  an  ^  i      i  • 

inch  larger  after  the  in-  "ally,  in  connection    With    kcepmg 

flammation  subsided.  the  feet  thoroughly  softened,  so  as 


678 


SHOEING. 


not  to  excite  inflammation  or  soreness.  It  would  not  do  for  a 
man  accustomed  to  wearing  boots  for  years  to  suddenly  go  bare- 
foot on  rough,  hard  ground.  The  skin  on  the  feet  is  so  thin  that 
they  would  be  made  sore,  and  be  liable  to  serious  inflammation. 
In  like  manner  it  would  not  be  prudent  to  bring  the  heels  and 
frog  of  a  horse's  foot,  that  has  long  been  accustomed  to  the  protec- 
tion of  thick  shoes,  sud- 
denly to  the  ground.  If 
there  is  but  little  contrac- 
tion, with  fairly  good  con- 
dition of  the  feet,  all  that 
will  be  necessary  to  do  is  to 
level  down  the  feet,  and 
remove  any  surplus  of  old 
horn  from  the  sole,  put  on 
thin-heeled  shoes,  and  keep 
the  feet  soft  by  moisture. 
The  next  simplest  and 
best  method  would  be  to 
use  the  convex  shoe.  After 
leveling  and  trimming  out 
the  foot  properly,  as  before 
explained,  cut  away  or 
weaken  the  arch  between  the  bars  and  frog  sufficiently  to  allow 
of  some  elasticity  of  the  quai'ters,  then  fit  the  heels  nicely  to  the 
bearing  surface  of  the  shoe.  In  doing  this,  care  should  be  taken 
to  leave  them  sufficiently  deep  to  enable  matching  the  bevel  of  the 
shoe  nicely  without  cutting  away  or  lowering  the  wall  too  much. 
No  horn  should  be  left  projecting  inside,  as  it  would  form  a  wall 
against  the  inner  edge  of  the  shoe,  and  prevent  the  heels  from 
.spreading.  Of  course  no  nails  should  be  driven  back  in  the  quar- 
ters. As  before  explained,  the  f  I'Og  should  gradually  be  given  con- 
tact with  the  ground.  As  the  quarters  are  opened,  the  shoe  can 
be  taken  ofl",  made  larger,  and  reset,  until  the  foot  is  reasonably 
expanded,  when  a  level  bearing  surface  may  again  be  used. 

But  for  anything  like  a  bad  condition  of  contraction,  more  di- 
rect and  positiv(i  treatment  will  be  necessary.  For  example,  if 
the  foot  is  badly  contracted,  the  frog  small,  and  sole  forced  upward 
acutely,  the  whole  iutei-nal  structure,  in  fact,  locked  and  tied,  as 


Fig.  507. — Bearing  surface  of  convex  shoe. 


SHOEING. 


679 


it  were,  by  the  severe  compression  of  the  wall,  three  conditions 
are  necessary:  First,  complete  elasticity  of  quarters  and  sole;  sec- 
ond, power  to  open  quarters  so  as  to  relieve  pressure,  and  allow 
the  sole  to  settle  back  to  its  natural  position  ;  thii-d,  gradual  frog 
pressure  so  as  to  restore  a  healthy  condition  of  cii'culation  and 
strength  of  parts.  The  first  important  step  in  the  treatment  is  to 
thoroughly  soften  the  feet.  The  sim- 
plest way  of  doing  this  in  the  stables 
is  by  tying  two  or  three  thicknesses  of 
blanket  around  the  feet  and  keeping 
them  wet  for  about  twenty-four  hours  ; 
or  better,  fill  two  small  bags  with  bran, 
put  a  foot  into  each,  and  tie  a  string 
loosely  around  the  to])  of  the  bag  and 
leer  above  the  fetlock.  Put  each  foot 
into  a  bucket  of  water,  and  afterwards 
pour  on  water  to  keep  wet  ;  or  the 
horse  can  be  made  to  stand  in  mud  till 
the  feet  are  soft. 

There  is  usually  a  large  accumula- 
tion of  horn,  especially  at  the  heel,  all 
of  which  must  be  removed,  and  the 
wall  leveled  down  to  its  proper  dimen- 
sions. Next,  with  the  drawing-knife 
pare  out  the  sole ;  not  enough  to  make 
it  bend  to  pressure,  liut  more  than  be- 
yond the  removal  of  the  old  horn. 
Then  with  a  small  knife,  which  should 
be  made  expressly  for  the  pui-pose,* 
weaken  the  wall  between  the  bars  and 
frog,  by  scraping  or  cutting  out  the  bottom  of  the  channel,  back 
to  the  point  of  the  heel  so  much  that  when  pressure  is  brought 
upon  the  heels  outward,  there  will  be  no  impediment  to  their  open- 
ing freely  at  their  upper  edge.  To  do  this,  commence  well  for- 
ward near  the  point  of  the  frog,  and  cut  back,  folloAving  the  line 
of  the  arch  carefully.     Particular  care  should  be  taken  not  to  cut 


Fig.  .50S.— The  shoe  as  fitted 
before  being  put  on. 


*Let  the  blade  be  made  straight,  with  a  cutting  edge  on  both  sides.  Turn  the 
end  about  a  quarter  of  an  inch,  temper  and  grind  down  to  a  keen  edge.  It  should 
not  cut;  a  channel  much  more  than  one-eighth  to  three-sixteentha  of  an  inch  wide. 


680 


SHOEINO. 


so  iiinoh  at  any  part  as  to  cause  bleeding.  On  this  account  the 
operator  sliould  feel  liis  way  cautiously,  cutting-  deeper  as  lir  gcK-s 
back.  The  bar  slioiild  be  cut  away  to  within  three-quarters  of 
an  inch  from  the  point  of  the  heel.  No  more  should  be  cut  away 
from  the  rest  of  the  bar,  or  part  coming  under  the  clip,  than  may 


be  necessary  to  ffive  a  straisfht 
Both  sides  musst  be  treated  alike. 


shoulder  for  it  to  rest  asrainst. 
If  the  part  has  been  cut  through 
in  the  least,  it  should  be  pro- 
tected after  the  shoe  is  on  by 
melting  a  little  rosin  and  tal- 
low into  it,  and  covering  with 
tow. 

By  looking  at  Fig.  413,  an 
outline  of  this  arch  can  be 
seen  on  the  inside.  There 
have  been  many  ignorant 
and  pretentious  quacks,  who 
have  presumed  to  weaken  the 
heel  by  sawing  in  between 
the  bars  and  frog.  Only  a 
very  small  point  can  be 
reached  in  this  way,  without 
cutting  to  the  quick.  The 
saw  cannot  be  used  here  at 
all  with  advantage.  Thr 
point  is  to  weaken  the  horn  at  the  bottom  of  the  cleft  so  that  it 
will  spread  freely,  and  this  can  be  done  properly  only  with  the 
cutting  knife.  The  proper  flexibility  of  the  heels  can  be  judged 
by  a  slight  pressure  with  the  hand. 

This  done,  our  next  object  is  to  remove  the  compression  of  the 
wall.  To  do  this,  fit  to  it  a  rather  thin,  flat  shoe,  made  of  good 
iron.  At  the  heels  it  should  be  made  a  little  wider  and  longer 
than  the  foot,  and  the  nail-holes  punched,  as  in  Fig.  508.  Lay  on 
the  shoe  as  intended  to  be  nailed,  and  with  a  pencil  make  a  mark 
over  the  inside  of  the  bar  at  the  point  of  the  heel  on  both  sides- 
This  done,  acciu-ately  punch  or  drill  two  holes  through  the  iron, 
about  three-sixteenths  of  an  inch  in  diameter.  If  it  can  be  done, 
it  Avould  be  better  to  have  the  holes  beveled  on  the  inside  of  the 
bar,  extending  up  and  back  at  the  point  of  the  heel.     Next,  take 


Fig.  509. — The  shoe  when  on. 


8HUE1XG. 


681 


two  little  pieces  of  good  iron  or  steel,  about  three-fouTths  to  seven- 
eighths  of  an  inch  long,  by  about  three-sixteenths  thick,  and 
about  five-eighths  of  an  inch  Avide.  Cut  down  the  end  until  it  vn\l 
fit  the  hole  in  the  shoe, 
and  rivet  it,  as  shown 
in  Fig.  508.  These  are 
now  to  be  warmed  and 
bent,  and,  if  necessary, 
filed  so  as  to  lie  flat 
against  both  heels,  and 
just  long  enough  to 
come  a  little  short  of 
touching  the  soft  horn 
above  it.  Next  weaken 
the  shoe  a  little  on  both 
sides,  which  may  be  ex- 
tended over  a  much 
lai'ger  space  than  shown 
in  Fig.  509;  or  if  the 
shoe  is  not  very  heavy, 
it  may  be  spread  with- 
out weakening.  Reg- 
ulate so  as  to  come  a 
little  for-ward  of  the 
point  where  the  hoof 
begins  to  draw  in.  If 
the  shoe  is  thin,  the  in- 
ner edge  should  be 
turned  up  and  formed 
into  a  clip,  which,  with 
a  little  care,  can  be 
filed  and  fitted.  But 
if  the  shoe  is  at  all  thick,  it  would  be  somewhat  difficult  to  do 
this ;  for  if  the  clip  is  turned  up  so  that  the  shoe  is  too  large  or 
too  small,  a  very  tedious,  annoying  bungle  would  be  the  result. 
In  addition,  it  would  be  difficult  to  make  the  clips  sufficiently 
long  to  enable  bringing  pressure  as  high  up  against  the  wall  as  it 
will  admit,  which  is  a  very  important  point  towards  opening  the 
upper  part  of  the  hoof. 


Fig.  510. — Spreaders  hi  position  to  open  the  heels. 


682 


SHOEING. 


The  method  before  given,  wliich  necessity  compelled  me  to 
devise  and  adopt,  makes  this  simple  and  easy  to  do;  and  except 
the  shoe  is  so  thin  as  not  to  admit  of  punching  or  drilling,  it  will 
bo  found  by  far  the  simplest  and  best  method  of  forming  the  clips. 
"When  properly  adjusted,  nail  on  carefully.  The  nails  around  the 
toe  may  be  larger  than  those  driven  in  the  quarters ;  and  while 
driven  so  as  to  give  a  good  hold,  and  rather  high,  if  the  feet  are 

at  all  sore  and  tender,  great  care 
should  be  taken  that  the  ham- 
mering is  not  too  heavy,  nor  the 
nails  driven  deep.  The  clenches 
should  simply  be  turned  down 
lightly.  If  the  hoof  extends  out 
over  the  shoe  at  any  point,  it 
should  be  no  reason  for  more 
rasping  than  merely  to  round  off 
the  edges  of  the  horn.  Let  it 
alone.  It  is  frequently  the  case 
that  one  quarter  is  more  con- 
tracted than  the  other;  in  fact, 
it  is  not  unusual  to  have  one 
side  of  the  heel  very  much  dra-svn 
in,  while  the  other  may  be  very 
little,  if  any,  contracted;  so  that 
two  conditions  must  be  met,  namely:  first,  to  open  either  heel  as 
little  or  much  as  may  be  desired,  independent  of  the  other.  This 
the  spreaders  (which  have  been  devised  and  patented  by  the 
writer)  will  enable  doing  in  the  most  perfect  manner.* 

However  necessary  it  may  be  to  have  this  part  of  the  work 
well  done,  it  is,  in  reality,  but  a  preparatory  step  for  what  fol- 
lows. First,  if  a  tongs  or  screw  be  used  to  spread  the  shoe,  the 
pressure  being  made  equal  on  both  sides,  the  side  which  is  weakest 
must  do  all  the  bending — openmg  that  quarter  too  much  without 
afFectincy  the  other  at  all.    Another  cause  of  difficulty,  is  not  having 


Fig.  511. — The  shoe  as  nailed  on 
to  be  spread. 


*  Simple  as  these  spreaders  are,  the  writer  has  found  it  yery  difficult  to  have  them 
made  properly.  On  this  account  he  has  found  it  necessary  to  have  them  made  ac- 
cording to  an  exact  i)attem,  and  they  will  be  furnished  at  a  moderate  price  to 
those  desiring  them. 


SHOEIJSTG. 


683 


the  tongs  convenient  with  which  to  spi-ead  the  shoe,  and  it  is  put  off 
too  long;  and  when  finally  attempted,  done  so  roughly,  or  opened  so 
much,  as  to  cause  violent  inflammation  and  lameness.  With  the 
spreaders,  this  difficulty  is  entirely  overcome. 

The  method  of  doing  this  should  be  about  as  follows:  First 
measure  between  the  heels  of  the  shoe  carefully,  by  cutting  a  bit 
of  straw  or  stick  the  exact  length  between  them,  and  then  esti- 
mate how  much  each  heel  will 
bear  opening  without  causing 
soreness.  Unless  the  foot  is 
very  soft  and  elastic,  it  is 
hardly  prudent  the  first  time 
to  open  them  more  than  a 
quarter  or  three-eighths  of  an 
inch.  It  is  well  to  first  onen 
the  quarter  most  contracted, 
which,  until  brought  out  to 
balance  with  the  other,  should 
be  opened  the  most.  Then 
measure  again  and  spread  the 
opposite  side.  If  opened  too 
much,  or  enough  to  cause  sore- 
ness, a  few  light  taps  of  the 
hammer  against  the  outside 
will  set  it  back.  The  feet 
should  be  kept  soft  by  stopping  with  flax-seed  meal,  and  tying 
two  or  three  thicknesses  of  blanket  around,  and  wetting  occasion- 
ally. In  the  course  of  an  hour  or  two  examine  the  condition  of 
the  feet  carefully.  If  the  horse  puts  out  one  foot,  or  indicates  the 
least  soreness,  the  quarters  have  been  opened  too  much,  and  they 
must  be  at  once  knocked  back  sufliciently  to  relieve  the  undue 
pressure,  and  kept  wet.  It  is  rarely,  however,  that  the  spreading 
of  a  quarter,  or  even  three-eighths  of  an  inch,  will  at  first  cause 
any  soreness.  On  the  contrary,  it  always  gives  relief.  Still  I 
think  it  necessary  to  use  care.  The  horse  can  be  driven  or 
worked  moderately,  if  desired.  In  two  or  three  days  the  spiead- 
ing  can  be  repeated,  but  now  not  so  much  as  before,  and  again  in 
three  or  four  days  following,  and  so  on  at  longer  intervals. 

If  the  foot  has  been  properly  prepared,  two  points  will  be 


Fig.  512. — As  the  shoe  appears 
after  being  spread. 


684 


SHOEING. 


accomplished  by  this  spreading,  namely,  the  severe  compression 
upon  the  vasculai-  structure  and  coronary  ring  will  be  immedi- 
ately relieved,  and 
the  sole,  which  in  all 
cases  of  this  charac- 
ter has  been  forced 
up,  as  shown,  to  an 
acute  angle,  will 
straisfhten  and  let 
down.  To  aid  this, 
the  sole  must  by  par- 
ing be  made  so  flexi- 
ble that,  as  the  foot 
is  opened  it  will  set- 
tle down  and  come 
back  to  its  natural 
condition.  The  sore- 
ness resulting  from 
the  compression  of 
the  parts  will  be  re- 
moved, and  a  better 
condition  of  circula- 
tion and  nutrition  re- 
sult. By  this  course 
the  mobility  will  not  only  be  restored,  the  horse  travel  with  more 
freedom  and  confidence,  but  as  the  hoof  grows  down  it  will  be- 
come thicker  and  of  a  better  fiber. 

As  before  explained,  to  bring  about  a  healthy  condition  of 
circulation  and  nutrition,  the  frog  must  necessarily  be  given  con- 
tact with  the  ground  to  the  degree  it  will  bear,  which  should  be 
provided  for  by  the  thinness  of  the  shoe.  In  some  simple  cases 
nailing  the  shoe  to  the  heel,  as  shown  in  Fig.  511,  may  be  sufficient 
to  hold  the  quarters  firmly  enough  to  enable  spreading  them  as 
desired.  The  objection  is  that  the  wall  is  so  thin  at  the  point  of 
the  heels,  that  it  may  be  difficult  to  get  a  good  nail  hold  without 
pricking  or  breaking  out;  besides,  the  nailing  cannot  be  repeated. 
The  nails  should  be  small  and  driven  very  carefully,  getting  a?) 
much  hold  as  the  horn  will  admit  of.  The  supposed  objection  to 
this  plan  of  opening  the  quarters  is,  that  it  prevents  their  natural 


Fig.  513. — Badly  contracted  foot.     The  lines  B  show 

the  degree  to  which  the  foot  can  be 

safely  spread. 


SHOEING. 


685 


elasticity  by  their  undue  confinement.  But  this  is  not  a  vaUd 
'  objection;  because  in  the  direction  it  is  desired  to  give  them  free- 
dom outward,  it  only  facilitates  it,  while  at  the  same  time  it  gives 
a  certainty  and  positive- 
ness  of  relief  that  cannot 
well  be  secured  in  any 
other  way. 

Curling  Under  of  the 
Heel. — This  has  heretofore 
been  an  extremely  difficult 
form  of  contraction  to  over- 
come, but  by  the  treatment 
given  is  not  at  all  difficult 
ta  manage,  because  it  gives 
the  power  to  force  the 
quarters  back  in  place  to 
any  degree  desired.  It 
simply  requires  a  little 
more  care  in  making  the 
adjustment.  As  this  form 
of  contraction  is  mostly 
common    to    heavy    team 

horses  in  large  cities  (though  not  uncommon  now  auioug  road- 
sters), and  directly  the  cause  of  ruining  a  large  number  of  the 
finest  horses,  I  will  include  some  additional  explanations  on  its 
ti'eatment.  Usually  the  foot  is  broad  and  healthy-looking,  till  at 
the  back  of  the  turn  of  the  wall,  from  which  point  the  heels  are 
turned  under,  and  drawn  to  almost  a  sharp  point,  entirely  closing 
the  commissuers.  The  wall  is  thin  and  weak,  growing  very 
slowly,  with  frog  extremely  small  and  hard.  This  form  of  con- 
traction is  mostly  caused  by  wearing  thick  shoes  with  the  bearing 
surface  so  formed  that  the  heels  rest  upon  sharply  concave  sur- 
faces, wliich  tends  to  crowd  or  force  them  together;  also  by  ex- 
cessive paring  and  want  of  moisture. 

The  writer  visited  several  shops  to  note  the  details  of  shoeing 
such  horses,  and  with  a  view  of  getting  exact  illustrations  of  the 
average  of  such  shoes.  The  frog,  sole,  and  bars  were  cut  down 
excessively — the  sole  so  that  it  would  bend  to  the  pressure  of  the 
thumb, — and  the  bearing  surface  of  the  heels  so  scooped  out,  that 


Fig.  514. — Draught  or  express  shoe. 
from  Dr.  Hamill's  collection. 


Model 


686 


SHOEING. 


only  a  very  narrow  edge  of  the  outer  wall  gave  a  bearing  surface. 
In  addition  to  this  senseless,  bad  treatment,  which  will  destroy 
the  health  of  any  good  foot  in  a  short  time,' it  was  noticed  that  the 
form  and  fitting  of  the  shoe  were  equally  bad ;  so  that  it  was  not 
difficult  to  understand  Avhy  naturally  good  feet  were  soon  ruined 
by  such  shoeing.  Next,  it  was  noticed  that  the  seating  extended 
clear  out  to  the  nail-holes,  leaving  but  a  comparatively  narrow 
edge  for  the  wall  to  rest  upon.  A  number  of  average  shoes  were 
obtaiuecl  and  photographed  for  the  purpose  of  explaining  the  cause 
of  such  bad  effects :  but  it  was  found  upon  trial  that  it  was  impos- 


FiG.  515. — The  shoe  as  drawn. 

sible  to  bring  out  the  defects  sufficiently  plain  to  be  of  any  ac- 
count, and  as  the  next  expedient,  an  exact  drawing  of  one  of  the 
shoes  (Fig.  575)  was  made,  showing  the  concavity  at  different 
points  of  bearing  surface  of  the  quarters.  The  dotted  lines  show 
the  location  of  the  heels  upon  the  shoe.  To  explain  this  more 
clearly,  three  drawings  of  transverse  sections  are  given ;  (a)  shows 
by  two  points  outside  the  innei-  edge  where  the  outer  edge  of  the 
heels  rested ;  (6)  the  same  at  half  the  distance  between  there  and 
the  center  of  the  clip  on  the  sides;  (c)  at  that  point.  See  p.  688. 
In  the  first  place,  the  shoe  is  made  very  much  longer  and  wider 
at  the  heels  than  the  foot,  for  the  purpose  of  making  them  look 
wide.  In  these  cases,  not  only  the  bearing  surface  itself  is  largely 
bevelled,  but  this  bevel  is  greatly  increased  by  the  seating,  which 


SHOEING. 


687 


is  carried  well  back  to  the  heels  and  extended  out  to  the  edge  of 
the  nail-holes,  the  point  of  the  heels  extending  even  inside  the 
inner  edge  of  the  iron.  Out  of  the  eight  specimens  selected  from 
a  pile  of  old  shoes,  there  was  but  one  exception  to  this.  The  con- 
sequence of  such  treatment  is  that  the  heels  are  constantly  being 
crowded  forward  and  under  as  weight  is  thrown  upon  them,  which, 
with  an  excessively  pared  condition  of  the  foot,  causes  such  rapid 
loss  of  moisture  that  the  heels  become  curled  under,  weak,  and 
contracted.  Now  follows  the 
putting  of  leather  between  the 
shoe  and  foot,  the  use  of  hoof  lin- 
iments, and  other  means  of  w- 
lief ,  without  any  practical  benefit. 
I  copy  here  the  remarks  of  an 
old  author,  J.  Clark,  of  Edin- 
burgh, Scotland,  in  1782,  show- 
ing the  bad  effects  of  this  treat- 
ment : — 

"  They  cannot  be  satisfied  un- 
less the  frog  is  finely  shaped,  the 
sole  pared,  and  the  bars  cut  out  in 
order  to  make   the  heels  appear 

wide.      This    practice  gives  them    y^^   516.-The  previous  shoe,  engraved 
a  show  of  wideneas  for  a  time,  yet      ^^.^^  photograph.    Would  not  bring 
that,   together  with  the  concave  ^^,  ^^^^^^^  appearance, 

fonn  of  the  shoe,  forwards  the  con- 
traction of  the  heels,  which,  when  confirmed,  renders  the  animal 
lame  for  life." 


The  principle  of  shoeing  such  horses  is  the  same  as  in  that  of 
others  :  First,  to  level  down  the  wall  without  interfering  with  the 
sole  or  frog.  The  bearing  surface  of  shoe  to  be  flat,  and  bent  to 
the  form  of  the  foot,  so  as  to  support  the  wall  evenly  all  the  way 
round  ;  the  shoe  to  be  no  heavier,  and  the  calks,  if  used,  no 
higher,  than  is  barely  necessary  to  sustain  the  wear  to  which  it  is 
subjected.  In  addition,  the  feet  should  be  kept  soft  by  stoppings 
and  coverings  of  wet  cloths  at  night.  This  should  be  especially 
attended  to  duiing  dry  weather,  or  when  the  feet  are  hot  or 
feverish  from  severe  work. 

The  treatment  for  the  cure  of  such  is  practically  the  same  as  for 
other  conditions  of  contraction.      Of  course,  much  depends  upon 


688 


SHOEING. 


Fig.  517. — Concave  bearing  surface  of  shoe  at  heel. 


B 


the  skill  and  ingenuity  brought  to  bear  in  the  treatment.  In  fact, 
herein  lies  most  of  the  success  in  the  management  of  all  conditions 
of  contraction.  In  my  experience  I  never  ha^e  found  a  smith 
who  could  catch  the  points  of  properly  preparing  the  foot  and  fitting 
the  shoes  for  such  cases.  In  every  instance  I  have  been  compelled 
to  stand  over  the  shoer,  and  dictate  every  movement,  or  do  part 
of  the  work  myself.     First,  the  want  of  judgment  in  preparing 

the  foot;  second, 
in  adapting  the 
weight  of  the  shoe 
to  the  foot,  and  fit- 
ting the  clips  so  as 
to  enable  opening 
the  quarters  easily 
and  surely  as  de- 
sired. 

Since  writing 
the  foregoing,  my 
attention  has  been 
called  to  a  very 
simple  and  practi- 
cal method  of  opening  the  quartei's  for  the  cure  of  contraction,  il- 
lustrated in  Fig.  522,  and  devised  by  Mr.  David  Roburg,  a  prac- 
tical horse-shoer  of  great  ingenuity  and  skill,  who  is  located  in 
No.  106  West  Thirtieth  street,  New  York  City.* 

This  spring  he  patented  fourteen  years  ago,  and  has  since  used 
it  with  marked  success.  Various  methods  of  opening  the  heels  on 
this  plan  have  been  familiar  to  me  for  many  years.  Fig.  520 
is  a  specimen  of  form  which  I  copied  from  an  old  French  work. 
I  also  saw  a  spring  almost  the  same  in  form  and  principle  of  ad- 


FiG.  518. — Concave  bearing  surface  of  shoe  between 
heel  and  turn  of  foot. 


Fig.  519. — Concave  bearing  surface  of  shoe 
at  turn  of  foot. 


*  My  attention  has  been  particularly  attracted  to  this  gentleman's  method  of 
treatment  by  two  incidents  :  First,  in  a  conversation,  some  years  ago,  with  Mr. 
Bonner,  who  is  himself  undoubtedly  one  of  the  closest  and  best  living  students  of 
the  principles  of  shoeing  in  this  or  any  other  country,  by  his  stating  that  Mr. 
Koburg  was  probably  the  most  profound  student  in  the  art  of  shoeing  in  the  coun- 
try; second,  by  learning  at  the  Columbia  Veterinary  College  of  his  remarkable 
success  in  the  cure  of  a  case  of  lameness  that  was  pronounced  by  one  of  the  highest 
authorities  in  the  city  as  an  incurable  case  of  navicular-joint  lameness.  Special 
reference  will  be  made  to  his  method  of  treatment  for  this  diflBiculty  under  the  head 
of  Navicular-Joint  Lameness. 


SHOEING 


68!) 


justment  which  was  devised  and  patented  a  few  years  ago  hj  a 
horse-shoer  in  the  upper  part  of  New  York  City.  But  Mr.  Roburg, 
by  giving  more  length  to  the  spring,  and  simpHfying  its  construc- 
tion, makes  it  all  that  can  be  desired. 
The  spring  is  made  of  steel,  the  exact 
proportion  and  adjustment  of  which  is 
shown  in  Fig.  522.  The  wall  is  first 
weakened  by  sawing  down  slightly  be- 
tween the  heel  and  frog,  when  the 
spring  is  placed  in  position  with  so  much 
force  given  to  it  as  may  be  thought 
necessary  to  press  the  heels  outward  as 
desired.  The  shoe  is  then  nailed  on 
over  it,  as  ordinarily  done.  The  press- 
ure is  gradual  and  constant,  and  must 
prove  j  ust  the  thing  where  both  quar-  Fig.  520. — Shoe  with  spring  for 
ters  will  admit  of  equal  pressure.     But     ^"^"^  °^  contraction.    Copied 

111  ,1  1  from  the  French. 

should  one  quarter  be  much  more  con- 
tracted or  unyielding  than  the  other,  it  would  not  work  so  well,  be- 
cause the  full  pressure  would  then  be  thrown  on  the  weaker  quar- 
ter.    This  is  in  part  obviated  by  nailing  the  shoe  well  back  on  the 

quarter  of  the  oppo- 
site side,  which  would 
prevent  that  side 
from  being  acted 
upon. 

It  does  not,  how- 
ever, and  cannot  be 
made  to  give  the  re- 
quisite power  to  open 
the  quarters  back 
and  outward,  should 
the  heels  be  drawn 
sharply  inward  and  forward,  as  shown  in  Fig.  578,  as  can  be 
very  easily  done  by  the  method  devised  by  myself.  But  this 
method  of  treatment  is  so  simple  and  good  that  I  have  thought  it 
advisable  to  give  very  careful  drawings  of  it.  This  spring  of 
different  sizes  and  strength,  with  all  particulars,  can  be  obtained 
hy  addressing  the  patentee,  Mr,  Roburg.     I  also  give  illustrations 

44 


Fig.  521. — French  method  of  shoeing — after  Lafosse. 
A,  B,  C,  D,  and  E  show  lines  of  adjustment. 


690 


SHOEING. 


of  a  form  of  shoe  devised  and  largely  used  by  him  with  great 
success,  the  form  of  which  can  be  well  understood  hy  them.  The 
object  to  be  attained  is,  where  there  is  a  want  of  mobility,  or 
much  soreness  and  inflammation,  to  so  form  and  a<lj  ust  the  shoe 
that  the  foot  will  partly  roll  upon  the  ground  and  relieve  the 
strain.  This  form  of  shoe  has  been  patented  by  him.  To  use  Mr. 
Roburg's  words,  "  This  shoe,  by  allowing  the  foot  to  roll  upon  the 
ground,  gives  the  foot  the  advantage  of  an  extra  joint,  and  to  that 

degree  relieves  the  strain  or 
want  of  mobility,  which 
causes  lameness  or  sore- 
ness." Consequently  it  not 
only  enables  the  horse  to 
travel  easier,    but   aids   in 


'iTI 


Fig.  523. 


Fig.  524. 


J&'ie.  5Si-',— An  outline  of  spring,  with  its 
position  on  the  foot. 


Thickness  of  the     Width  of  bar- 
spring — ^full  full  size, 
size. 


making  a  cure.  This  principle  of  treatment  he  has  studied  very 
closely  and  is  remarkably  successful.  More  special  reference  will 
be  made  to  this  in  Navicular-joint  Lameness. 

This  principle  has  long  been  in  vogue  in  France.  I  give  an 
illustration  from  Laf osse,  showing  a  side  view  of  the  hoof  fitted  for 
the  shoe  ;  also  a  specimen  of  the  French  shoe.  The  principle  is 
to  turn  up  the  shoe  at  the  heel  and  toe  about  the  thickness  of  the 
iron.  Mr.  Roburg's  shoe  differs  essentially  from  this,  in  that  he 
gives  a  curvature  side-ways  as  well  as  with  the  length  of  the  foot. 
What  he  terms  his  "best  model  of  shoe,"  and  which  is  the  most 
unusual,  is  Fig.  525,  which  is  nothing  more  than  a  thin  plate 
hammered  into  a  i-ounded  or  bowl  shape,  the  exact  proportions  of 


SHOEING. 


691 


which  are  preserved  in  the  drawings  given.     Fig.  526  is  a  side  view 

which  will  give  a  good  idea  of  the  relative  proportion  of  the  curve. 

By  this  form  of  shoe 

the   foot    has  perfect 

freedom    of    motion 

either   way.      If    the 

foot  is   feverish   or 

dry,  a  wet  sponge  or 

oakum    is    pushed   in 

between  the  shoe  and 

bottom  of  the  foot. 

Fiff.  529  is  a  view  of 

the  same  made  a  little 

heavier,    the     same 

form  of  circle  being- 
preserved,    with    the 

difference  of  the  central  part  being  removed  with  cross-section  of 

the  same.    The  shoe  from  which  this  drawing  was  made  was  claimed 

to  be  the  same  that 
^^  was  worn  by  Dexter 
when  he  made  his 
fastest  time  to  road 
wagon.  Figs.  531, 
532,  show  the  method 
of  putting  on  calk- 
ins. 


Fig.  525. — Roburg's  best  form  of  shoe  to  aid  the 
mobility  of  the  foot  in  lameness. 


Fig.  536. — Side  view  of  the  above,  showing 
the  curve. 


Quarter-Crack. 

This  is  the  one  difficulty  next  to  contraction  which  seems  to 
have  baffled  the  skill  of 
the  best  veterinary  au- 
thorities and  horsemen 
to  prevent  or  cure;  be- 
cause in  extreme  cases 
they  had  no  practical 
treatment  beyond  that 
of  a  bar  shoe,  cutting 
away  the  horn  so  that 
^he  part  back  of  the  split  yrould  have  no  bearing  upon  it,  or  of  sup- 


FiG.  527. — An  exact  scale  of  the  curve 
of  the  shoe. 


Fig.  528. — Cross-section  of  the  same. 


692 


SHOEING. 


porting  the  weak  parts  by  drawing  the  edges  together  with  nails, 
or  fastening  on  a  plate  with  screws  ;  all  of  which  are  merely  pal- 
liative, and  not  to  be 
depended  upon.  It 
would,  of  course,  be 
easy  to  grow  the  foot 
down  by  keeping  the 
horse  in  a  stall  or  small 
yard  "where  the  ground 
is  soft,  but  when  put 
to  work  it  would  be  li- 
able to  split  down 
again  as  before.  Con- 
sequently it  has  been 
one  of  the  most  vexatious  and  annoying  of  difficulties,  because  to 

to  do  this  it  was  nec- 
essary  to    keep    the 
horse  idle  from    three 
Fig.  530.— Cross-section  of  the  same.  ^    g^    months;    and 

then,  when  put  to 
work,  if  by  chance  he 
were  driven  sharply 
over  hard  or  frozen 
roads,  the  quarter  was 
liable  to  burst,  which 
would  again  make  the 


Fig.  539. — Ordinary  form  of  rolling  motion  shoe. 


Fig.  531. — Side  view  showing  degree  of  curve. 


loss  of  use  necessary.  Or  it  became  necessary  to  resort  to  the  pal- 
liative measures  refer- 
red to,  and  thus  in  time 
the  value  of  an  other- 
wise good  horse  would 
be  destroyed. 

We  see,  in  the  first 
place,  that  the  whole 
trouble  arises  from  the 
hoof  becoming  con- 
tracted or  too  small  for 
the  internal  parts.    This         pj^  532.— Ground  surface  of  above,  showing 

\v^iU  be  most  notice^^ble  method  of  putting  on  calking, 


SHOsma 


698 


at  the  inner  quarter  by  the  wall  becoming  straight  or  drawn  in 
sharply  a  little  below  the  hair,  the  part  at  which  the  split  inva- 
riably occurs.  This  is  proved  by  the  fact  that  the  quarter  is  most 
liable  to  burst  or  split  when  the  hoof  is  dry  and  hard,  or  when 
concussion  is  increased  by  driving  on  hard  roads.  This  tendency 
to  split  is  also  increased  by  the  inferior  quality  of  horn  grown; 
because  the  contraction  of  the  parts,  or  pressing  of  the  wall  in 
against  the  soft  parts  so  obstructs 
the  circulation  that  there  is  not 
sufficient  blood  to  grow  a  sound, 
tough,  healthy  horn.  On  this  ac- 
count in  all  such  cases,  if  serious, 
the  horn  grows  thin  and  brittle. 
The  only  reliable  and  practical 
cure  is  opening  the  quarters  suffi- 
ciently to  remove  pressure  until 
the  new  horn  is  grown,  which  can 
be  done  to  any  degree  desired  as 
follows  :  First,  cut  down  between 
the  bar  and  frog  of  the  inner  quar- 
ter, as  explained  for  contraction, 
until  it  will  yield  readily  to  pressure.  Next  cut  away  the  edges 
of  the  wall  to  the  end  of  the  split ;  then  make  a  crease  with  the 
firing  iron  at  the  edge  of  the  hair.  If  the  split  extends  well  up 
into  the  coronary  band,  this  can  be  omitted,  and  instead,  the  iron 
touched  length-ways  with  the  split.  If,  however,  the  quarter  is 
properly  opened,  such  interference  with  the  firing-iron  will  be  un- 
necessary, as  the  horn  would  usually  grow  down  sound  without  it. 
Now  fit  a  shoe  as  explained  for  contraction,  putting  a  clip  only 
upon  the  inner  side  (as  shown  in  Fig.  536).  The  opposite  side  is 
to  be  nailed  well  back  to  counterbalance  it.  When  the  shoes  are 
nailed  on,  with  the  spreaders  open  the  quarter  all  it  will  bear 
without  producing  soreness,  or  about  a  quarter  of  an  inch.  This 
done,  fill  the  crack  with  a  little  melted  resin  or  tallow,  over  which 
put  a  little  tow  to  prevent  gravel  or  dirt  from  working  into  the 
quick.  It  is  next  advisable  to  stimulate  the  growth  of  tough, 
healthy  horn.  This  can  be  done  with  hoof  liniment,  which  should 
be  put  on  as  explained,  two  or  three  times  a  week.  In  addition, 
the  hoof  should  not  be  permitted  to  become  dry  or  hard,  which  can 


Fig.  533. — Quarter-craek. 


694  SHOEING.' 

be  easily  prevented  by  stopping  with  flaxseed  meal,  and  tying  two 
or  three  thicknesses  of  blanket  around  the  feet,  and  keeping  wet 
while  standing  in  the  stable.  The  horse,  if  necessary,  can  be  put  to 
work  as  usual.  In  the  course  of  a  few  days,  spread  out  a  little 
more,  or  as  may  be  necessary  to  make  the  hoof  sufficiently  large 
to  remove  all  pi^essure  from  the  weak  parts.  When  grown  down, 
the  cause  is  removed,  first,  by  the  quarter  being  opened  out  to  its 

natural  position,  there- 
by removing  all  press- 
ure upon  it  outwardly ; 
second,  by  the  circula- 
tion now  having  entire 
freedom  more  blood  is 

brought   to  the  parts. 
Fig.  534. — Toe-crack.  Fig.  535. — Quarter-crack.  ,i     ,    ,i 

SO  that  there  is  grown 

a  tougher  and  thicker  quality  of  horn,  thereby  making  it  a  relia- 
ble cure. 

If  an  ordinary  case,  with  but  little  drawing  in  of  the  quarters, 
simply  lower  the  inside  quarter  a  little  so  as  to  remove  pressure 
from  the  upper  edge  of  the  wall,  and  put  on  a  level  shoe.  Next, 
with  a  firing-iron,  burn  a  slight  crease  across  the  upper  edge  of 
the  wall,  keeping  the  foot  soft,  and  stimulating  the  growth  by 
applications  of  hoof  liniment.  This  will  enable  growing  the  wall 
down  without  its  splitting  back.  But  if  the  quarter  is  drawn  in 
perceptibly,  then  in  addition  to  the  creasuig,  the  quarter  must  be 
given  entire  freedom  by  cutting  down  between  the  bar  and  frog. 

The  advantage  of  a  bar-shoe  is  that  it  brings  some  pressure  upon 
the  frog,  causing  a  slight  spreading  of  the  quarters,  and  giving 
relief;  but,  as  must  be  seen,  in  its  best  form  it  is  merely  palliative, 
as  the  frog  soon  becomes  atrophied  by  the  pressure.  But  if  the 
hoof  is  thin  and  much  contracted,  and  especially  if  the  growth  of 
horn  is  not  very  healthy,  nothing  short  of  opening  the  quarter 
and  keeping  it  so  can  be  relied  upon  for  success. 

Blind  Billy,  on  account  of  the  severity  with  which  he  brought 
the  feet  to  the  ground  when  traveling  rapidly,  frequently  burst 
the  quarter  of  one  of  his  feet  which  grew  white  horn  and  was  con- 
tracted a  little.  By  weakening  the  horn  between  the  bar  and  frog 
so  as  to  let  the  quarter  give  as  pressure  was  thrown  upon  it,  in 
connection  with  keeping  the  feet  soft  and  stimulating  the  growth 


SHOEING. 


695 


with  hoof  hniments,  enabled  growing  the  wall  down  several  times 
without  resplitting.     Finally,  during  a  severe  freezing  spell,  when 
the  roads  were  rough  and  hard,  the  quarter  was  split  very  seri- 
ously, which,  on   account  of  the  thin  condition  of  the  hoof,   it 
became    impossible  to    grow    down  again   without  its    splitting 
back.      All    palliative    measures 
failing,   it  became   necessary   to 
either  control  the  quarter  while 
growing,  or  in  consequence  of  the 
serious    lameness     the    injury 
caused  him,  to  take  the  horse  off 
the  road.     This  was  not  admissi- 
ble, as  he  could  not  be  spared,  and 
to  prevent  this  I  was  compelled  to 
devise  some  means  of  treatment 
by  which  this  could  be  remedied. 
I    noticed    first   that   the   whole 
trouble   arose  from   the  quarter 
being  too  small,  or  pressing  too 
much  upon  the  internal  structure, 
and  it  occurred  to    me   to  open 
out  the  quarter  and  hold  it  there. 
The  experiment  was   made,  fit- 
ting the  shoe  with  a  clip,   and  it  worked  perfectly.     The  horse 
was  driven  as  usual,  over  the  hardest  roads,  during  the  balance 
of  the  winter  ;    yet  the  hoof  grew   down,   not  only  sound  but 
stronger  than  it  was  before.     The  incident  suggested  the  idea  of 
fitting  a  shoe  in  this  way  for  the  cure  of  contraction  ;  and  for  the 
convenience  of  opening  either  quarter  as  desired,  the  spreaders 
were  devised,  which  enabled  doing  this  most  perfectly. 

Corns. 

Corns  are  usually  to  be  found  at  the  inner  heel,  or  at  the 
angle  between  the  bar  and  the  crust,  and  are  caused  by  the  shoe 
pressing  upon  the  part.  This  will  be  most  likely  to  occur  should 
the  wall  break  down,  or  be  cut  away  so  much  as  to  let  the  sho;- 
rest  upon  the  sole,  or  should  the  shoe  be  nailed  wc^l  back  on  the 
outside  and  toe,  as  then,  if  left  on  too  long,  it  will  be  drawn  out- 
ward and  forward  so  much  that  the  inner  heel  will  be  drawn 


Fig.  536. — Form  of  shoe  for 
quarter-crack. 


096 


SHOEIKd. 


under  the  quarter,  and  rest  upon  this  part,  bruising  it.  When  the 
sensible  sole  is  thus  bruised,  the  effused  blood  mixes  with  the  horny 
matter  and  makes  a  red  spot,  and  if  the  irritation  is  continued  so 
as  to  produce  very  much  inflammation,  ulceration  may  take  place, 
which  would,  in  some  cases,  be  sufficient  to  affect  the  inner  wing  of 
the  coffin  bone,  and  cause  matter  to  break  out  at  the  coronet.  Some- 
times when  the  quarter  is  very  much  contracted  the  space  between 

the  bar  and  quarter  being 
greatly  lessened,  it  causes 
such  bruising  or  pressure 
upon  the  soft  jDarts  as  to  ex- 
cite inflammation,  or  a  corn, 
which,  in  some  cases,  may 
be  very  serious.  The  usual 
remedy  is  to  cut  away  the 
parts  so  that  the  shoe  will 
not  rest  upon  it,  and  put  on 
a  little  caustic,  or  touch  it 
with  a  hot  iron,  which  de- 
stroys sensibility,  and 
changes  the  condition  of  se- 
cretion. Butter  of  antimo- 
ny, or  salts  of  nitre,  is  the 
favorite  remedy;  then  melt 
in  a  little  tar,  resin,  and  tallow,  and  cover  with  a  little  tow  to 
prevent  gravel  or  dirt  working  into  the  tender  part.  The  usual 
way,  in  severe  cases,  is  to  put  on  a  bar  shoe,  so  as  to  enable  re- 
moving all  pressure  from  the  part.  This  mode  of  treatment, 
however,  as  usually  done,  is  only  palliative,  not  curative.  The 
horse  will  travel  better,  but  if  the  shoe  is  left  on  a  little  too  long, 
or  presses  upon  the  part  in  the  least,  or  should  gravel  or  dirt 
accumulate  between  the  part  and  the  shoe,  inflammation  and 
lameness  will  follow.  The  only  remedy  for  this  is  to  remove  the 
pressure.  But  in  time  by  this  treatment  the  difficulty  is  only 
aggravated  and  made  worse.  Hence,  the  usual  assertion  that 
"  corns  cannot  be  cui'ed.  ' 

The  writer  will  now  explain  how  corns  may  be  cured  without 
difficult}'  :     The  black  performing  horse,  Gilford,  one  of  his  f ormei- 


Fig.  536.— Gifford's  foot,  as  it  appeared 
before  treatment. 


SHOEING. 


697 


Fig.  537. — Position  of  spreaders  for  opening 
quarter. 


team  of  horses  trained  to  drive  without  reins,  had  a  very  bad 
bruise  (corn)  on  one  of  his  inner  heels,  which,  if  not  carefully 
attended  to,  caused  se- 
rious lameness.  After 
being  troubled  with  it 
about  seven  years,  it 
had  grown  to  such 
proportions  as  to  in- 
volve the  entire  angle 
at  the  heel,  so  that  the 
horn  was  broken  quite 
through,  and  the  sen- 
sitive structure  partly 
ulcerated.  At  the 
close  of  the  season's 
business,  early  in  June, 
there  was  considerable 
inflammation  and  sore- 
ness in  the  entire  foot,  in  consequence  of  the  aggravated  condition 
of  the  corn,  despite  the  fact  that  all  prcssui-e  had  been  carefully 

kept  from  it.  All  palliative 
measures  having  failed,  it 
occurred  to  the  writer  to  try 
the  experiment  of  removing 
all  pressure  from  the  part, 
and  turning  the  horse  to 
grass  during  the  summer 
months.  But  there  was  an- 
other serious  difficulty,  to 
which,  in  part,  some  of  the 
soreness  might  be  attributed. 
By  the  contraction  or  curl- 
ing under  of  the  outer  heel, 
it  had  become  so  weak  that 
it  could  scarcely  be  made  to 
Fig.  538. —The  shoe  as  it  appeared  when  on,  support  his  weight  in  trav- 
with  the  outer  quarter  opened  out.  ^^.^^^     ^^    -^   ^^^^^    ^^^^^^^^   ^^ 

treat  this  at  the  same  time.     The  division  between  the  bar  and  frog 
of  this  side  was  mxII  thinned  out  to  make  the  quarter  flexible. 


698 


SHOEING. 


Next,  a  thin  shoe  of  uutempered  steel,  a  Httle  more  than  an 
eighth  of  an  inch  thick,  was  made  to  fit  accurately  to  the  wall 
(as  shown  by  Fig.  537),  the  end  being  turned  up  for  a  clip,  and 
fitted  nicely  to  its  place.  The  part  of  the  opposite  heel  of  the  shoe 
coming  over  the  corn,  was  entirely  cut  away,  leaving  simply  suf- 
ficient to  cover  the  wall,  which  at  this  point  was  very  thin.  The 
shoe  was  now  fastened  on  sufficiently  to  hold  it  firmly  in  place, 
but  with  very  s^nall  nails.  There  was  no  rasping  or  attempt  to 
beautify  the  foot  in  any  way.  This  is  never  in  any  case  permit- 
ted by  the  writer  in  shoeing  his  horses. 

Figs.  536  and  538  give  a  very  good  idea  of  the  appearance  of 


Fig.  539. 


Best  forms  of  bar  shoe. 


Fig.  540. 


the  foot  before  and  after  the  shoe  was  put  on.  The  quarter  was 
now  carefully  opened  back  about  three-eighths  of  an  inch,  without 
causing  any  irritation.  Nothing  was  put  over  the  bruise  or  corn, 
nor  was  it  meddled  with  in  any  way.  The  horse  was  now  turned 
out  to  grass  daily.  At  first  he  moved  very  tenderly,  though  not 
lame.  In  a  week  the  heel  was  again  opened  a  little  more,  and 
again  at  intervals  until  opened  out  as  desired.  In  a  few  weeks 
the  tenderness,  fever,  and  inflammation  subsided ;  and  at  the  ex- 
piration of  three  months  the  corn  was  entirely  cured,  there  being 
a  healthy  growth  of  sole  over  the  part,  leaving  only  a  slight  touch 
of  redness  on  account  of  not  being  entirely  grown  out.  The  con- 
tracted quarter  was  also  out  in  its  natural  position,  the  change  for 
the  better  in  all  respects  being  very  gratifying.     An  ordinary  flat 


SHOEING.  699 

shoe  was  now  put  on,  when  he  ti-aveled  as  well  as  ever.  Most  of 
such  cases  can  be  easily  cured  while  the  horse  is  kept  at  his  usual 
work,  by  putting  on  an  open  shoe  if  the  foot  will  bear  it,  if  not,  a 
light  bar  shoe,  with  the  part  coming  under  the  corn  entirely  cut 
away,  leaving  only  sufficient  to  cover  the  wall.  It  will  not  mat- 
ter whether  the  bar  is  cut  away  or  not, 
as  there  will  be  nothing  over  it  to  harbor 
gravel  or  dirt.  It  would  be  advisable  to 
fit  the  shoe  carefully,  or  even  drive  tAvo 
or  three  nails,  to  know  exactly  the  posi- 
tion of  the  shoe  upon  the  wall.  Then 
mark  the  part  to  be  cut  out,  when  the 
nails  can  be  pulled  out,  the  part  cut  or 
filed  away  properly,  and  the  shoe  again 
nailed  in  place. 

The  success  in  the  treatment  of  the  case 
referred  to,  led  me  to  believe  I  had  made  Fig.  541.— Shoe  fitted  for  cur- 
an  important  discovery,  as  I  had  not  *°S  corns.  From  Cole- 
found  it  laid  down  by  any  of  the  ordinary  ^^^  ^  ^"^^  ' 
authorities  on  "  Shoeing,"  under  my  notice.  Since  then,  upon  in- 
vestigation, I  have  found  that  the  principle  was  well  understood 
by  many  old  authorities,  though  the  method  of  treatment,  as  will 
be  seen,  was  slightly  different. 

Page  96,  of  Freeman's  work  on  "Shoeing,"  pubUshed  in  1796, 
says: — 

"  I  have  frequently  bought  horses  whose  feet,  on  examination, 
proved  to  have  corns,  occasioned  by  ill-made  shoes  having  pressed 
upon  them.  These  were,  in  general,  easily  cured  by  paring  the 
feet  properly  where  the  grievance  lay,  and  turning  the  horse  out 
without  shoes  for  two  or  three  months." 

In  the  supplement  to  Coleman's  work,  published  in  1802,  the 
writer  found,  for  the  cure  of  corns,  the  shoe  cut  away  over  the 
corn  (see  Fig.  541). 

Bracy  Clark's  work,  in  1809,  for  the  cure  of  corns,  gives  an 
illustration  of  a  shoe  with  that  part  which  would  come  over  the 
corn  entirely  cut  away.  The  half-moon  shoe,  or  tip,  by  Lafosse, 
referred  to  hereafter,  is  claimed  to  cure  corns.  Csesar  Fiaschi,  of 
the  16th  century,  gives  a  cut  of  a  three-quarter  shoe;  almost  the 
same  form  as  that  of  Bracy  Clark's,  for  this  trouble.  White's 
work,  published  in  1820,  says: — 


700  SHOEING. 

"  The  only  thing  to  bo  done  is  to  take  off  the  shoe,  and  turn  the 
horse  out  to  grass.  In  slight  cases,  however,  this  may  not  be 
absolutely  necessar}",  and  is  often  inconvenient,  but  it  is  by  far  the 
best  plan,  ai^d,  1  mu}^  add,  perhwjjn  the  only  effectual  one,  "vvhen  a 
radical  cure  is  desired." 

This  writer  being  good  authority,  I  will  include  what  he  saj'^s 

on  direct  or  palliative  treatment: — 

"  When  a  horse  cannot  be  sent  to  grass,  and  the  disease  is  so 
slight  as  not  to  produce  lameness,  let  the  affected  heel,  crust  as  well 
as  sole,  be  rasped  or  cut  down  with  the  drawing  knife,  so  that 
when  a  bar-shoe  is  aj^plied,  there  may  be  no  pressure  upon  the  affected 
heel,  or  about  an  inch  beyond  it,  that  is,  toward  the  toe.  .  .  .  The 
practice  commonly  is  to  scoop  out  the  reddened  sole  or  corn  between 
the  bar  and  crust,  and  have  these  receive  the  bearing  of  the  shoe; 
but  this  will  not  do  ;  the  crust  also  must  be  removed  as  well  as  the 
bar  to  the  depth  of  a  quarter  of  an  inch.  .  .  .  Caustics  and  even 
a  hot  iron  have  sometimes  been  applied  to  corns  ;  they  may  have 
had  the  effect  of  deadening  the  feeling  of  the  part  for  a  short  time, 
but  they  often  do  great  mischief,  and  should  never  be  employed  or 
permitted  in  any  case  of  corn  whatever.  Tar  ointment,  Friar's 
balsam,  or  a  solution  of  blue  vitriol  have. also  been  used.*  They 
may  be  innocent,  but  certainly  not  necessary.  When  corns  are 
not  attended  to,  severe  lameness  is  often  the  consequence.  Smiths 
frequently  do  nothing  more  than  scoop  out  the  corn,  and  apply  a 
common  shoe.  This  sometimes  relieves  the  horse  for  a  short  time, 
but  he  soon  becomes  lame  again,  and  generally  lamer  than  at  first. 
It  is  in  this  way  that  corns  are  rendered  troublesome,  and  produc- 
tive of  so  much  inconvenience.  Inflammation  and  suppuration  are 
thus  sometimes  induced  in  the  heels,  and  matter  breaks  out  at  the 
coronet.  In  this  case  the  whole  of  the  affected  heel  must  be 
removed,  even  the  crust  of  the  heel  and  the  bar  ;  and  when  the 
part  has  been  well  soaked  with  a  poultice,  that  is,  after  a  few  days, 
it  may  be  dressed  with  tar  ointment,  and  about  a  week  after  it  has 
been  thus  dressed,  the  horse  should  be  turned  to  grass  without 
shoes." 

Weak  Heels. 

If  from  any  cause  there  has  been  much  fever  in  the  feet  for 
some  time  in  consequence  of  being  driven  on  hard  roads,  or  being 
partially  foundered,  there  will  be  diminished  supply  of  horn,  so 
that  the  wall  will  not  only  grow  slower  but  thinner.  Sec  refer- 
ence to  inflammation  and  Figs.  505  and  50G,  on  page  677. 'f 

*  Formulas  for  these  prescriptions  will  be  found  among  miscellaneous  recipes. 

t  According  to  scientific  authority,  ordinary  inflammation  of  the  horn-secreting 
Burfaces  gives  a  greater  cell  proliferation  in  general;  but  when  inflammation  ap- 


SHOEING. 


701 


Fig.  542. — The  foot  as  it  appeared. 


Sometimes  the  heels  are  cut  down  so  closely  that  should  the 
shoe  work  loose,  and  wear  or  break  down  the  quarters,  it  would 
be  easy  to  pro- 
duce a  weak,  low 
condition  of  the 
heels.  This  may 
cavise  a  great  deal 
of  trouble,  on  ac- 
count of  the  slow- 
ness with  which 
the  horn  grows  to 
supply  the  in- 
creased wear. 
This  morbid  con- 
dition of  inflam- 
mation also  pro- 
duces another 
very  marked  ef- 
fect, namely,  that  of  separating  the  wall  from  the  sole,  or  what 
is  termed  becoming  shelly.      Sometimes,  if  the  shoes  are  badly 

fitted  and  made  too  wide 
at  the  heels  (as  explained 
under  the  head  of  Con- 
traction), they  will  soon 
cause  a  weak,  bad  condi- 
tion of  the  heels,  the  quar- 
ter gradually  giving  way 
or  breaking  down,  and  if 
the  foot  is  at  all  flat,  the 
sole  and  frog  become  lia- 
ble to  settle,  or  are  made 
convex. 

One  of  the  most  marked 
cases  oi'  this  kind  the  wri- 
ter ever  sew  wr.s  that  of  a 
Fig.  543.— Form  of  shoe  the  writer  would  advise,  cart  horse,  brought   to   his 

proaches  the  suppurative  stages,  death  of  the  horn  occurs.  But  atrophy,  or  wast- 
ing of  the  secreting  structure,  gives  a  corresponding  atrophied  portion  of  born» 
gfrijctwr^, 


702 


SHOEING. 


notice  in  Central  Pennsylvania.  The  feet  were  broad  and  flat, 
with  the  heels  drawn  in  to  a  point  so  that  there  was  scarcely  any 
bearino-  of  them  upon  the  shoe.  The  result  of  this  was  that  the 
horn  wore  or  broke  away  until  the  line  of  bearing  was  over  an 
inch  above  that  of  the  frog.  To  remedy  the  difficulty,  the  calks 
were   raised   correspondingly   high   to   keep  the  frog   from   the 

ground.       (See    Fig. 

t'Si!iiM'^'^Jk^\.^^^.  ^^2)      This  horse  trav- 

eled with  great  diffi- 
culty, even  on  a  walk. 
If  it  is  desired  t;j  re- 
store the  condition  of 
the  circulation  and 
quality  of  horn,  by  far 
the  best  way  of  doing 
it  would  be  to  put  on 
thin-heeled  shoes,  with 
iron  just  wide  enough 
around  the  quarters 
and  heels  to  protect  the 
wall,  and  then  turn  the 
horse  out  for  a  few 
months.  In  the  meantime,  dress  the  feet  two  or  three  times  a  week 
with  hoof  liniment  to  stimulate  the  growth  of  good  horn,  and 
prevent  the  weakening  effects  of  too  much  moisture.  If,  how- 
ever, the  feet  are  weak  and  the  horse  must  be  used,  a  better 
way  would  be  to  put  on  a  thin  bar  shoe,  the  bar  part  extending 
well  forward  under  the  frog,  to  give  more  basis  of  support.  (See 
Fig.  548.)  Of  course  nothing  more  should  be  cut  away  from  the 
heels  than  is  sufficient  to  barely  level  them  a  little.  Especial  care 
should  be  taken  to  protect  them  from  excessive  wear  and  break- 
ing down  by  the  shoe,  which  may  be  done  by  placing  leather  be- 
tween the  bearing  surfaces  of  the  foot  and  the  shoe.  The  better 
to  support  such  a  shoe  and  lessen  the  nailing,  a  light  clip  may  be 
turned  up  on  each  side.  In  many  cases  of  this  kind  the  horn 
may  be  very  brittle,  so  that  it  is  not  only  advisable  to  use  small 
nails,  but  to  drive  them  where  a  strong  hold  can  be  taken — any- 
way, the  shoe  must  be  fastened  on  so  firmly  that  it  will  not  get 
ioose  or  work  on  the  foot.     In  some  cases  it  ina^"  be  necessary  to 


Fig.  544. — The  shoe  as  it  may  be  fitted  to 
support  weak  heels. 


SHOEING. 


703 


Fig.  545. — Original  shoe  litted 
with  plate  on. 


bend  the  bar  down,  so  as  to  enable  a  more  accurate  line  of  ad- 
justment to  the  wall  and  frog.  If  an  arch  becomes  so  weak  that 
it  settles  under  the  weight  upon  it, 
the  only  safe  or  reasonable  alterna- 
tive would  be  to  support  it.  In  like 
manner,  when  the  sole  becomes  so 
weak  that  it  settles  down,  it  must 
be  given  contact  with  the  ground, 
or  supported  by  the  use  of  a  bar 
shoe. 

When  in  Massachusetts,  in  187G, 
a  leading  horseman  called  my  atten- 
tion to  a  fast-trotting  stallion  that 
had  weak  feet,  and  which  caused 
him  a  great  deal  of  trouble.  He 
wished  to  know  how  to  shoe  them 
so  as  to  improve  their  condition.  I 
found  the  feet  in  good  shape,  but  the  sole  and  wall  were  very 
thin  and  weak,  the  effect,  undoubtedly,  of  the  horse  being  slightly 
foundered  or  overheated.     I  advised  putting  on  a  shoe  that  would 

support  the  sole  and  frog,  the  space 
between  the  shoe  and  froo-  to  be 
packed  with  oakum,  and  the  use  of 
hoof  liniment  to  grow  a  tougher  and 
better  condition  of  horn.  He  ob- 
jected, that  this  would  not  do,  as 
the  horse  would  not  bear  any  press- 
ure at  all  upon  the  sole.  Some  time 
afterward  my  attention  was  called 
to  a  very  high  indorsement  from 
this  gentleman,  of  a  certain  form  of 
patent  shoe,  that  had  been  used  on 
this  horse.  It  stated  that  it  enabled 
the  horse  to  travel  as  well  as  ever, 
and  that  its  utility  was  all  that  could 
be  desired.  I  was  interested  to  know  j  ust  what  kind  of  a  shoe  had 
been  used,  and  when  again  in  that  vicinity,  at  considerable  trouble 
found  one,  of  which  I  give  an  accurate  drawing.  (See  Fig.  545.) 
While  it  may  be  evident  that  in  many  such  cases  the  shoe  could 


Fig.  546. 


-The  same  with  plate 
removed. 


704. 


SHOEING. 


Pig.  5-i7. — Heel  of  shoe  with  pad 
of  oakum  attached. 


be  made  to  support  the  entire  sole,  if  hammered  out  of  iron,  the 
increased  weight  would  make  it  seriously  objectionable.  The  fit- 
ting of  a  thill  piece  of  steel  plate,  as 
shown  in  Fio-.  545,  would  enable  this 
to  be  done  with  but  little  addition  to 
its  weight.  The  manner  of  putting- 
it  on  was  simply  by  bringing  the 
whole  surface  of  the  wall  and  frog  to 
an  even  bearing,  to  which  the  shoe 
was  carefully  adjusted. 

Next,  the  space  between  the  shoe 
and  bottom  of  the  foot  was  filled  with 
oakum,  to  which  was  added  a  little 
tar  and  resin,  so  as  to  form  an  even 
but  firm  support  all  the  way  round.* 
The  drawing  of  the  oakum,  as  it 
appears  in  Fig.  547,  is  an  exact 
illustration  of  that  which  was  used  upon  the  shoe  named,  though 
only  the  back  part  of  it  is  shown.  Parties  who  had  used  the  shoe 
upon  feet  which  had  become  sore 
and  tender  from  driving  upon  hard, 
stony  roads  in  the  city  and  neigh- 
borhood, stated  that  it  enabled  the 
horses  to  travel  much  better.  If 
the  foot  is  sore  and  sensitive,'' sup- 
porting it  with  a  bed  of  oakum  in 
this  way,  will  serve  to  break  con- 
cussion, and  consequently  make  the 
horse  go  better  for  a  time.  But  for 
contraction,  quarter-crack,  coffin- 
joint  lameness,  etc.,  for  which  it  was 
advertised  as  a  cure,  it  cannot  ben- 
efit beyond  the  effect  of  slightly 
breaking  concussion  as  explained.  It  would  be  just  the  thing 
for  weak  heels  and  for  any  condition  where  the  sole  and  frog 


Fig.  548. — The  plate  as  attached. 


*  A  preparation  of  tar,  beeswax,  hard  soap,  and  resin,  melted  and  formed  into  a 
salve,  to  be  used  with  oakum  as  a  packing,  was  given  the  writer  by  a  horseman  of 
much  experience,  as  the  best  for  this  purpose,  claiming  that  it  softened  the  feet  and 
stimulated  the  secretion  of  horn. 


SHOEING. 


705 


bearinof 


>'iG.  549. — Forward  shoe  to  preveut  strik 
iug.     From  Dr.  Hamill's  collection. 


nec<T  suyjporting".  As  it  is,  liowevef,  seriously  objectionable  to 
cover  the  whole  bottom  of  the  foot  M'^heu  it  can  be  avoided,  I  in- 
clude cuts  of  an  improvement 


liy  which  the  A\^hole 
surface  of  the  froo-  and  heels, 
the  important  parts,  can  be 
supported  without  the  sole  be- 
ing excluded  fr(jin  moisture  or 
air,  which  is  important  for  the 
secretion  of  healthy  horn.  In 
such  a  case,  if  desired,  the 
plate  instead  of  being  let  to 
the  inner  edgfe  of  the  bar 
(which  is  mainly  made  so  in 
the  cut  to  give  it  a  more  dis- 
tinct appearance),  can  be  ex- 
tended across  the  quarter,  so 
that    the    upper    surface    will 

come  e\'en  witli  that  of  the  shoe,  and  be  riveted  on. 

The  main  point  in  the  management  of  interfering  is  to  have 

the  shoe  close  under  tlie  wall  at  the  point  of  striking,  and  the  of- 
fending part  shortened  or  straightened  a  little,  and  that  there  be 

no  nails  driven  there,    the  clinches 

of  which  would  soon  rise  and  cause 

cutting'.      The  ed^e  of    the;    shoe 

should  be    beveled   imder   a   little, 

and  filed  smooth.     There  is  usual  1}- 

a  good  deal  of  carelessness  in  letting 

the  shoe  extend    outside  tlui  ci'ust 

at  the  point  of  the  heel.      It  .should 

set  well  under  the  Avail  all  the  wa}^ 

round,  and  the  wall  filed  smoothly 

to  it.     In  addition,    in  some  cases 

the  hoi'se  will  travel  better  to  lower 

the  inside  lieel  a  little,  in  others  to 

raise  it.     It  is  in  all  cases  advisable, 

however,  if  the  horse  can  be  made 

to  travel  without  striking,  to  keep 


Fui.  55U. — Shoe  to  prevent  inter- 
fering and  flickiiit;'. 


the  adjustment  natural  by  paring  th(i  fo(jt  level,  and  making  tUo 


45 


706 


SHOEING. 


shoe  of  an  equal  thickness  all  the  way  round,  with  perhaps  the 
inner  part  straightened  a  little.  Raising  the  inside  heel,  which 
is  the  method  in  general  use,  while  it  tends  to  throw  the  ankle 
out,  tends  also  to  throw  the  foot  in,  as  it  is  carried  forward.  It 
also  brings  such  unequal  strain  upon  th«  ankle  joint  as  to  some- 
times cause  serious  injury  to  it.  Fig,  552  is  introduced  to  show 
the  bad  effect  of  this.     The  inner  condyle  of  the  joint  is  worn 

down  or  eroded  over  one-eighth  of 
an  inch,  and,  by  its  friction,  cut  in 
through  the  cartilage  of  the  oppos- 
ing part  so  as  to  conform  to  the  an- 
gle shown  in  the  bones  as  represent- 
ed. There  is  also  a  large  accumu- 
lation of  bony  deposit  on  the  outside, 
grown  by  the  inflammation  excited, 
showing  the  extremel}'  bad  effect  of 
forcing  an  unequal  bearing  on  the 
joint,  and  throwing  the  foot  out  of 
line. 

Sometimes  colts  driven  to  a  sulky, 
when  a  little  leg  weary  may  strike 
badly  ;  in  such  a  case  the  ankle  must  be  protected.  In  all  cases 
when  the  ankle  is  cut,  the  swelling  and  soreness  increase  the  dif- 
ficulty, and  should  be  guarded  against  by  covering.  If  the  irri- 
tation is  kept  up,  and  this  is  not  done,  it  may  result  in  perma- 
nent enlargement  of  the  part,  whicli  would  afterward  increase 
the  liability  to  be  hit.  This  can  be  prevented  only  by  coverings, 
or  by  being  protected  by  the  ordinary  simple  means,  until  the  in- 
flammation subsides  and  the  injury  heals.  I  include  here  Prof. 
McLellan's  directions : — 

''Treatment  for  interfering,  to  be  rational,  must  take  into  account 
the  causations.  Thus,  if  the  toes  turn  out — a  very  common  cause 
of  interfering — they  should  be  inclined  in  all  that  is  possible.  This 
can  be  accomplished  by  bending  the  outside  web  of  the  shoe  from 
its  inner  to  its  outer  border,  making  the  edge  through  which  the 
nails  are  driven,  quite  thin.  Or  if  calks  are  used,  the  toe  calk  can 
be  welded  neai-er  the  inside  than  the  outside  toe,  and  the  toe  calk 
beveled  at  the  ex])enso  of  its  outer  extremity.  If  the  knee  is 
banged,  but  light  shoes  arc  indicated.  Lightness  in  the  shoe  is  al- 
ways desirable  in  the  liind  fee),  and  if  llio  season  of  the  year  per- 
mits, tips  will  be  found  vciy  etroetivi.!  in   ]»T(V(^ntion  of  interfering. 


Fig.  551. — The  shoe  as  sometimes 
formed  to  prevent  interfering. 


SHOEING. 


0/ 


tV( 


The  nails  should  be  left  out  of  the  hoof  at  the  point  wliere  it 
strikes,  because  the  clinches  are  liable  to  become  raised  or  loosened, 
and  do  injury," 

Clicking,  or  Overreaching.* 

"This  is  a  term  applied  to  the  striking  of  the  hind  shoes  against 
the  forward  ones  during  pi-ogression.     It  may  be  due  either  to  a 

faulty  conformation,  to  weakness,  or 
to  disease.  In  seeking  to  remedy  the 
defect,  Ave  must  endeavor  to  discover 
its  cause.  If  it  is  due  to  defective 
form,  we  may  so  adjust  the  hoofs  and 
apply  the  shoes  that  the  feet  shall  be 
placed  upon  the  ground  in  such  rela- 
tion to  the  body  as  to  modify  iu  some 
measure  the  fault  of  form.  In  some 
cases  the  toes  of  the  forward  feet 
must  be  reduced  all  that  is  possible, 
and  the  toes  of  the  hind  feet  length- 
ened. In  others,  weights  or  heavj- 
shoes  upon  the  forward  feet  ansAver  a 
good  pui'pose.  In  some,  weights 
upon  the  outside  of  the  hind  feet  over- 
come the  difficulty. 

"If  the  hind  feet  are  placed  upon 
the  ground  Avell  forward  when  the 
animal  is  at  rest,  heel  calks  of  extra 
length  will  be  foimd  useful. 

"Weakness,  as  a  cause  of  clicking, 
is  shoAvn  in  colts  and  in  horses  that 
haA^e  diseased  hind  feet.  In  the  first, 
the  animal  is  not  able,  or  has  not 
learned,  to  dAvell  upon  the  hind  foot 
to  give  to  the  body  that  forward  im- 
pulse that  comes  from  the  long  push; 
in  the  second,  pain  prevents  the  ex- 
tension. In  the  case  of  the  colt,  shoe- 
ing must  be  supplemented  by  good  driving, — the  animal  should  be 
kejjt  up  to  the  bit,  and  the  head  Avell  checked  up,  and  should  not  be 
fatigued  by  over-driving.  In  the  case  where  the  clicking  depends 
upon  a  diseased  conditioii  of  the  foot  or  leg,  the  removal  of  the 
cause  is  the  indication.  As  general  rules  for  the  prevention  of 
clicking,  the  toe  of  the  forward  hoof  should  be  reduced  all  that  it 
Avill  bear  ;  the  shoe  should  be  short,  both  at  the  toe  and  heel ;  the 
heels  of  the  shoe  should  be  bcA^eled  at  the  expense  of  its  ground 
surface  ;  when  the  toe  should  be  beveled,  giving  the  shoe,  when 
applied,  the  appearance  of  one  partly  worn.  In  many  cases  con- 
caving the  ground  surface  of  the  shoe  is  useful.     If  the  toes  are 


Fig.  553. — Effect  of  injury  caused 
by  interfering.     From  a  speci- 
men presented  by  Prof. 
Cressy,  of  Hartford. 


*  Contributed  by  Prof.  McLeltau. 


708  SHOEING. 

long  and  the  heels  extremely  low,  thick-heeled  shoes  or  heel  calks 
are  indicated. 

"  The  hind  shoes  should  be  light  and  long  at  the  heels,  giving  the 
heels  of  the  shoe  as  wide  a  bearing  as  possible.  In  case  the  toe  of 
the  hind  foot  is  much  worn,  and  as  a  consequence  the  hoof  spread 
at  its  plantar  surface,  clips  should  be  drawn  up  from  each 
side  of  the  shoe,  so  as  to  grasp  the  wall  at  its  widest  part.  No 
attempt  should  be  made  to  fit  the  shoe  to  the  squared  and  shortened 
toe  ;  but  give  it  the  natural  form,  and  let  it  project  at  the  toe  to 
that  extent  that  would  indicate  the  length  of  the  hoof  were  it  un- 
worn. Heel  calks  upon  the  hind  shoes  are  applicable  to  nearly  all 
cases. 

"  In  all  cases  of  overreaching  or  clicking,  adjusting  the  hoof  and 
shoe  so  that  the  inside  quarter  and  toe  of  the  hoof  are  higher  than 
the  outside,  will  assist  in  overcoming  the  difficulty." 

Stumbling. 

"Stumbling  is  usually  associated  with  some? diseased  condition  of 
the  foot.  In  "the  prevention  of  this  disagreeable  and  dangerous 
habit,  particular  attention  must  be  given  to  cutting  the  hoof.  Eeduce 
the  hoof  all  it  will  bear  without  injury  ;  see  that  the  hoof  is  of 
equal  depth  on  each  side  of  the  toe.  This  you  can  ascertain  best 
by  standing  in  front  of  the  horse  and  comparing  the  two  sides.  In 
fitting  the  shoe,  bend  up  the  toe,  giving  it  the  rounded  appearance 
of  one  well  Avorn.  If  calks  must  be  used,  weld  toe  calk  back  to 
inner  margin  of  web,  making  it  low.  In  the  stable  use  wet  swabs 
to  the  feet." 

Shoeing  Soke  or  Tender  Feet. 

It  is  very  important  in  shoeing  sore  or  tender  feet  to  enable  the 
horse  to  travel  with  the  greatest  comfort  and  ease.  As  will  be 
found  in  "  Navicular  or  Chronic  Lameness,"  much  depends  upon 
the  method  of  shoeing  in  producing  favorable  conditions,  which 
should  be  studied  in  connection  with  this  explanation.  Should  a 
horse  show  increased  tenderness  or  soreness  while  driving  down 
hill  or  over  rough,  stony  roads,  at  times  "  crimpling"  badly, 
going  better  on  smooth,  soft,  or  sandy  roads,  and  Avith  the  shoe 
worn  perceptibly  more  at  the  toe  than  at  the  lieels,  first  see 
whether  there  is  any  contraction  at  the  inner  or  both  quarters,  with 
th(}  hoof  looking  rather  hard  and  glossy  (usually  one  foot  only  will 
show  this  condition,  and  may  be  correspondingly  tender  ®r  lame). 
Also  see  whether  the  lameness  came  on  snddonlv  oi-  gradually.     If 


SHOEING. 


709 


suddenly  lamed,  it  is  probably  caused  b}^  straining  the  coffin- joint, 
which  would  be  indicated  by  its  being  unable  to  bear  pressure 
upon  the  frog.     In  such 
a  case    the  horse 
go    decidedly    worse   on 
rough,    stony    roads   or 
down  hill,  where  there  is 
liability  to    severe   inci- 
dental p  r  e  s  s  u  )•  e  being 
brought  against  the  frog. 
For  such  a  condition  of 
lameness,  the  shoe  should 
be  made  with  high  heels 
and  rounding  toe — no  toe 
calks.     The  calks  should 
be    gradually    shortened 
as  there  is  improvement. 
If  the  lameness  came  on 
graduall}^,  and  especially 

if     it    set    in    at    a    time  ^^^'   ^^y-  -I^'nu  of  shoe  that  may  be  used. 

when  the  feet  were  very  dry  and  hard,  it  was  probably  caused  by 
some  slight  inflammation,  the  result  of  contraction  and  fever  • 
becau.se  when  the  feet  are  very  dry  and  feverish,  the  hoof  becomes 

smaller,  causing  increased  pres- 
sure upon  the  soft  parts  and  lat- 
eral cartilages.  There  may  be 
also  some  inflammation  or  a  mor- 
bid condition  of  the  coffin-joint. 
If  any  contraction  is  noticeable, 
the  feet  should  be  softened  and 
treated  as  explained  under  that 
head. 

If,    however,    the  object  is  to 
shoe   the   horse  for  present    use, 
simply    raise    the  heels  a  lit- 
.  tie  and  round  the  toe.     If  there 

IS  but  httle  soreness  or  want  of  mobility,  then  let  the  shoe  be  an 
ordmary  flat  one,  with  the  toe  turned  up  like  that  of  an  old  shoe 
considerably  worn.     Gr^at  care  should  be  used  in  taking  off"  and 


Fig.  554. — Form  of  shoe  for  covering 
a  weak,  thin  sole. 


710 


SHOEING. 


Fig.  555. — Adapted  for  a  hind 
foot  in  aiding  mobility. 


nailing  slices  on  such  feet,  not  to  wrench  or  hammer  the  foot 
heavily.  In  winter,  if  calks  must  be  used,  let  them  be  arranged 
something  like  Fig.  553;  or  a  low,  long  calk  can  be  put  on  well 
back  under  the  toe.  In  taking  off  the  shoes,  the  clinches  should 
be  carefully  raised,  and  the  nails,  one  at  a  time  pulled   out.     In 

nailing  on,  the  strokes  should  be 
light,  and  the  clenching  barely 
sufficient,  by  repeating  light  tap- 
pings, to  turn  over  nicely.  Any- 
thing in  the  way  of  hard,  tight  nail- 
ing should  be  avoided.  The  shoe 
should  be  simply  held  nicely  in 
place  without  being  pulled  tight. 
There  are  a  great  many  pads 
and  cushions  advertised  for  tender 
feet.  If  rubber  pads  be  put  over 
the  shoe,  it  is  seen,  in  the  first 
place,  that  nailing  on  the  shoe  and 
turning  down  the  clinches  suffi- 
ciently tight,  presses  it  down  so  closely  as  to  take  out  all  its 
elasticity  ;  in  addition,  the  heels  soon  wear  and  cut  through  it  to 
the  shoe,  so  that  they  can  have  but  little,  if  any,  effect  in  relieving 
concussion.  Leather  well  fitted 
between  the  shoe  and  foot  will,  in  ff 
many  cases,  help  considerably. 
I  have  found  that  making  the 
heel-calks  rather  low  and  sharp, 
and  the  toe-calks  well  back  about 
the  middle  of  the  bar,  greatly 
helps  in  breaking  concussion  on 
mud  roads  ;  as  by  their  setting 
into  the  ground  the  force  of  the 
blow  is  much  lessened. 

A  great  many  shoes  have 
been  devised  for  the  purpose  of 
relieving  concussion  ;  but  practically  they  have  proved  of  but 
little  or  no  value.  The  most  successful  Avay  has  been  to  fit  two 
thin  plates  with  rubber  between  them,  but  it  proved  too  expensive 
and  complicated  to  come  into  general  use.     (Prof.  Going's  Patent 


Fig. 


556. — ^Form  of  shoe  with  toe 
simply  rounded. 


SHOEING. 


711 


Rubber  Shoe.)  A  common  method  practiced  by  many  shoers  is 
to  spring  or  bend  the  shoe  off  from  the  heels,  with  the  belief  taao 
it  must  relieve  them.  (See  Fig.  558.) 
This  is  objectionable,  because  it  transfers 
the  bearing  from  the  natural  position  of 
the  heels  to  parts  least  capable  of  receiv- 
ing it,  multiplied  with  such  leverage  upon 
the  wall  where  the  shoe  is  bent  off,  as  to 
cause  severe  pain.  It  also  soon  breaks 
down  the  quarters  so  as  to  work  upon  the 
shoe,  thereby  becoming  an  additional 
source  of  weakness  and  injury. 


Fig.  557. — Shoe  adapted  for 
a  stiff  joint. 


Fig.  558. — Shoe  raised  from 
the  heel. 


Shoeing  Foundered  Horses.  > 

If  the  mobility  of  the  foot  is  destroyed,  as  the  result  of  chronic 
founder,  or  other  cause  of  morbid    inflammation,   mobility  must 

be  aided  by  rounding  the  entire  .shoe  or 
toe.  If  the  foot  is  entirely  stiff,  the 
shoe  must  be  so  formed  that  it  will 
I'oll  upon  the  ground,  which  can  be 
easily  done  by  leaving  the  inner  edge 
of  each  side  wide,  and  turning  down 
in  a  half  circle,  as  shown  in  Fig.  557. 
If  the  sole  is  broken  down,  or  the 
wall  separated  at  the  toe,  the  result  of 
acute  inflammation  or  founder,  weight  will  be  thrown  more  upon 
the  heels.  For  such  cases  the  shoe  must  be  so  fitted  as  to  extend 
well  back  under  the  heels,  and  if 
the  sole  is  very  thin  at  the  toe — 
bulging  down — it  may  be  sup- 
ported by  letting  a  thin  flange 
of  iron  extend  well  back  under 
it,  or  fitting  a  steel  plate  across 
the  part  so  as  to  give  an  even 
support  all  the  way  round,  and  the  adjustment  made  easy  by 
packing  with  oakum,  though  in  most  cases  the  sole  will  not  bear 
pressure,  and  is  simply  to  be  protected  by  a  wide  shoe.  The  shoe- 
ing of  such  feet  must  be  in  a  great  measure  experimental  ;  con- 
sequently the  ingenuity  of  the  owner  or  smith  must  be  exercised 


Fig.  559. — French  shoe  for  aiding 
mobility. 


712  SHOEING. 

to  conform  "with  best  advantage  to  the  condition  of  tlic  case. 
First,  do  nothing  that  will  irritate  or  make  the  foot  sore.  It  sim- 
ply must  ])e  supported  to  the  best  advantage,  and  the  mobility 
aided  by  rounding  the  toe,  or  setting  the  calks  well  back  under  it, 
as  shown  by  Figs.  531  and  553. 

EXTRACTS  FROM  STANDARD  AUTHORS. 

This  chapter  would  be  incomplete  without  reference  to  a  few 
authorities,  showing  the  bad  effect  of  paring  the  sole  and  fi-og 
excessively,  rasping  the  outer  surface  of  the  hoof  and  the  use  of 
thick,  badly-litting  shoes.  I  will  call  attention  first  to  the  most 
prominent  authority.  Prof.  Coleman,  from  whose  teachings  all  the 
modern  Avorks  in  this  country  liave  been  principally  guided  in 
their  instructions.  In  January,  1702,  a  Veterinary  College  was 
started  in  London.  A  shoii  time  afterward  Edward  Cole- 
man was  appointed  Chief  Professor.  I  cannot  do  better  here  than 
copy  from  Prof.  Gamgee's  work  on  "Shoeing,"  published  in  Lon- 
don in  1874,  in  relation  to  Coleman's  teaching.     He  says  : — 

"111  England,  since  J*roi'.  Coleman  riUhlesslj^  destroyed  the  em- 
pirical knowledge  of  the  old  masters,  and  substituted  for  it  a  system 
of  fantastic  and  often  cruel  notions,  we  have  been  a  prey  to  endless 
speculative  theories.  Tlie  result  is  that  with  the  best  horses  in  the 
worldj  we  have  a  far  larger  pi'oportion  of  lame  ones  than  are  to  be 
found  in  any  other  country.     .     .     . 

"It  was  a  kind  of  teaching  on  ihe  foot  and  on  shoeing  that  did 
the  incalculable  and,  I  fear,  almost  irreparable  damage  which  has 
brouirht  sufferinii:  on  horses  and  shortened  their  existence,  which 
has  spoiled  farriers  by  leading  them  astray  on  talsc  jiretexts,  and 
has  entailed  discredit  on  the  English  Veterinaiy  School.     .     .     . 

"  One  change,  among  others  introduced  by  Mr.  Coleman,  has 
entailed,  I  believe,  a  more  lasting  damage  on  the  art  farriery 
than  an}'  of  his  many  other  crochets,  which  have  unfortunately 
become  thoroughly  parts  of  English  horse  shoeing.  He  introduced 
the  drawing-knife,  and  made  it  supercede  the  buttress  for  preparing 
the  feet  for  shoeing.  The  buttress  is  the  instrument  still  in  use  for 
paring  down  the  wall  surface  to  receive  the  shoe  eveiy  where  except 
in  England  and  parts  of  the  New  World,  to  which  English  hands 
and  language  have  carried  our  modes  of  shoeing,  such  as  it  has 
become  only  Avithin  the  present  century. 

"Old  men  can  remember  tlic  buttress  being  in  general  use 
throughout  Great  Britain  ;  but  the  way  it  was  banished  from  En- 
glish practice  is  known  to  few  ;  and  its  supercedence,  and  these 
remarks  on  the  effects  of  the  change,  may  astonish  many.     The 


SHOEING. 


VI ;? 


drawing-knife,  or  searcher  as  it  was  called,  a.  sniuU  hooked,  crooked 
little  instrument,  was  formerly  kept  for  the  purpose  of  exploring 
Avounds  and  extracting  foreign  bodies  from  the  foot,  and  was  to 
that  extent  in  vogue  on  the  Continent  as  well  as  in  England.  But 
theorizing,  and  a  fancy  for  a  change,  led  the  professor  to  order  the 
general  use  of  the  little  hooked  knife  instead  of  such  a  broad,  level 
tool  as  the  buttress.  He  had  unfortunately  conceived  such  notions  as 
that  the  sole  of  the  foot  did  not  bear  the  Aveight  of  the  animal,  that 
it  was  necessary  to  pare  it  thin  every  time  the  horse  Avas  shod, 
and  that  the  broad,  level  buttress 
was  not  suited  for  that  ;  hence 
the  preference  for  the  little 
scooping,  crooked  searcher.  As 
these  incidents  have  had  a  dis- 
astrous eifect  on  shoeing,  Avhich 
we  have  scarcely  in  any  degree 
begun  to  relieve,  I  Avill  quote 
from  Mr.  C  o  I  e  m  a  n '  s  work  of 
1798  :— 

'•  '  Those  who  supposed  that 
the  weight  of  the  animal  was 
chiefly  supported  by  the  hoi*ny 
sole,  have  attributed  a  function 
to  that  organ  which  it  does  not 
possess  ;  but,  althoxigh  the  lam- 
inae are  capable  of  sustaining  the 
weight  of  the  animal,  yet,  as 
they  are  elastic,  and  at  every 
step  elongate,  the  horny  sole  is 
necessarily  pressed  doAvn  in  the  same  degree,  and  by  first  descend- 
ing, and  then  ascending,  as  the  laminae  dilate  and  contract,  the 
horny  sole  contributes  very  materially  to  prevent  concussion.  This 
union  of  the  crust  with  the  coffin-bone  sustains  the  weight  of  the 
animal  ;  the  crust  supports  the  weight  even  when  the  horny  sole 
and  frog  are  removed  ;  if  the  sole  and  frog  in  reality  supported  the 
weight,  then  the  foot  would  slip  through  the  crust  when  the  frog 
and  sole  were  taken  away. 

" '  The  sole,  frog,  and  bai's  were  taken  away  from  both  the  fore 
feet  of  a  horse  ;  the  feet  were  then  alternately  lifted  by  placing  the 
hands  on  the  loins  of  the  horse  ;  he  kicked,  all  his  weight  Avas  then 
sustained  by  the  laminae  of  the  fore  feet,  and  yet  this  made  not 
the  smallest  degree  of  change  in  the  situations  of  the  bones. 

"  '  From  this  experiment,  therefore,  it  is,  that  the  union  of  the 
sensitive  laminae  with  the  horny  laminae  is  sufficiently  strong  to 
support  the  whole  weight  of  the  animal  on  two  feet. 

'• '  The  first  thing  to  be  attended  to  is  to  take  aAvay  the  portion 
of  the  sole  with  the  draAving-knife  ;  and  to  avoid  pressure,  the  sole 
should  be  made  concave  or  hollow.  If  there  be  any  one  part  of 
the  practice  of  shoeing  more  important  than  the  rest,  it  is  this  re- 


FiG.  560. — Shoe  for  weak  sole,  or 
foundered  foet. 


714 


SHOEING. 


moval  of  the  solo  between  the  bars  and  the  crust.  In  common 
practice  these  parts  of  the  hoof  are  removed  by  an  instrument 
called  the  buttress. 

"  '  The  removal  of  a  proper  quantity  of  horny  sole  has  been 
represented  to  be  a  delicate  operation,  and  in  the  hands  of  common 
smiths  liable  to  do  mischief.  But  any  smith  capable  of  paring  a 
hoof  cannot  fail  to  be  equal  to  removing  part  of  the  sole  with  the  draw- 
ing-knife.    That  the   practice   may  be  faithfully  executed  in  the 

army,  a  farrier  from  each 
regiment  of  cavalry  has 
been  pei-mitted  to  attend 
the  college  to  learn  the 
l^ractical  part  of  shoeing.' 
"The  foregoing  pas- 
sages, abounding  as  they 
do  in  errors,  give  evidence 
of  the  manner  in  which 
some  of  the  greatest 
changes  in  the  practice  of 
horse  shoeing  have  occur- 
red since  its   historj^   has 


been  written,  and  changes 


Fig.  561.— Side  view  of  the  previous  shoe. 


which  have  led  to  the 
worst  possible  results. 
Once,  however,  the  notion 
got  possession  of  the 
minds  of  the  men   at  the 


wheel,  that  the  bottom  of  the  foot,  its  arched  sole,  was  not  designed 
to  support  the  weight,  but  to  jneld  to  pressure  downward  ;  every- 
thing had  to  give  way  to  that  idea.  The  sole  and  frog  were  torn 
away,  and  because,  during  the  barbarous  experiment,  the  connection 
did  not  yield,  and  the  bone  protrude  as  a  finger  through  a  torn 
glove,  negative  evidence  was  taken  in  confirmation  of  the  theory 
framed  ;  the  paring  away  of  horses'  soles  with  the  drawing-knife 
was  thus  established,  and  the  army,  by  sending  farriers  to  learn 
the  new  system,  became  the  means  of  enforcing  the  absurd  and 
cruel  practice  of  thinning  the  sole  throughout  this  kingdom  and 
the  colonies." 

"  It  is  interesting  to  see  the  differently  constituted  mind  of  Mr. 
Moorcroft  on  the  natural  bearing  of  the  question  in  1800.  He 
says  : — 

"  '  The  sole  ties  the  lower  edge  of  the  crust  together,  and  by  its 
upper  part  forming  a  strong  arch,  it  affords  a  firm  basis  to  the  bone 
of  the  foot,  and  by  its  strength  it  defends  the  sensitive  parts  within 
the  hoof.' 

"  This  is  true.  We  fail  to  discover  a  single  passage  in  any  work 
or  any  traditional  account  to  show  that  any  objection  was  raised  to 
the  continuance  of  the  use  of  the  buttress  in  England,  any  more 
than  over  the  rest  of  the  world,  where  it  had  been  adopted  from 
time  immemorial,  until  along  with  his  other  new  theories  about 


SHOEING.  715 

shoeing,  Mr.  Coleman  believed  it  to  be  the  wrong  thing  to  employ, 
and  then  a  crooked  knife  and  a  coarse  rasp  were  adopted  as 
weapons  that  might  do  more  destructive  execution  than  the  one 
dismissed." 

The  writer  has  talked  with  several  veterinary  surgeons  of  high 
standing,  who  think  that  Coleman  did  not  mean,  by  the  experi- 
ment named,  to  infer  that  the  sole  should  be  cut  away  to  such  a 
degree  as  to  yield  to  the  pressure  of  the  thumb  (which  is  the  com- 
mon rule),  but  that  he  wished  to  prove  that  it  could  be  done 
without  breaking  down  the  foot  ;  and  that  his  followers  carried 
it  to  this  extreme,  thereby  making  it  the  cause  of  a  great  deal  of 
harm. 

A  few  paragraphs  are  also  introduced  from  Youatt  and  Miles, 
the  most  commonly  accepted  and  widely  read  authors  in  this 
country,  to  show  that  their  principles  of  treatment  are  the  same, 
and  have  been  derived  from  the  same  source. 

"  That  portion  of  the  horn  should  be  left  on  the  foot  which  will 
defend  the  internal  parts  from  being  bruised  and  yet  suffer  the  ex- 
ternal sole  to  descend.  How  is  this  to  be  ascertained?  The  strong 
pressiore  of  the  thumb  of  the  smith  will  he  the  best  guide.  The  buttress, 
that  most  destructive  of  all  weapons,  being,  except  on  very  particu- 
lar occasions,  banished  from  every  respectable  forge,  the  smith  sets 
to  work  with  his  drawing-knife  and  removes  the  growth  of  horn 
until  the  sole  will  yield,  although  in  the  slightest  possible  degree, 
to  the  strong  pressure  of  the  thumb." — Youatt. 

"  It  would  be  impossible  to  frame  any  rule  applicable  to  the  par- 
ing out  of  all  horses'  feet,  or  indeed  to  the  feet  of  the  same  horse  at 
all  times.  For  instance,  it  is  manifestly  unwise  to  pare  the  sole  as  thin 
in  a  hot,  dry  season  when  the  roads  are  broken  up  and  strewed  with 
loose  stones,  as  in  a  moderately  wet  one,  when  they  are  well  bound 
and  even  ;  for  in  the  former  case,  the  sole  is  in  perpetual  danger  of 
being  bruised  by  violent  contact  with  loose  stones,  and  consequently 
needs  a  thick  layer  of  horn  for  its  protection  ;  while  the  latter  case 
offers  the  most  favorable  surface  that  most  of  our  horses  ever  have 
to  travel  upon,  and  should  be  taken  advantage  of  for  a  thorough 
paring  out  of  the  sole,  in  order  that  the  internal  parts  of  the  foot 
may  derive  the  full  benefit  arising  from  an  elastic  and  descending 
sole, — a  state  of  things  very  essential  to  the  due  perfoi  mance  of 
their  separate  functions.  Again,  a  horse  with  upright  feet  and  high 
heels  grows  horn  very  abundantl}^,  especially  toward  the  toe,  and 
is  always  benefited  by  having  the  shoe  shortened,  and  the  heels 
lowered  and  well  pared  out." — Miles. 

George  Fleming,  who  stands  confessedly  at  the  head  of  the 


716 


SIIORIXG. 


Eug'lish  Veterinary  Profession  in  England,  in  liis   work   on  Shoes 
and  Horse-shoeing,  says: — 

"  By  dint  of  knife  and  rasp,  the  dimensions  of  the  organ,  the 
foundation  of  the  edifice,  have  been  greatly  reduced,  and  the  animal 
rests  on  a  narrower  basis.  The  sole  has  been  carefullj'-  denuded  of 
its  protecting  horn,  iiiilil  the  thin  ]telliele  of  newh' secreted  material 

is  ex])<)sed  and  readily  yields  to  the 
thumb.  The  frog  is  scientificalh'  reduced 
on  every  side,  the  heels  or  commissui-es 
are  Avell  opened  up,  the  bars  are  reduced 
in  sizie,  and  ftmtastically  delineated,  and 
the  portion  of  the  crust  between  thera  and 
the  seat  of  the  coi'n — as  carefully  carved 
out  a  la  Miles.     The    plantar    surface  of 


Fig.  .5(j3. — Foot  exces.sivelj' 
pared. 

avoid  contact  with  the 
plate  is  fastened  on  tlu' 


I  lie  foot  altogether  is  much  more  concave 
than  it  was  previousl}',  and  it  looks  like  a 
inaster-piece  of  Avorkmanship.  It  may 
present  something  like  the  shaj)e,  when 
prepared  for  the  shoe,  seen  in  Fig.  562. 
'•  A  shoe  is  then  fitted  to  the  foot.  In 
all  proVjability  it  is  then  too  small  ;  it  has 
a  Avide,  flat  ground  surface,  the  foot  sur- 
face has  a  plane  border  on  Avhich  the  crust 
rests,  and  the  remainder  is  beveled  to 
altnormally  thin  sole.  When  this  metallic 
hoof,  and  the  horse  once  more  rests  on  the 
iimb,  the  foot  has  no  lonii'er  its  natural  bearini>;.  The  whole  weio-ht 
of  the  horse,  as  well  as  any  other  weight  he  may  have  to  sustain 
on  his  back,  is  borne  by  the  crust  of  the  foot  alone.  The  frog  is 
elevated  above  the  ground,  and  the  sole  dare  not  come  near  it.  In 
fact,  the  shoe  has  a  very  Avide  surface  or  web  to  protect  the  sole  of 
the  poor  mutilated  foot  from  the  injury  likely  to  be  inflicted  by 
stones  on  the  road, — injury  that  before  shoeing  could  have  been 
resisted  far  better  by  nature's  protection. 

"  The  shoe,  as  Ave  have  seen,  Avas  too  small;  or  rather  the  farrier 
imagined  the  plantar  surface  Avhich  supported  the  Aveight  and 
strain  so  admirably  in  a  natural  condition,  to  be  too  large  ;  so 
Avhen  the  metal  plate  has  been  securely  attached,  a  large  portion  of 
the  hoof  hangs  over  it — the  best  and  strongest  portion;  and  this 
has  to  be  removed  with  the  rasp  or  toe-knife.  The  nails  have  been 
driven  to  a  certain  height  in  the  wall,  and  as  their  extremities  must 
be  riveted  or  clinched,  these  clinches  must  not  be  disturbed.  The 
over-hanging  crust  between  them  and  the  shoe,  however,  is  rasped 
away,  and  the  face  of  the  foot  presents  a  rounded  or  knobbed  ap- 
pearance, very  unlike  its  natural  outline.  In  all  probability  the 
Avhole  external  surface  up  to  the  coronet  is  tastefully  rasped  and 
polished,  the  warnish-like  covering  nature  had  spread  over  it  is 
carefully  removed,  and  the  fibres  beneath  are  more  or  less  damaged, 
exposed  to  desiccation,  and  shrink;  Avhile  below  the  clinches  they 


SHOEING. 


717 


have  been  entirely  destroyed,  and  nothing  is  left  to  support  the 
nails  holding  on  the  shoe  but  the  thin,  soft  fibres,  as  fragile  almost 
as  the  pith  of  a  rush,  and  which  were  never  intended  by  nature  to 
be  exposed.  Consequently  they  lose  their  moisture,  wither,  crack, 
and  break  off,  and  frequently  the  shoe  is  lost,  and  with  it  a  large 
portion  of  the  hoof 

"  The  same  process  goes  on  with  the  sole  and  frog.  The  young 
horn,  prematurely  exposed,  cannot  resist 
the  effects  of  evaporation,  and  shrinks  in 
the  same  way.  At  each  shoeing  the 
same  routine  is  followed  by  the  farrier, 
and  the  horn  is  often  so  hard  that  arti- 
ficial means  must  be  adopted  to  soften  it 
in  order  to  get  oft'  a  sufficient  quantity  to 
allow  the  sole  to  spring  under  the  thumb. 
"  In  this  we  cannot  altogether  blame 
the  farrier  ;  he  is  only  carrying  out  the 
ideas  of  men  who  have  published  books 
on  shoeing.  Can  we  wonder  that  it  soon 
becomes  necessary  to  adopt  every  means 
to  sujDply,  artificially,  that  which  has 
been  removed  indiscreetl}'  ?  Heavy  iron 
shoes  with  plent}'  of  cover  to  defend  the 
morbidly  sensitive  horn  of  the  soles  which 
may  have  been  thinned  till  the  blood  was 
oozing  thi'ough,  before  these  cumbrous 
shields  were  applied.  Words  cannot  describe  the  agony  a  horse 
must  experience  when  he  chances  to  step  on  a  sharp  or  even  blunt 
stone.  And  3'et  the  writers  who  have  counseled  this  mutilation  of 
the  foot,  have  laid  this  tenderness — the  limping  gait,  and  falls  with 
broken  knees — to  the  nails  of  the  shoe  preventing  expansion. 
Plates  of  leather  covering  the  delicate  frog  and  sole,  and  layers  of 
tar  and  tow  are  brought  into  requisition  to  compensate — though 
such  is  not  confessed — for  the  loss  of  the  horn,  but  with  very  small 
results.  In  a  brief  time  the  Avhole  foot  becomes  dwarfed  ;  the  frog- 
deprived  of  its  natural  functions,  like  the  muscles  of  a  paralyzed 
arm,  becomes  atrophied,  diseased,  and  almost  disappears,  the  sole 
becomes  still  more  concave  and  hard,  and  the  foot  to\vard  the 
heels  narrower,  as  in  Fig.  563.  At  the  same  time  the  unfortunate 
creature  begins  to  move  as  if  it  Avere  in  pain  ;  the  flexor  tendon  on 
its  course  over  the  navicular  bone  has  lost  its  support,  and 
has,  from  the  first  shoeing,  been  acting  at  a  very  serious  dis- 
advantage. The  mutilation  of  the  hoof  by  removing  the  best 
portion  of  the  horn  at  the  vcr}'-  time  it  w  as  iiiost  required,  has 
inflicted  a  serious  injury  upon  it,  and  the  bone  over  which  it  has  to 
play  during  its  arduous  task  of  flexing  the  foot  and  limb  ;  while  the 
heavy  iron  shoe  and  the  increase  of  concussion  it  engenders  on 
artificial  roads,  all  tend  to  hasten  the  ruin  of  the  animal ;  and, 
sooner  or  late,  depending  on  the  circumstances,  we  have  either 
wcute  or  chi'onic  navicular  disease,  acute  or  chronic  juwinitis,  or  a 


Fig.  5G3.— Bad  effect  of 
excessive  paring. 


718  SHOEING. 

host  of  other  maladies  of  a  more  or  less  serious  character.     I  am  of 
course  always  speaking  of  the  anterior  extremities. 

"  This  evil  of  paring  or  rasping  must  be  looked  upon  as  the 
greatest  and  most  destructive  of  all  that  pertain  to  shoeing,  or  even 
to  our  management  of  the  horse.  Nine-tenths  of  the  workmen 
Avho  resort  to  this  practice  cannot  explain  its  object,  and  those  who 
have  written  in  defense  of  it  say  it  is  to  allow  the  descent  of  the 
sole  and  facilitate  the  lateral  expansion  of  the  hoof. 

"Fancy  our  gardeners  cutting  and  rasping  the  bark  off  our  fruit 
trees,  to  assist  them  in  their  natural  functions,  and  improve  their 
appearance;  and  yet  the  bark  is  of  no  more  vital  importance  to  the 
tree  than  the  horn  of  the  sole  wall  and  frog  are  to  the  horse's  foot. 

"  The  sole,  frog  J  and  bars  must  on  no  account,  nor  tiiider  any  condi- 
tions, unless  those  of  a  pathological  nature,  he  interfered  with  in  any 
loay  by  knife  or  rasp.  As  certainly  as  they  are  interfered  with,  and 
their  substance  reduced,  so  surely  will  the  hoof  be  injured.  Nature 
has  made  every  provision  for  the  defense.  They  will  support  the 
contact  of  hard,  soft,  rugged,  or  even  sharp  bodies,  if  allowed  to  es- 
cape the  drawing  knife;  while  hot,  cold,  wet,  or  even  dry  weather 
has  little  or  no  influence  on  the  interior  of  the  foot,  or  on  the  ten- 
der horn,  if  man  does  not  step  in  to  beautify  the  feet  by  robbing  them 
of  their  protection,  perhaps  merely  to  please  the  fancy  of  an  igno- 
rant groom  or  coachman. 

"If  we  closel}^  examine  the  upper  surface  of  the  sole  of  a  hoof 
that  has  been  separated  from  its  contents  by  maceration,  we  Avill 
find  it  perforated  everywhere,  by  myriads  of  minute  apertures, 
which  look  as  if  they  had  been  formed  by  the  point  of  a  fine  needle. 
If  we  look  also  at  the  vascular  parts  of  the  foot  that  have  been  in 
contact  with  this  horny  surface,  it  will  be  observed  that  they  have 
been  closely  studded  with  exceedingly  fine,  yet  somewhat  long 
filaments,  as  thickly  set  as  a  pile  of  the  richest  Genoa  velvet. 
These  are  the  villi,  or  papillae,  which  enter  the  horny  cavity  and 
fitting  into  them  like  so  many  fingers  into  a  glove,  constitute  the 
secretory  apparatus  of  the  frog  as  well  as  the  sole.  Each  of  the  fila- 
ments forms  a  horn  tube  or  fibre,  and  passes  to  a  certain  depth  in 
a  protecting  canal  whose  corneous  Avail  it  builds.  When  injected 
with  some  colored  preparation,  one  of  them  makes  a  beautiful  micro- 
scopical object,  appearing  as  a  long,  tapering  net- work  of  blood- 
vessels, surrounding  one  or  two  parent  trunks,  and  communicating 
with  each  other  in  a  most  Avonderful  manner.  These  filaments  are 
also  organs  of  tact,  each  containing  a  sensitive  nex've,  destined  to 
endow  the  foot  with  the  attributes  of  a  tactile  organ. 

"  This  distribution  will  enable  us  to  realize,  to  some  extent,  the 
amount  of  injiny  done  by  paring.  The  horn  thrown  out  for  their 
defense  and  support  being  removed  by  the  farrier's  knife,  and  pei'- 
haps  the  ends  of  these  villi  cut  through,  the  meager  pelicle  remain- 
ing rapidly  shrivels  up,  the  containing  cavity  of  each  vascular  tuft 
as  quickly  contracts  on  the  vessels  and  nerves,  which,  in  their  turn, 
diminish  in  volume,  disappear,  or  become  morbidly  sensitive,  through 
this  squeezing  influence.     The  feet  of  a  horse  so  treated  are  always 


SHOEING.  •  719 

hot,  the  soles  are  dry  and  stony,  and  become  unnaturally  concave. 
The  animal  goes  tender  after  each  shoemg,  and  it  is  not  until  the 
horn  has  been  regenerated  to  a  certain  extent,  that  he  steps  with 
anythins:  like  ease.  Until  the  new  material  has  been  formed,  each 
papillae  experiences  the  same  amount  of  inconvenience  and  suifer- 
ing  that  a  human  foot  does  in  a  new,  tight  boot. 

"  This  tenderness  is  usually  ascribed  to  the  nails  and  other 
causes;  and  the  horse,  in  the  stable,  rests  on  one  foot,  then  on 
another,  as  if  he  suffered  uneasiness  or  pain.*     *     * 

"  All  the  preparation  any  kind  of  foot  usually  requires  for  the 
shoe  may  be  summed  up  in  a  few  words;  leveling  the  crust  in  con- 
formity Avith  the  limb  and  foot,  and  removing  as  much  of  its  mar- 
gin as  will  restore  it  to  its  natural  length,  rounding  its  outer  edge 
at  the  same  time,  and  leaving  the  sole,  bars,  frog,  and  heels  in  all 
their  natural  integrity." 

Osmer,  an  old  writer  of  good  standing,  in  1751,  says: — 

"  I  believe  there  are  many  horses  that  might  travel  their  whole 
lifetime  unshod  on  any  road,  if  they  were  rasped  round  and  short 
on  the  toe;  because  all  feet  exposed  to  hard  objects  become  thereby 
more  obdurate,  if  the  sole  be  never  pared;  and  some,  by  their  par- 
ticular form,  depth,  and  strength,  are  able  to  resist  them  quite,  and 
to  support  the  weight  without  breaking;  and  here  a  yevy  little  re- 
flection will  teach  us  whence  the  custom  arose  of  shoeing  horses  in 
one  part  of  the  world  and  not  in  another.  In  Asia  there  is  no  such 
custom  of  shoeing  the  horse  at  all,  because  the  feet  require  a  very 
obdurate  and  firm  texture  from  the  diyness  of  the  climate  and  the 
soil,  and  do  really  want  no  defense.  But  every  rider  has  a  rasp  to 
shorten  his  horse's  feet,  which  Avould  otherwise  grow  long  and  rude, 
and  the  crust  would  most  certainly  split." 

He  continues  by  saying, — 

"  From  the  good  that  was  found  to  arise  from  putting  shoes  on 
horses  which  have  naturally  weak  feet  from  being  brought  up  on 
wet  land,  the  custom  of  putting  shoes  on  all  kinds  of  feet  became 
general  in  some  countries.  Our  ancestors,  the  original  shoers,  pro- 
posed nothing  more,  I  dare  say,  in  their  first  efforts,  than  to  pre- 
serve the  crust  from  breaking  way,  and  thought  themselves  happy 
that  they  had  skill  enough  so  to  do.  The  moderns  also  are  wisely 
content  with  this  in  the  racing  way. 

"  In  process  of  time  the  fertility  of  invention  and  the  vanity 
of  mankind  have  pi'oduced  a  variety  of  methods;  almost  all  of  which 
are  productive  of  lameness;  and  I  am  thoroughl}'  convinced  from 
observ^ation  and  experience,  that  19  lame  horses  out  of  everj"  20  are 
lame  of  the  artist,  which  is  owing  to  the  form  of  the  shoe.  His  if- 
noranco  of  the  design  of  nature,  and  maltreatment  of  the  foot, 
every  part  of  which  is  made  for  some  purpose  or  other,  though  he 
does  not  know  it. 

"I  suppose  it  will  be.  universally  assented  to  that  whatever 


720  SHOEING. 

method  of  shoemg  approaches  nearest  to  the  law  of  nature,  such  is 
likely  to  be  the  most  perfect  method.*     *     * 

"The  superfices  of  the  foot  around  the  outside,  now  made  plane 
and  smooth,  the  shoe  is  to  be  made  quite  flat,  of  an  equal  thickness 
all  around  the  outside,  and  open  and  most  narrow  backward  at  the 
extremities  of  the  heels,  for  the  generality  of  horses,  those  Avhose 
frogs  arc  diseased,  either  from  natural  or  incidental  causes  require 
the  shoe  to  be  Avider  backwards;  and  to  prevent  this  flat  shoe  from 
pressing  on  the  sole  of  the  horse,  the  outer  part  thereof  is  to  be 
made  thickest,  and  the  inside  gradually  thinner.  In  such  a  shoe 
the  frog  is  permitted  to  touch  the  ground,  the  necessity  of  which 
has  already  been  seen.  Add  to  this,  the  horse  stands  more  firml}' 
upon  the  ground,  having  the  same  points  of  support  as  in  a  natural 
state." 

"  Make  the  shoes  as  light  as  you  can  according  to  the  size  of 
your  horse,  because  heavy  shoes  spoil  the  back  sinews  and  Aveary 
the  horse;  and  if  he  happen  to  overreach,  the  shoes,  being  heavj^, 
are  all  the  more  readily  pulled  ofl:\ 

"  Those  Avho  think  it  frugality  to  shoe  Avith  thick  and  heav}' 
shoes,  and  seldom,  are  deceived,  for  they  lose  more  by  it  than  the}' 
gain;  for  thereby  they  not  only  spoil  the  back  sinews,  but  lose  more 
by  it  than  if  they  had  been  light." 

It  is  conceded  by  all  the  best  modern  authorities  that  the 
French  author  above  referred  to,  vv^hose  work  was  pviblished  in 
1750,  was  the  great  father  of  a  correct  system  of  reform  in 
in  shoeing.  It  Avas  supposed  in  his  clay  as  it  is  in  a  great  meas- 
ure now,  that  a  horse  could  not  travel  Avithout  having  heavy,  un- 
wieldy shoes  on,  and  that  the  greatest  skill  was  exhibited  in  the 
amount  of  cutting  and  rasping  done  on  tho  feet. 

He  boldly  proclaimed  that  all  this  Avas  injurious,  and  tried  to 
prove  it  by  the  most  conAdncing  arguments.  The  principles  of 
treatment,  though  given  a  hundred  and  thirty  years  ago,  are  just 
as  important  now  as  they  were  then.     He  says: — 

"111  the  state  of  nature,  all  the  inferior  parts  of  the  foot  concur 
to  sustain  the  av  eight  of  the  body;  then  avo  obserA'e  that  the  heels 
and  frogs,  the  jiarts  said  to  be  most  exj)Osed,  are  never  damaged 
1)}-  Avear,  that  the  Avail  or  crust  is  alone  Avorn  on  going  on  hard 
ground,  and  that  it  is  only  this  ])art  which  must  l)e  protected,  leav- 
ing the  other  jiarls  lre(!  and  unfettered  in  their  natural  moA^e- 
ments." 

In  advising  tips  or  thin-heeled  shoes,  he  says:-.— 

"Thin  tips  extending  back  to  the  middle  of  the  quarters,  al- 
lowing the  heels  to  bear  upon  tho  ground,  and  the  Aveight  to  be  sus- 
tained behind  and  before,  but  particularly  in  the  latter,  because  th^ 
weight  of  the  body  falls  hcjmost  therg, 


SHOEING. 


721 


See  Fig. 


"  The  shorter  the  shoe  is,  the  less  the  horse  slips,  and  the  frog 
has  the  same  influence  in  j^reventing  this  that  an  old  hat  placed  uii- 
dcr  our  own  shoes  would  have  in  protecting  us  from  slijDping  on 
the  ice.*     *     * 

"  It  is  necessary,  nevertheless,  that  hoofs  which  have  weak  walls 
should  be  a  little  longer  shod,  so  that  the  gradually  thinning 
branches  reach  to  the  heels,  though  not 
resting  upon  them.  For  horses  which 
have  convex  soles,  these  long  shoes 
should  also  be  used,  and  the  toes  should 
be  more  covered  to  prevent  the  sole 
touching  the  ground.  This  is  the  only 
true  method  of  preserving  the  foot  and 
restoring  it.  A  horse  which  has  its 
feet  weak  and  sensitive,  ought  to  be 
shod  as  short  as  possible,  and  with  thin 
branches,  so  that  the  frog  comes  in 
contact  with  the  ground;  because  the 
heels,  having  nothing  between  them, 
are  benefited  and  relieved, 
564. 

"  Crescent  shoes  are  all  the  more 
needful  for  a  horse  M'hich  has  weak, 
incurvated  quarters,  as  they  not  only 
relieve  them,  but  also  restore  them  to 
theirnatural  condition.     Horses  which 

have  contusion  at  the  heels  (blains,  corns),  should  also  ])e  shod  in 
this  way;  and  for  cracks  (seins,  sand-cracks)  at  the  quarter,  it  is 
also  advantageous. 

"The  solo  or  frog  should  never  be  pared;  the  wall  alone  should 
be  cut  down,  if  it  is  too  long.  When  a  horse  cuts  himself  with  the 
opposite  foot,  the  inner  branch  of  the  shoe  ought  to  be  shorter  and 
thinner  than  the  outer. 

"Easping  the  foot  destroys  the  strength  of  the  hoof,  and 
consequently  causes  its  horn  to  become  dr}^,  and  the  horny  laminae 
beneath  to  grow  Aveak;  from  this  often  arises  an  internal  inflamma- 
tion, which  renders  the  foot  painful,  and  makes  the  horse  go 
lame.*     *     * 

"  When  a  horse  loses  a  shoe,  a  circumstance  often  occurring, 
and  if  the  hoof  is  pared,  the  animal  cannot  walk  a  hundred  steps 
without  going  lame  ;  because  in  this  state  the  lower  surface  of  the 
foot  being  hollowed,  the  horse's  weight  falls  upon  the  crust,  and 
this,  having  no  support  from  the  horny  sole,  is  quickly  broken  and 
worn  away  ;  and  if  he  meets  hard  substances  on  the  road,  he  all 
the  more  speedily  becomes  lame.  It  is  not  so  when  the  sole  is 
allowed  to  retain  its  whole  strength.  The  shoe  comes  off,  but  the 
sole  and  frog  rest  on  the  ground,  assist  the  crust  in  bearing  the 
whole  weight  of  the  body,  and  the  animal,  though  unshod,  is  able 
to  pursue  his  journey  safe   and  sound.     .     .     .     It  is  necessaiy  to 


Fig.  564. — Thiu  shoe  devised  and 
used  by  Lafosse. 


be   convinced   of  another  fact 


that 
46 


IS, 


it    is  rare  that  a  horse 


722 


SHOEING. 


goes  at  his  ease  and  is  not  promptly  fatigued,  if  the  frog  does  not 
touch  the  ground.  As  it  is  the  only  point  of  support,  if  you  raise  it 
from  the  ground  by  paring  it,  there  arises  an  inordinate  extension 
of  the  tendon,  caused  by  the  pushing  of  the  coronary  against  the 
navicular  bone,  as  has  been  mentioned  above,  and  which,  being 
repeated  at  everj^  step  the  animal  takes,  fatigues  it  and  induces  in- 
flammation.    From  thence  often  arises  distentions  of  the  sheaths  of 

tendons  (moletts-vulgo,  'windgalls")  en- 
gorgements, and  swelling  of  tendons, 
etc.,  that  are  observed  after  long  or  rapid 
journeys.  These  accidents  arise  less 
from  the  length  of  the  journey,  as  has 
been  currently  believed,  than  from  the 
false  practice  of  paring  the  sole.  .  .  . 
AVe  always  find  ourselves  more  active 
and  nimble  when  we  wear  easy  shoes  ; 
but  a  Avide,  long,  and  thick  shoe  Avill  do 
for  horses  what  clogs  do  for  us. — render 
them  heavj',  clumsy,  and  unsteady,  .  .  . 
"  That  feet  become  convex  by  hollow- 
ing the  shoes  to  relieve  the  heel  and  frog, 
because  the  more  the  shoes  are  arched 
from  the  sole,  the  more  the  wall  of  the 
hoof  is  squeezed  and  rolled  inward,  par- 
ticularly toward  the  inner  quarter, 
which  is  the  weakest,  the  sole  of  the 
foot  becomes  convex  and  the  horse  is 
nearly  always  unfit  for  service.  .  .  . 
"  The  reason  why  it  is  dangerous  to  pare  the  feet  of  horses  is, 
that  when  the  sole  is  pared,  and  the  horse  stands  in  a  dry  2>ln.ce, 
the  horn  becomes  desiccated  by  the  air  which  enters  it,  and  removes 
its  moisture  and  its  suppleness,  and  often  causes  the  animal  to  be 
lame.     .     .     . 

"  It  is  the  pared  foot  that  is  more  affected  with  what  is  termed 
contracted  or  weak  inside  quarter,  and  which  also  lames  the  horse. 
"  It  also  happens  that  one  or  both  quarters  contract,  and  some- 
times even  the  whole  hoof,  when,  in  consequence  of  its  smallness,  all 
the  internal  parts  are  confined  in  their  movements  ;  this  is  due  to 
paring,  and  lames  the  horse, 

"  There  also  occurs  another  accident :  When  the  quarter 
becomes  contracted,  the  hoof  splits  in  its  lateral  aspects,  and  the 
horse  is  lame.  This  accident  is  termed  a  sand-crack  (seime)." — 
Lafosse. 

Though  not  generally  known,  this  system  of  shoeing  has  long 
been  in  use  in  India.  Freeman,  in  his  work  published  in  1796, 
who  is  yet  considered  good  authority,  strongly  advocated  this 
system  of  shoeing.  He  gives  the  following  statement  which  ex- 
plains itself  : — 


Fig.  565. — Shoe  devised  by  La 
fosse  for  use  on  di-y  and  slip- 
pery roads.     A  thin  slip  of 
iron  let  into  the  wall,  and 
fastened  with  ten  small  nails. 


SHOEING. 


723 


*  The  instance  in  which  1  was  disappointed  is  that  of  a  horse 
kept  entirely  for  that  of  a  riding-horse,  and  which  is  consequently 
almost  daily  under  my  own  inspection.  This  horse  has  very  strong 
feet,  one  of  which  was  smaller  than  the  other,  with  the  toe  turning 
out  and  the  frog  almost  wasted.  The  bars  of  this  foot,  before  he 
was  turned  out,  were  scarcely  visible,  but  upon  examining  them 
after  he  had  been  out  about  three  months,  they  were  found  to  have 
increased  surprisingly.  Notwithstanding  this,  they  were  not  strong 
enough  to  counteract  the  pressure  of  the  quartei'S  ;  and  the  foot 
itself  appeared  to  be  rather  decreased,  which  is  contrarj^  to  what  is 
usual ;  for  after  having  been  turned  out  for  a  certain  time,  they 
generally  become  larger.  So  particular  a  case  led  me  to  turn  my 
mind  to  a  particular  method  of  cure.  This  I  should  have  hardly 
found  out,  if  chance  had  not  at  that  time  put  into  my  hands  Lieu- 


FiG.  566.— The  Goodenough 
thin-heeled  shoe. 


Fig.  567.— The  ordinary  shoe 
as  usually  fitted. 


tenant  Moor's  Narrative  of  Captain  Little's  detachment.     On  page 
93  of  this  book  is  the  following  passage  : — 

"  '  The  bigotry  with  which  all  sects  of  the  Hindoos  adhere  to 
their  own  customs  is  very  well  known;  still  when  these  customs 
are  strikingly  injudicious,  and  totally  abstracted  from  all  religious 
prejudices,  perseverence  degenerates  into  obstinacy,  and  sim 
plicity   into 


Ignorance. 


So  it   is  with  the  Mahrattas  in  abidina- 


by  their  present  practice  of  cutting  the  hoof  and  shoeing  horses; 
they  cut  away  the  hinder  part  of  the  hoof  in  such  a  manner  that 
the  pastern  almost  touches  the  ground,  and  the  frog  is  suffered  to 
grow  so  that  the  hoof  is  nearly  a  circle,  in  which  form  the  shoos  arc 
made,  the  hinder  parts  almost  touching,  and  so  thin  that  a  person 
of  ordinary  strength  can  easily  twist  them.  Instead  of  making  the 
back  part  of  tke  shoe  thickest,  they  hammer  it  quite  thin,  making 
the  fore  part  thickest,  and  the  shoe,  gradually  becoming  thinner, 
ends  in  an  edge.' 

"  This  mode  of  shoeing  in  a  country  where,  from  the  nature  of 
the  climate,  the  horse's  feet  probably  are  very  strong,  did  not  strike 
me  to  be  quite  so  injudicious  as  the  author  above  mentioned  repre- 


724 


SHOEING. 


Fig.  568. — Lafosse's  method  of  let 
ting  the  iron  into  the  hoof. 


sents  it.  I  determined,  therefore,  to  try  on  this  particular  horse  a 
shoe  in  some  respects  similar  to  those  described,  that  I  might  see 
whether  it  would  alter  the  shape  of  his  foot  ;  since  it  is  said  to  make 
'  the  frog  grow  so  that  the  hoof  is  nearly  a  circle,'  which  was  the  very 
effect  that  in  this  case  I  wished  to  produce.  I  therefore  ordered  my 
smith  to  make  a  shoe  at  my  own  forge  in  the  form  1  generally  use 
(which  will  be  hereafter  described),  with  the  following  exceptions  : 
The  web  of  it  was  to  almost  cover  the  sole,  room  being  given  to 
admit  a  picker  ;  and  as  it  proceeded  to  the  heels,  the  web  on  each 
side  was  to  be  continued  as  far  as  the  cleft  which  separates  the  bars 
from  the  frog.  He  was  to  make  the  '  fore  part  the  thickest,'  and 
to  hammer  "it  so  thin  at  the  heels  that  it  would  '  end  in  an  edge,' 
by  w-hich  a  person  of  ordinary  strength  could  easily  twist  it." 

"  I  own  I  apprehended  that  this 
shoe,  from  being  so  thin  at  the  heels, 
would  bend  in  diffei"ent  places,  and 
thereby  injure  the  foot.  But  as  it 
was  constantly  under  my  own  eye, 
I  knew  that  if  that  cii'cumstance 
should  happen,  the  injury  could  not 
be  material,  in  the  short  time  it  would 
be  permitted  to  go  unnoticed.  But 
this  did  not  prove  to  be  the  case.  Af- 
ter the  horse  had  worn  this  shoe  a 
day  or  two  only,  1  found  the  action  of  the  leg  was  more  free  than  it 
had  ever  been  before  ;  for  the  bars  with  their  covering  touched  the 
ground  ;  the  extremities  of  the  web  on  each  side,  b}^  being  so  very 
thin,  having  bent  a  little  over  them,  but  they  were  prevented  from 
injuring  them  by  being  extended  to  the  cleft  which  separates  the 
bars  from  the  frog.  This  pressure  of  the  Aveb  on  the  bars  was  an 
assistance  to  them  in  the  expansion  of  the  quarters  ;  and  the  shoe 
was  kept  so  wide  at  the  heels  that  the  exterior  parts  of  it  could  not 
hurt  him.  This  shoe  therefore  acted  exactly  conti'ary  to  other, 
shoes,  which,  as  I  before  mentioned,  are  generally  an  impediment 
to  the  expansion  of  the  heels,  whereas  this  became  an  assistance 
to  it. 

"  In  three  Aveeks  I  took  off  this  shoe  to  examine  the  state  of  the 
foot.  His  frog  was  found  to  be  increased,  and  in  a  better  condition 
than  I  had  before  seen  it.  The  same  shoe  was  therefore  replaced  for 
three  weeks  more,  at  the  end  of  which  time  his  foot  had  become 
considerably  larger  and  straighter.  In  a  week  or  ten  days  more 
the  horse  was  to  go  thii-ty-six  miles  on  a  turnpike  road. 

"Although  this  kind  of  shoe  had  succeeded  so  well  in  a  riding- 
horse,  1  had  some  doubts  about  vcnturingit  on  the  road.  However, 
1  at  last  determined  to  risk  it,  and  had  another  shoe  put  on  exactly 
the  same  pattern,  in  which  he  performed  his  journey  without  any 
injury,  so  that  I  have  ever  since  continued  to  adopt  it,  having 
found  it  to  answer  beyond  any  expectation  I  had  formed  of  it;  for 
that  foot  which  was  before  smaller  than  the  other,  with  the  toe 
turning  out,  has,  by  the  use  of  this  shoe,  become  of  the  same  size, 


SHOEING. 


725 


Fig.  569. — M.  Charlier's  shoe, 
showing  the  wall  cut  awa}'. 


and  so  straight  that  there  is  now  scarcely  any  difference  between 
the  two  feet." — Freeman. 

The  preplantar  system,  introduced  by  M.  Charlier,  of  Paris, 
which  is  simply  letting  a  narrow  band  of  steel  into  the  wall  to 
prevent  wear,  thereby  preserving  the 
integrity  of  the  bars,  sole,  and  frog,  and 
giving  the  foot  its  natural  adj  ustment, 
is  a  modification  of  a  shoe  introduced 
by  Lafosse  for  preserving  the  feet  of 
saddle  horses.     See  Figs.  565,  568. 

As  there  is  no  probability  of  this  sys- 
tem (preplantar)  being  introduced  into 
this  country,  I  will  not  more  than  copy 
a  part  of  the  report  of  a  leading  Veter- 
inary Surgeon  in  France,  Signol, 
mainly  to  show  the  benefit  of  keeping  the  integrity  and  adjust- 
ment of  the  foot  natural  in  shoeing,  or  as  nearly  so  as  can  be  : — 

"  First,  in  consequence  of  the  comparatively  trifling  weight  of 
their  shoes,  the  horses  acquired  a  lightness  of  movement  they  did 

not  exhibit  previously.  Second,  they 
gained  an  extraordinary  solidity  on 
the  pavement,  and  did  not  slip. 
Third,  many  horses  Avhich  always 
had  corns  and  sand-cracks,  and  could 
not  be  used  without  bar-shoes,  spon- 
taneously recovered  from  their  in- 
firmities after  the  application  of  this 
shoe.  Fourth,  those  f r  o  g  s  w  h  i  c  h 
were  before  shrunken  and  '  etrangle^ 
became  considerably  developed,  a 
fact  which  proves  that  this  shoe  is  perfectly  adapted  to  the  physio- 
logical movements  of  the  foot." 


By  accident  this  cut  wasleft  out  of  its  proper  place, 
on  page  231,  under  head  of  "Bad  to  Shoe,"  where  the 
explanation  of  it  will  be  found. 


Fig.  570. — Side  view  of  the  above, 
showing  the  amount  cut  out. 


Four-ring  bit  form  of  War  Bridle. 


726 


SHOEING. 


Wc  give  here  a  few  specimens  of  shoes  from  Cnesar  Fiaschi's 
work,  pubhshed  in  England  in  the  16th  century.  The  figures  of 
shoes  he  gives  are  twenty  in  number.  No.  1.  Fore-shoe  without 
calkin  ;  2.   Shoe  with  the  calkin  ;    a    7.  Aragonaise  on  one  side, 


Figs.  572-592. 

and  the  other  side  thickened  ;  8.  Lunette  shoe,  or  "tip";  4. 
Three-quarter  shoe;  5.  Beveled  shoe,  with  the -A ra^07i(xise  calkin 
on  one  branch,  and  the  other  thick  at  the  heel  ;  6.  Shoe  with 
sciettes,  or  projecting  toothed  border,  thickened  toward  each  heel 
to  prevent  slipping  ;  7.  Thick-sided  shoe,  thin  toward  the  inner 
border,  and  seated  like  the  English  shoe;  8.  Shoe  with  buttons, 


SHOElN(i. 


727 


or  raised  catches  on  the  inner  branch,  and  thickened  on  the 
heel  of  the  same  side;  9.  A  shoe  which  has  the  inside  heel  and 
quarter  much  thicker  and  nar- 
rower than  usual  ;  10.  A  shoe 
with  crests  or  point  toward  the 
ground  surface  on  the  toe  and 
quarter,  and  barbettes  at  the 
heels;  11.  A  shoe  with  the  calk- 
ins doubled  over,  and  provided 
with  rings;  12.  The  foot  sur- 
face of  a  shoe  with  the  heels 
turning  up  toward  the  foot; 
13.   Shoe  with  two  calkins;  14. 

A   6ar    shoe; 

15.  A  jointed 

shoe    to    suit 

any    size    of 

foot  ;    16.    A 

jointed    shoe 

without  nails, 

and    secured 

by    the   lat- 
eral border  and  the  heel-screw;  17.  A  hind-shoe  with  calkins;  18. 
A  shoe    with  one  of  the  branches  greatly  thickened  at  the  heel; 


Tartar 


Fig.  594 

Chinese  shoe 


Fig.  593. — Thin  shoe  for  cure  of  con- 
traction, fitted  with  clips  turned  up, 
as  explained  on  pages  680  and  681. 


Fig.  595. — Old  English  concave  shoe. 


Fig.  596. — French  shoe  of  the 
13th  century. 


19.  A  hind  shoe  with  a  crest  or  toe-piece;  20.  A  hind  shoe  with 
the  toe  elongated  and  curled  upward,  probably  for  a  foot  the 
back  tendons  of  which  were  contracted,  causing  the  horse  to  walk 
on  the  point  of  the  toe. 


728 


SHOEING. 


„       ^„„       ,     ,         1     .     -,   ,  +  Fig.  598. — Coyered  shoe,    with   the 

Fig.  597. — A  shoe  devised  to   prevent  ' 

.  ,  ,  .1.      T    V.      branches  very  wide  and  thiu,  and  deeply 

throwing   much    weight   upon    the   limb  ■'  i  r  j 

adjusted.     Applied  to  very  flat,   foun- 
dered, or  badly-formed  feet. 


Fig.  600. — Shoe  with  truncated  toe; 

Fig.  599. — Ordinary  hind  shoe  for  rid-  ,        i  ■    i  -tr.  *■  ^r  i,^,.ooo  +i,nt  ^,-»,. 

■'  used  on  hind  feet  of  horses  that  over- 

ing   or   carriage-horses.     Face   and   side 
view. 


Fig.  GO!.  — Lafosse's  Half-moon  shoe, 
and  tip  of  steel. 


Fig.  602. — Scotch  shoe  for  draught 
horses. 


SHOEING. 


729 


Below,  from  Fig.  604-614,  arc  given  a  variety  of  old  Roman 
shoes  found  in  England,  France,  and  Switzerland,  and  supposed 
to  be  from  nineteen  hundred  to  over  two  thousand  years  old. 
Figs.  604  and  606  arc  the  best  preserved. 


Fig.  604. 


Fk;.  60(1 


Fig.  60.5. 


Fig.  607. 


Fig.  608. 


Fig.  609. 


730 


SHOEING. 


Fig.  Gil.  -Supposed  to  be  a 
pathological  shoe. 


Fig.  610. 


Fig.  612. 


Fig.  613. 


Fig.  614. 


Fig.  615. — Shoe  fouud  iu  Germany, 
supposed  to  be  several  hundred 
years  old. 


SHOEING. 


731 


Fig.  616. 


Syrian  shoes. 


Fig.  G17. 


Fig.  618. 


Arabian  shoes. 


Fig.  out. 


Fig.  620. 


African  shoes. 


Fig.  621. 


OH  AFTER    XXII. 


THE  CIRCULATION. 

The  phenomenon  of  the  circulation  i;i  of  so  interesting  and 
remai'kable  a  character,  and  its  condition  has  such  an  influence 
upon  the  health,  that  I  think  it  advisable,  as  an  introduc- 
tion t(j  the  Medical  Department,  to  make  some  reference  to  it. 
There  are  so  many  diseases  and  difficulties  of  a  serious  character 
which  are  the  result  of  derangements  of  circulation,  that  it  cer- 
tainly seems  necessary  to  give  some  explanation  of  it,  that  the 
reader  may  be  impressed  the  better  with  the  necessity  for  such 
prudence  and  care  as  would  prevent  its  disturbance.  The  writer 
thinks  it  also  advisable,  instead  of  giving  a  labored  description, 
which  may  be  easily  obtained  from  any  physiology,  and  which 
l:)ut  few  would  take  the  trouble  to  read,  to  do  this  mainly  by  the 
aid  of  illustrations,  a  variety  of  which  liave  been  included  at  con- 
siderable expense. 

General  Plan  of  the  Circulation. 

The  blood  is  circulated  through  the  body  for  the;  purpose  of 
nutrition  and  secretion,  by  means  of  one  forcmg  pump,  and 
througii  the  lungs,  for  its  proper  aeration,  by  another  ;  the  two 
beino-  united  to  form  the  heart.  This  organ  is  therefore  a  com- 
pound machine,  though  the  two  pumps  are  joiaed  together,  so  as 
to  appear  to  the  casual  observer  to  be  one  single  organ.  (For 
general  outlines  see  Fig.  625.)  In  common  language,  the  heart  of 
the  mammalia  is  said  to  have  two  sides,  each  of  which  is  a  forcing 
pump  ;  but  the  blood  before  it  passes  fi-otn  one  side  to  the  other, 
has  to  circulate  through  one  or  the  other  set  of  vessels  found  in 
the  general  organs  of  the  body,  and  in  the  lungs,  as  the  case  may 
be.  This  is  shown  at  Figs.  622  and  623,  where  the  blood,  commenc- 
ing with  the  capillaries  on  the  general  surface  at  a  (Fig.  623),  passes 
(732) 


THE   CIRCULATION. 


733 


Fic.  622. — Theoretical  plan  of  the  circulatory  system. 

II,  D,  C,  E.  The  canal  for  red  blood;  E,  B,  A,  G.  Canal 
for  black  blood.  The  arrows  indicate  the  course  of  the 
blood.  The  two  canals  are  represented  in  their  middle  por- 
tion, A  B,  CD,  as  isolated;  but  in  nature  they  are  envel- 
oped at  this  point  in  a  common  sac  that  concurs  to  form 
the  heart. 

through  the  veins  which  finally  end  in  the  vena 
cava  h,  and  enters  the  riglit  auricle  c.  From 
this  it  is  pumped  into  the  right  ventricle  d,- 
which,  contracting  in  its  tui-n,  forces  it  on  into 
the  pulmonary  artery  e,  spreading  out  upon 
the  lining  membrane  of  the  lungs,  to  foi-m  the 
capillaries  of  that  organ  at  /,  from  which  it  is 
returned  to  the  left  auricle  g  through  the  pul- 
monary veins.  From  the  left  auricle  it  is 
driven  on  through  the  left  ventricle;  and  this, 
by  its  powerful  contraction,  forces  the  blood 
through  the  aorta  i,  and  the  arteries  of  the 
whole  body  to  the  capillaries  a,  from  which  the 
description  commenced. 

While  the  venus  blood  is  on  its  way  to  the 
heart,  when  near  it,  it  is  met  by  the  thoracic 
duct  (see  /-,  y,  Fig.  626,  and  k,  Fig.  627), 
which  conveys  into  this  returning  blood  the 
nutritive  property  of  the  food  extracted  from 
it  by  the  digestive  organs.     With* this   new 


Fig.  G33.— Plan  of  the 
circulation. 

A.  Capillaries  on  the  gen- 
eral surface;  B.  Vena  cava; 
C.  Eight  auricle ;  D.  Right 
ventricle ;  E.  Pulmonary 
artery;  F.  Capillaries  of  the 
lungs,  uniting  to  form  the 
pulmonary  veins,  which  en- 
ter G.  The  left  auricle;  II. 
The  left  ventricle;  I.  The 
aorta  posteria,  dividing  into 
smaller  arteries,  and  vinited 
with  the  capillaries  at  A ;  J. 
Trunk  of  the  aorta  anterior. 


734 


THE  CIECULATION. 


supply  of  nutritious  matter,  tlio  blood  goes  to  the  heart  and  lungs 
to  be  oxygenized  by  contact  with  the  air,  and  thus  be  continued 
through  the  heart  and  arteries  as  before  explained.  The  system 
takes  up  its  material  for  its  wear  and  tear  through  the  capillaries 
or  hair-like  tubes,  which  aic   interposed  between  the  two  great 


Fig.  624. — Distribution  of  the  anterior  aorta. 

1.  Anterior  aorta;  2.  Left  axillary  artery ;  3.  Right  axillary  artery;  4.  Dorsal 
artery;  5.  Subcostal  artory;  13.  External  thoracic  artery ;  14.  Carotid  artery;  17. 
Posterior  aorta;  A.  Pulmonary  aorta;  B.  Trachea;  E.  Superior  branch  of  the  ilio- 
spinal  muscle;  F.  Inferior  branch  of  the  same;  G.  Great  complexus  muscle;  I,  I. 
Originating  aponeurosis  of  the  splenius  and  the  small  anterior  serratus  muscles; 
N.  St erno-maxillaris  muscle;  0,  P.  Great  pectoi al  and  stemo-prescapularis muscles 
turned  downward. 

divisions  of  the  vascular  system,  ai-teries  and  veins.  These  little 
tubes  are  so  small  that  they  are  from  YoViJ'  ^o  40^00  of  an  inch  in 
diameter.  The  smaller  are  found  in  the  retina  of  the  eye  and 
brain.     The  larger  in  the  liver  ^nd  lungs.     The  worn-out  tissue 


THE  CIECULATION. 


735 


P       Cj 


►t)  B 


736 


THE  CIECULATION. 


of  the  body  is  also  taken  up  by  the  blood  and  carried  off  through 
the  bowels,  lungs,  kidneys,  and  skin,  which  are  the  natural 
sewers  or  depurative  channels  of  the  body.  The  quantity  of  blood 
that  a  horse  contains  is  about  j^  of  his  weight.  A  horse  weigh- 
ing 1,000  lbs.  would  therefore  have  about  100  lbs.  of  blood 


or 


Fig.  626. — The  heart  and  principal  vessels ;  left  face. 

a.  Right  ventricle;  b.  Left  ventricle;  c  Right  auricle;  d.  Left  auricle;  e. 
Pulmonary  arterj'; /.  Pulmonary  veins;  g.  Anterior  aorta ;  //.,  Left  axillary  artery; 
/.  Right  axillary  artery,  or  brachio-ceplialic  trunk;  p.  Carotid  arteries ;  </.  Posterior 
aorta;  x.  Venaazygos;  y.  Thoracic  ducts;  z.  Embouchure  of  that  vessel,  placed 
near  the  origin  of  the  anterior  vena  cava. 

nearly  50  quarts.  Fat  horses  have  proportionately  less  blood  than 
those  that  are  lean ;  and  it  is  claimed  that  wild  animals  generally 
have  more  blood  in  proportion  than  the  domestic  ones.  Forty 
pounds  of  blood  have  been  taken  from  medium  sized  horses  with- 
out serious  inj  ury ;  and  it  requires  the  extraction  of  about  i^  of 
the  total  weight  before  life  is  destroyed.     It  is  a  remarkable  fact 


THE  CIECULATION. 


737 


that  this   large   amount   of   blood  in  the  body  makes  its  entire 
round  of  circulation  in   the  short  period  of  from  two   to  three 
minutes.     This  has 
been  proved   by   the 
following  experiment, 
which  has  been  made 
and    repeated    many 
times  at  the   Colum- 
bia   Veterinary   Col- 
lege, New  York:  The 
j  u  g  u  1  a  r    vein     was 
opened  on  one  side  of 
the  neck,  into  which 
saline  matter,  or  poi- 
son, was  injected,  and 
on  opposite  side  tap- 
ped carotid  artery. 
In  fifteen  seconds  the 
first  traces  of  the  sub- 
stance injected  could 
be   detected  in  the 
blood ;  in  twentv  sec- 
onds  it    was   found 
very  plainly.     But 
while   it   is    known 
that  the  main  body  of 
blood     makes     the 
shorter   pulmonary 
circuit,  that  part  go- 
ing to  the  extremities 
most  distant  from  the 
heart   requires  much 


Fig.  627. 


-The  heart  aud  priucipal  vessels: 
right  face. 


a.  Right  ventricle;  b.  Left  ventricle;  c.  Right   au- 
ricle ;  d.  Anterior  vena  cava ;  e.  Vena  azygos ;  /.  Pos- 
terior vena   cava;  (/,(/.  Pulmonary  veins ;  /t,  h.  Divis- 
ions of   the   pulmonary  artery;  i.  Posterior  aorta;  j. 
Anterior  aorta;  Jc.  Thoracic  duct;  1.  Right  cardiac  ar- 
lonfi'er  time  •   but  it  is    ^^^•'  '  "*'  ^*^   vertical  or  ventricular  branch  ;    o.  Ven- 
T    .,     ,       ,,    ,,        tricular  branch  of   the  cardiac  vein;  p.  Auriculo-ven- 
assumed   that   all   the    tricular  branch  of  the  same. 
blood    in  the    body 

makes  its  entire  circuit  in  the  short  period  of  from  two  to  three 
minutes. 

I  refer  to  this  fact,  which  is  not  familiar  to  the  average  reader, 
to  show  the  great  importance  of  not  subjecting  the  horse  to  such 


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THE  CIECULATION. 


739 


influences  as  will  derange  the  circulatory  system.  The  remark- 
able energy  of  the  circulation  through  the  blood-vessels  is  very 
finely  illustrated  by 
spreading  and  ty- 
ing apart  the  toes 
of  a  frog's  foot,  and 
examining  the  web 
through  a  good 
microscope.  The 
field  of  observation 
will  appear  like  an 
immense  plaiu  cut 
up  with  large  riv- 
ers intei-sected  by 
numerous  small 
streams,  all  run- 
ning with  the  ra- 
pidity of  a  torrent, 
the  laro-er  currents       ^^^'  ^^^---^^^  °^  ^''og's  foot  stretching  between  two 

.   ^  toes,  showing  the  blood-vessels  and  their  anastomoses. 

runnmg    much  the 

faster  The  blood  **'  **'  ^^^°^ '  ^'  ^'  ^'  ^'■*^^"^^'   *^°  capillaries 

being  between, 
corpuscles  are  also 

clearly  distinguishable.     Something  of  an  idea  of  this  can  be  seen 

by  referring  to  Figs.  631  and  632,  which  represent  such  a  view  of 

the  circulation  through  the  web. 

When  the  circulation  is  in  its  natural  state,  that 
is,  distributed  properly  to  all  parts  of  the  body,  it 
implies  a  state  of  perfect  health,  but  if,  from  any 
cause,  it  is  withheld  or  forced  from  any  part  of 
the  body,  there  is  not  enough  blood  in  that  part, 
while  there  will  be  an  excess  in  other  parts.  Thus, 
if  the  horse  is  exposed  to  a  cold  wind,  or  is 
chilled  by  a  current  of  air  striking  the  body,  the 

Fig.  630.-Epithe-  i^j^^j  ^-^  ^^  f^^.^^^i  ^^^^^  ^^^  surface  to  the  inter- 
nal organs,  accumulating  where  there  is  most  free- 
dom for  it,  or  where  it  is  weakest;  usually  in  the 
lungs  and  surrounding  parts,  kidneys,  bowels, 
and  sometimes  in  the  feet,  the  first  indication  of 
which  would  be  a  shivering  fit,  followed  by  fever. 


lial  cells  of 
blood-vessels. 

a,  b.  From  a  vein; 
c.  From  an  artery; 
Magnified  350  di- 
ameters. 


740 


THE  CIECULATIOK 


Now  it  is  evident  that  the  object  should  be,  when  there  is  such 
disturbance,  to  equalize  the  circulation  again,  or  force  it  back  to 

its  natural  chan- 
i^^~T^\^r'^\^NO^^'-'^>]^l."SJH   ii^ls  as  quickly 

as  possible,  and 
that  treatment 
by  which  this 
can  be  done 
most  easily  and 
quickly  will  be 
the  best.  The 
circulation  is 
really  controlled 
by  the  nervous 

Fig.  G31. — Portion  of  the  web  of  a  frog's  foot,  largely  magui-  system.      it   the 

fie(|,  after  a  drop  of  strong  alcohol  had  been  placed  upon  nervOUS    system 

it.     The  black  spots  are  caused  by  the  congestion  js     from     a  n  V 
induced  by  the  alcohol.  i 

cause  weaken- 
ed, so  that  it  is  unable  to  act  with  the  usual  vigor,  there  is  less 
ability  to  resist  the  influence  of  disturbing  changes,  and  the  horse 


Fig.  632. — ^Irregular  contraction  of  small  vessels  in  the  web  of  a  frog's  foot 
after  the  application  of  stimuli. 

is,  as  it  is  termed,  more  liable  to  take  cold,  which  means  a  disturb- 
ance of  the  circulation. 

Hence  a   horse,  when  warm   and  exhausted  after    a  drivi ,,  if 
given  a  little  too  much   cold  water  would  be  liable  to  have  colic, 


THE  CIRCULATION. 


741 


p     g     P     00 

r+    O      fl!      P 


"^^    P    ^    o 


742 


THE  CIRCULATION. 


founder,  etc. ;  or  if  allowed  to  stand  in  a  cold  current  of  air,  to 
have  an  attack  of  pneumonia,  or  some  other  indication  of  vascular 
disturbance  before  referred  to,  which  would  be  scarcely  felt  if  cool, 
and  the  nervous  system  in  a  vigorous  condition. 

It  is  evident  also 
that  the  quality  of 
blood  being  depend- 
ent upon  the  food 
taken,  and  the  con- 
dition of  the  air 
breathed,  it  is  neces- 
sary that  the  food 
should  be  clean  and 
of  good  quality. 
No  moldy  grain, 
hay,  or  other  food 
unfitted  for  proper 
nutrition,  should  be 
given,  and  the  sta- 
ble should  be  well 
ventilated  with  pure 
air  at  all  times,  and 
all  poisonous  gases,  particularly  the  ammonia  which  is  formed 
from  the  urine,  should  be  allowed  free  egress  from  the  stable,  as 
the  animal  cannot  be  expected  to  keep  in  good  health  while  com- 
pelled to  inhale  such  malaria. 

It  is  needless  to  explain  the  bad  effects  upon  the  depurative 
organs  of  the  derangement  of  circulation  by  which  these  channels 
are  to  a  greater  or  less  degree  "  clogged,"  or  unable  to  do  their 
proper  work. 

Now,  it  is  within  the  province  of  every  owner  to  prevent  these 
troubles  by  the  exercise  of  care  in  feeding,  exercise,  etc.,  which  is 
much  better  and  easier  than  to  try  to  cure  them  when  sick.  It  is 
far  easier  to  prevent  a  house  from  getting  burned  up  by  not  letting 
the  fire  get  started,  than  to  depend  upon  the  power  of  putting  it 
out,  for  with  the  best  of  energy  it  may  cause  a  destruction  of  the 
building.  So  in  the  cure  of  diseases,  it  is  a  great  deal  better  and 
safer  to  take  such  measures  as  will  pr'event  them,  for  derange- 
ments once  started  will  often,  in  spite  of  the  best  of  treatment, 


Fig.  634. — 1.  Superficial  layer  of  skin  or  cuticle;  2. 
Rete  mucosum;  3.  Corium;  4.  Duct  of  sweat  gland;  5. 
Sweat  gland;  7.  Sebaceous  gland;  8.  Walls  of  hair  sac; 
9.  Root  of  hair;   10.  Fat  cells;  D.   Cellular  tissue. 


THE  OIEOULATIO^. 


743 


greatly  injure,  if  not  destroy  the  animal.  It  is  certainly  the 
owner's  duty  to  guard  his  horse  against  unnecessary  exposure,  or 
merciless  driving  until  in  a  profuse  pei"- 
spiration,  and  then  leaving  the  animal  in 
some  cold,  bleak  place  without  even  a 
blanket,  or  but  a  very  poor  apology  for 
one,  and  that  thrown  on  carelessly,  while 
the  owner  is  perhaps  enjoying  himself 
with  his  friends  in  some  drinking  saloon, 
toasting  his  shins,  and  the  poor  horse 
stands  shivering  at  the  door.  The  effect 
of  such  bad  treatment  will  not  then  have 
time  to  develop  itself,  but  will  be  seen  in 
a  few  hours,  or  at  farthest  on  the  follow- 
ing day,  by  a  cold  or  cough,  running  at 
the  nose,  an  attack  of  pneumonia,  1am- 
initis,  or  other  cause  of  ti'ouble. 

The  three  principal  points  in  preserving 
the  health  of  a  horse  are  feeding,  air,  and 
exercise.  In  the  first  place ,  irregularity 
of  feeding,  even  of  the  best  of  food,  will 
produce  disease  ;  but  when  with  this  is 
combined  the  giving  of  tainted  or  musty 
hay  or  grain,  the  difficulty  is  greatly  ag- 
gravated. 

Ventilation. — The  stable  should  be  nei- 
ther too  hot  nor  too  cold.  The  horse  will 
show  the  effect  in  a  few  days  by  coughing 
or  having  slight  irritation  of  the  mucous 
membrane  of  the  throat. 

A  horse  can  take  cold  as  easily  by  go- 
ing out  of  the  cold  air  into  a  hot  stable,  as 
he  can  by  going  from  a  hot  stable  into 
cold  air,  and  vice  versa.  It  is  the  sudden 
change  of  temperature  which  produces 
the  change  on  the  mucous  coat  of  the  larynx  and  of  the  throat. 
The  clothing  of  the  horse  in  the  stable  should  be  neither  too 
heavy  nor  too  light.  If  kept  too  warm,  he  will  be  more  likely 
to  take  cold  when  he  goes  out  to  exercise  on  a  cold  or  chilly  day- 


Fig.  63.^. — Sweat  gland,  mag- 
nified 40  diameters. 

h.^  b.  Canal;  c.  Gland;  d. 
Opening-  on  .surface;  e.  Per- 
forated epidermis. 


744 


THE  OIBCTJLATIOK. 


To  keep  a  horse  doing  well,  constant  attention  is  necessary  to 
little  things — watchfulness  in  driving  ;  if  the  road  is  heavy,  and 
the  horse  shows  fatigue  or  is  warming  up  excessively,  hold  him 
up  and  let  out  on  smooth,  descending  pieces  of  road — a  very  little 
driving  without  regard  to   this  prudence   will  often  get  a  horse 

"ofF  his  feed,"  if 
not  cause  sick- 
ness; properly 
clothing  and  pro- 
tecting a  horse 
when  warm  af- 
ter a  drive;  care 
not  to  give  so 
much  cold  water 
as  to  chill ;  if 
there  is  chill  or 
inclination  to 
fever  or  the  horse 
is  "  off  his  feed  " 
after  a  drive, 
giving  a  little 
fever  medicine, 
with  any  other 
prompt  measures 
to  relieve  the  de- 
rangement at  its 
commencement,  may  prevent  a  severe  attack  of  congestion  or  in- 
flammation, if  not  save  the  life  of  the  horse.  It  is  in  attention  to 
these  little  things  that  the  real  key  of  the  owner's  success  lies  in 
the  care  of  his  horses. 

The  simplest  and  best  methods  of  treatment  for  all  the  ordinary 
causes  of  sickness  and  lameness  will  be  found  on  the  following 
pages. 

I  would  add  in  this  connection  that  there  are  really  but  few 
diseases  which  are  very  dangerous  or  common  to  horses,  and  if  the 
owner  can  be  so  aided  as  to  successfully  manage  these  difficulties, 
Riich  knowledge  must  be  invaluable  to  him.  These  difficulties 
comprise  colic,  inflammation  of  the  lungs,  founder,  navicular- 
joint  lameness,  and  shoeing.     A  horse  may  die  in  a  few  hours  from 


Fig.  636. — Horizontal  section  through  the  middle  plane  of 

Three  Peyerian  glands,  showing  the  distribution  of 

the  blood-vessels  in  their  interior. 


THE  CIECULATIOK. 


745 


Fig.  637.— Section  of  the  liver  of  a  rabbit,  Mith  the  he- 
patic or  introlobular  veins  injected. 


a  severe  attack  of  colic,  if  not  promptly  treated;  yet  it  is  a  diffi- 
culty easily  managed,  if  it  is  known  what  to  do,  and  it  is  done 
promptly.  An  attack  of  pneumonia  is  a  very  serious  thing;  but 
during  its  first 
stages  is  easily 
managed  if  taken 
in  hand  at  once. 
A  horse  that  is 
foundered,  if  not 
treated  promptly, 
is  practically  ruin- 
ed, as  a  change  of 
structure  quickly 
i-esults;  yet  every 
case  of  acute  foun- 
der or  laminitis  is 
curable,  and  not 
only  this,  but  the 
treatment  is  so  simple  that  it  is  not  at  all  difficult  to  comprehend 
or  apply.  Navicular-joint  lameness  is  sure  to  ruin  a  horse  if  not 
taken  immediately  in  hand ;  yet  it  is  one  of  the  simplest  of  diffi- 
culties to  manage  in  its  first  or  acute 
stages,  and  hence  the  knowledge  of  its 
treatment  is  of  the  greatest  importance  to 
owners.  Shoeing:  A  horse  badly  or  im- 
properly shod,  no  matter  how  good  the 
feet,  if  the  hoofs  are  thin,  is  liable  to  be 
soon  practically  ruined. 

The  treatment  for  these  difficulties  will 
be  found  to  be  particularly  careful  and 
thorough.  There  are,  of  course,  many  other 
difficulties  which  it  is  important  to  know 
how  to  manage,  for  which  the  best  practical 
treatment  is  given.  In  fact,  the  medical 
department  of  this  work  will  be  found  en- 
titled to  the  fullest  confidence,  and  must  be  accepted  as  invaluable 
to  horse  owners.  The  writer  would,  however,  recommend  that 
m  all  critical  cases  the  safest  course  is  to  employ  a  competent  vet- 
erinary surgeon,  if  available. 


Fig.  638. — Showing  the  or 

igin  of  the  lacteal  ducts 

in  villus. 


CHAPTER    XXIII. 


DISEASES  AND  THEIR  TREATMENT. 

Inflammation. 

Inflammation  is  an  increased  action  of  the  blood-vessels.  The 
consequence  is  an  increased  amount  of  blood  to  the  part. 

1.  The  Heat.  This  is  an  invariable  symptom,  being  always 
present  to  a  greater  or  less  degree.  It  is  produced  by  the  more 
rapid  oxidation  going  on,  consequent  on  the  increased  quantity  of 
blood  circulating  in  the  parts  immediately  surrounding. 

2.  Redness  is  due  to  the  increased  determination  of  the  blood 
to  the  part,  the  distention  of  the  hitherto  invisible  capillaries  with 
red  blood,  and  sometimes,  when  extensive,  to  the  extravasation  of 
blood  from  the  bursting  of  the  thin  walls  of  the  vessels. 

3.  Pain.  The  pain  in  an  inflamed  part  is  almost  the  first  and 
most  characteristic  symptom.  It  is  due  to  the  tension  of  the 
tissues  and  implication  of  the  nerves  and  nerve  centers.  The 
degree  of  pain  varies  according  to  the  seat  of  the  inflammation 
and  the  degree  of  its  intensity.  The  more  sensitive  the  part,  the 
more  painful  will  it  be  under  inflammation.  Thus,  it  is  sharp 
and  cutting  in  inflammation  of  serous  membranes,  dull  and  gnaw- 
ing in  diseases  of  bones,  and  burning  in  inflammation  of  the  skin. 
When  matter  is  forming,  the  pain  becomes  throbbing  and  intense. 

4.  The  swelling  is  due  to  the  vascular  engorgement  and  the 
exudation  of  serum  in  the  first  place,  and  afterward  the  formation 
of  fibrine,  and  in  the  the  latter  stages  to  the  development  of  matter. 
The  other  concomitant  symptoms  of  inflammation  will  be  noticed 
when  we  come  to  treat  of  local  inflammatioxis,  or  inflammation  of 
particular  organs. 

Inflammation,  though  regarded  as  a  disease,  is  the  principal 


(746) 


mFLAMMATION.  747 

agent  which  nature  employs  in  repairing  or  rebuilding  parts  which 
have  been  inj  ured  by  accidents  or  disease.  Thus,  when  a  fracture 
has  taken  place,  the  ends  of  the  bone  have  to  be  united,  inflam- 
mation is  set  up,  lymph  is  thrown  out  around  the  fractured  ends, 
small  capillary  vessels  soon  shoot  into  the  coagula,  from  which 
bony  particles  are  deposited  ;  and  thus  by  a  process  of  inflamma- 
tion the  continuity  of  the  parts  is  restored.  Inflammation  is  often 
made  use  of  to  cure  diseases  and  remove  callous  enlargements. 
Thus,  when  a  thin  opaque  film  is  left  on  the  eye,  from  a  blow  or 
otherwise,  a  stimulating  wash  is  injected  to  set  up  inflamma- 
tion, to  cause  blood-vessels  to  shoot  into  it,  and  remove  it  by  ab- 
sorption. We  blister  callus  enlargements  for  the  same  purpose. 
It  will  thus  be  seen  that  inflammation  in  many  cases  becomes  a 
remedy  instead  of  a  disease,  and  is  in  all  cases  a  necessary  and 
natural  process  for  the  repair  of  an  injury. 

When  a  part  presents  the  appearance  of  inflammation,  becom- 
ing red,  hot,  tender,  and  swollen  ;  and  after  a  time  these  appear- 
ances subside,  without  producing  any  alteration  in  the  structure 
or  functions  of  a  part,  it  is  said  to  have  terminated  in  Resolution. 
When  two  cut  surfaces  are  brought  together,  and  exudation  takes 
place,  and  the  surfaces  are  united,  as  in  the  healing  of  a  wound 
by  the  first  intention,  it  is  called  Adhesion.  When  an  inflamma- 
tory tumor,  as  that  of  Strangles,  or  "  Horse  Distemper," — at 
first,  hard,  hot,  and  painful,  goes  on,  softens  in  the  middle,  points, 
and  bursts,  discharging  a  yellowish,  creamy  fluid,  called  pus, — 
it  is  said  to  terminate  in  Suppuration. 

When  a  part  is  tardy  in  healing,  and  presents  an  open  spread- 
ing sore,  with  red,  irregular  edges,  presenting  a  mouse-eaten 
appearance,  discharging  a  thin,  irritating  pus,  mixed  up  with  the 
debris  of  the  tissues  in  which  it  is  formed,  floating  in  serum  and 
pus  cells,  it  is  said  to  be  in  a  state  of  Ulceration. 

Gangrene,  or  mortification,  that  is,  the  entire  death  of  the  whole 
or  part  of  a  tissue,  is  apt  to  occur  when  the  inflammation  has  been 
sudden  and  violent.  When  this  has  occurred,  no  recovery  can 
take  place,  as  the  blood-vessels  and  tissues  are  destroyed ;  the  part 
generally  becomes  cold,  the  color  becomes  blue  or  purple,  a  fetid 
moisture  covers  the  surface,  and  noxious  gases  are  evolved.  There 
is  always  a  red  line  of  demarkation  between  the  dead  and  living 
tissues ;  and  if  the  constitutional  depression  which  generally  ac- 


748  DISEASES  AND  THEIK  TllEATMENT. 

companies  it  does  not  produce  death,  this  red  line  becomes  con- 
verted into  pus,  and  the  dead  part  is  removed  by  a  process  called 
sloughing. 

General  Treatment. — We  will  now  merely  notice  the  general 
principles  to  be  observed  in  the  treatment  of  inflammation,  leav- 
ing the  treatment  of  diflerent  parts  till  we  take  them  up  in  their 
proper  place.  Our  first  thought  must  be  to  inquire  into  the  cause 
of  the  inflammation ;  that  being  found  and  removed,  the  effects 
will  soon  cease,  without  which  a  cure  cannot  be  established.  Mat- 
ter may  be  forming  in  the  foot,'  indicated  by  intense  pain,  heat, 
and  great  lameness.  We  may  foment  or  poultice  or  do  what  we 
may ;  the  removal  of  the  faulty  nail  must  be  the  first  step  in  the 
cure;  and  that  done  we  will  be  able  to  attain  our  object  by  com- 
paratively slight  means. 

The  remedial  treatment  may  be  divided  into  local  and  consti- 
tutional. 

Local  Treatment. — Our  object  is  to  produce  resolution  if  possi- 
ble. This  will  be  best  done  by  placing  the  patient  in  a  cool,  com- 
fortable box.  He  must  be  secured,  so  as  to  give  the  inflamed 
part  complete  rest ;  and  then  the  constant  and  copious  application 
of  cold  water,  cooling  lotions,  and  freezing  mixtures,  will  retard 
and  often  arrest  the  inflammatory  process.  Cold,  to  be  of  any 
service,  must  be  kept  up  for  several  hours,  otherwise  the  reaction 
it  produces  will  do  more  harm  than  good.  Should  this  not  arrest 
its  progress,  and  the  inflammation  becomes  accompanied  by  pain 
and  throbbing,  heat  must  be  substituted.  Hot  fomentations  and 
poultices  soften  and  relax  the  tissues,  thus  opening  the  pores,  and 
encouraging  the  formation  of  matter,  which,  when  matured,  must 
be  opened  and  allowed  to  escape.* 

It  is  also  advisable  in  severe  cases  to  give  a  slight  purging 
ball;  and  if  much  fever,  give  warm  drinks  and  a  little  fever 
medicine.  When  as  in  sprain  of  the  tendons,  instead  of  going  on 
to  suppuration,  the  swelling  becomes  callous,  the  inflammatory 
action  subsides,  leaving  the  effusion  unabsorbed.  In  this  stage, 
and  only  when  heat  and  tenderness  are  gone,  should  blisters  be 

*  This  is  the  course  laid  down  by  practitioners  in  general ;  but  in  my  experience 
I  have  found  that  where  there  was  much  inflammation  and  pain,  it  was  always  ad- 
visa^iie  to  use  hot  fomentations,  and  even  repeating  persistently  until  its  severity 
could  be  relieved,  at  the  close  leaving  on  the  cloths  until  cool. 


INFLAMMATION.  749 

applied.     The  severity  of  the  counter-irritant  must  be  regulated 
by  the  site,  condition,  and  nature  of  the  inflammation. 

The  remedies  which  are  used  to  arrest  the  inflammatory  pro- 
cess are  called  Antiphlogi sties,  the  most  important  of  which  are 
blood-letting,  purgatives,  sedatives,  and  diuretics.  Blood-letting, 
which  has  now  come  almost  into  disuse,  was  at  one  time  looked 
upon  as  the  sheet-anchor  in  the  treatment  of  inflammation. 
Without  entering  into  any  discussion  of  the  subject,  we  will  simply 
remark  that,  though  from  the  abuse  which  was  made  of  this 
operation,  by  being  employed  unnecessarily,  when  milder  and 
more  simple  measures  might  do,  frequently  producing  injurious 
results,  it  has  justly  been  dispensed  with;  yet  we  are  convinced 
that  to  abandon  the  practice  entirely  would  be  to  deprive  our- 
selves of  a  valuable  remedy  in  checking  inflannnation. 

We  will  meet  with  cases  in  which  bleeding  will  be  found  very 
useful,  not  only  in  checking  the  inflammatoiy  process,  but  in  pro- 
moting the  absorption  of  medicinal  agents.  At  the  same  time  we 
are  convinced  that,  in  the  majority  of  cases  in  which  it  is  practiced 
it  is  useless,  and  often  injurious,  prostrating  the  patient  already 
reduced  by  disease.  When  bleeding  is  resorted  to,  it  must  be 
speedily  extracted  from  a  large  orifice  to  make  any  impression  on 
the  system ;  and  the  quantity  must  be  regulated  by  the  effect  on 
the  pulse,  rather  than  by  the  quantity  withdrawn.  It  is  only  in 
the  earlier  stages  that  this  operation  is  warranted ;  it  should  never 
be  resorted  to  in  any  case  showing  a  tendency  to  weakness. 

Purgatives  are  very  beneficial,  and  must  be  given  early.  They 
prevent  constipation, — a  symptom  very  frequently  attendant  on 
inflammation, — besides  emptying  the  system  of  noxious  matters, 
stimulating  the  sluggish  secretions,  and  draining  off"  impurities 
from  the  blood. 

Sedatives  are  invaluable  in  extensive  inflammations,  by  sub- 
duing the  action  of  the  heart.  They  lessen  the  fever,  and  keep 
down  constitutional  excitement.  They  have  the  advantage  over 
blood-letting  as  antiphlogistics,  inasmuch  as  they  can  be  kept  up 
much  longer,  and  do  not  reduce  the  strength  unduly,  to  harbor 
which  we  cannot  be  too  careful.  Fleming's  tincture  of  aconite, 
opium,  calomel,  digitalis,  and  belladonna  are  the  principal  sedatives 
used. 

Diuretics  reduce  fever  by  evacuating  the  system  of  fluids,  and 


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DISEASES  OF  THE  BONES.  751 

by  stimulating  the  secretions  in  the  kidneys  and  skin.  Small  and 
repeated  doses  of  nitrate  of  potash  (salt  petre),  bitartrate  of  pot- 
ash, sweet  spirits  of  nitre,  dilute  acids,  etc.,  by  their  cooling  action, 
and  by  favoring  absorption,  tend  greatly  to  reduce  fever  and 
relieve  inflamed  parts.  Nothing  tends  more  to  success  in  the 
treatment  of  inflammation  than  attention  to  diet  and  reo-imen 
The  comfort  of  the  patient  must  be  attended  to ;  he  should  have  a 
cool,  roomy,  loose  box;  and  laxative,  easily  digested  food,  such  as 
green  food,  bran  mashes,  etc.,  should  be  given  so  as  to  keep  the 
bowels  open. 

Diseases  of  the  Bones. 

The  skeleton  of  a  horse  is  made  up  of  242  bones;  and  as  these 
bones  are  the  hard  frame-work  of  the  animal  body,  serving  for 
the  support  and  attachment  of  the  softer  textures  and  the  protec- 
tion of  delicate  organs,  they  are  consequently  liable  to  the  same 
accidents  and  diseases  as  the  other  parts  of  the  body.  They  are 
composed  of  animal  and  earthy  matters,  in  the  proportion  of  one- 
third  of  the  former  to  two-thirds  of  the  latter.  They  are  covered 
externally  by  a  sensitive  and  vascular  membrane  called  the  peri- 
osteum, and  lined  internally  by  a  similar  membrane  called  the  en- 
dosteum.  They  enter  into  the  formation  of  the  joints,  their  ends 
being  held  together  by  the  ligaments,  and  their  adjoining  surfaces 
being  covered  by  cartilage  or  gristle,  with  a  lubricating  fluid  be- 
tween, called  synovia,  or  joint  oil,  to  prevent  friction  and  facilitate 
the  motion  of  the  joint. 

Diseases  of  the  bones  are  not  very  numerous  in  the  lower 
animals;  the  most  common  are  Exostosis,  in  which  we  have  an 
enlargement  or  bony  tumor  thrown  out  on  the  surface  of  the  bone; 
when  between  two  bones,  and  uniting  them  together,  it  is  called 
Anchylosis  Caries,  generally  defined  to  be  an  ulceration  or  disin- 
tegration of  the  bony  texture;  Necrosis,  which  is  the  entire  death 
of  the  whole  or  part  of  a  bone;  Osteosarcoma,  which  is  a  disease 
more  particularly  of  the  ox  tribe,  in  which  we  have  a  tumor  on 
the  bone,  partly  bony  and  partly  fleshy,  occurring  commonly  on 
jaws  or  ribs;  and  EncJiondroma,  consistuag  of  a  cartilaginous  or 
gristly  tumor  on  a  bone  ;  it  is  more  common  in  man,  but  is  also 
seen  in  cattle,  and  occasionally  in  the  horse. 


752  DISEASES  AND  THEIK  TKEATMENT. 

Anchylosis  of  Bone. 

Anchylosis  is  simply  extensive  exostosis,  in  which  we  have  the 
ends  of  two  or  more  bones  united  by  bony  matter,  as  shown  in 
ring-bone,  spavin,  splint,  etc. 

Symptoms  are  enlargements  round  the  joint,  which  is  stifi'and 
inflexible,  and  in  some  cases  the  animal  is  lame. 

Treatment. — If  there  is  lameness,  blister  or  fire,  as  may  be 
thought  necessary^  so  as  to  complete  the  union  of  parts.  The  mo- 
tion of  the  joint  cannot  be  restored  by  any  treatment. 

Caries  of  Bone. 

Caries  is  generally  defined  to  bo  ulceration  or  disintegration  of 
the  bony  texture,  and  is  supposed  to  be  ulceration  of  the  soft  tis- 
sues; but  this  is  not,  histologically  speaking,  correct.  We  find  in 
caries  the  bone  undergoes  several  very  marked  changes.  It  de- 
creases in  density  (owing  to  the  decrease  in  the  proportion  of  or- 
ganic matters  entering  into  its  composition),  and  presents  a  peculiar 
worm-eaten  appearance,  which  enables  us  always  to  recognize  a 
carious  bone  in  the  dried  state.  See  specimens  in  chapters  on  Na- 
vicular-Joint  Lameness,  and  Laminitis. 

Causes. — It  may  arise  from  whatever  may  produce  inflannna- 
tion  of  the  bone,  or  arrests  or  suspends  its  nourishment.  It  is  a 
frequent  sequel  of  fracture  in  the  ribs,  sometimes  from  neglect  or 
mismanagement  of  poll-evil,  or  fistula  of  the  withers;  in  cattle, 
sometimes  from  "  foul  of  the  foot."  Whatever  destroys  the  perios- 
teum may  produce  caries. 

Sym.pto'ms. — The  surrounding  tissues  are  swollen ;  there  is  an 
opening  into  the  diseased  bone,  from  which  acrid,  bad-smelling 
matter  discharges,  in  which  float  specula3  of  disintegrated  bone.  On 
examining  the  bone,  it  presents  a  fungus,  which  readily  bleeds 
when  touched;  on  pressing  the  finger  into  it,  sharp  processes  of 
bone  are  felt,  which  are  the  bone  breaking  up.  The  bone  is  easily 
punctured  with  a  probe  or  knife. 

Treatment. — This,  in  most  cases,  is  a  very  tedious  affair.  In 
the  first  place  the  wound  must  be  freely  opened,  and  the  parts 
toiiched  with  dilute  hydrochloric  acid  several  times  a  day.  Min- 
eral and  vegetable  tonics  nmst  be  given.      Where  practicable,  as 


DISEASES  OF  THE  BONES.  753 

on  the  withers,  the  diseased  portion  should  be  cut  off  with  a  fine 
saw.  Occurring  in  a  joint,  Ave  must  endeavor  to  produce  anchy- 
losis of  the  joint,  the  treatment  of  which  has  been  explained  as  for 
spavins,  etc. 

Necrosis  of  Bone. 

Necrosis  is  generally  defined  to  be  the  entire  death  or  mortifica- 
tion of  a  bone.  It  differs  from  caries,  in  which  the  bone  is  dis- 
charged in  particles;  whereas  in  necrosis  not  unfrequently  the 
whole  bone  dies  and  becomes  encased  in  a  new  bone  of  exactly 
the  same  shape,  which  is  perforated  by  numerous  holes,  through 
which  the  old  bone  exfoliates. 

Causes. — In  man  it  not  unfretjuently  arises  from  constitutional 
causes, — scrofula,  etc. ;  but  in  the  lower  animals  it  generally  arises 
from  local  causes,  mechanical  injuries,  extensive  destruction  of  the 
surrounding  soft  parts,  especially  if  it  involves  the  artery  supply- 
ing nourishment  to  the  bone.  In  young  thoroughbred  horses,  we 
are  familiar  with  it  from  sore  shins,  which  ari.ses  from  the  animal 
being  put  in  training  too  young.  The  concussion  sets  up  inflam- 
mation of  the  periosteum,  which  may  be  followed  by  caries,  but 
more  commonly  necrosis  of  the  cannon  bone. 

Symptovis.— The  external  appearances  do  not  difter  very 
materially  from  caries.  We  have  sinuses  penetrating  the  bone, 
from  which  there  is  a  copious  dischai-ge  of  most  offensive-smelling 
matter,  in  which  are  occasionally  discharged  pieces  of  dead  bone 
which  have  escaped  through  tl^s  holes  in  the  new  bone.  This  is 
called  the  process  of  exfoliation.  It  is  easily  distinguished  from 
caries  by  the  surface  of  the  bone  not  being  worm-eaten,  but 
smooth,  and  studded  with  numerous  holes.  Again,  it  is  not  soft, 
as  in  caries ;  it  cannot  be  punctured  with  the  probe,  and  it  is  as 
heavy,  if  not  heavier,  than  in  health. 

Treatment. — It  must  be  treated  on  the  same  principle  as 
caries.  The  sinuses  must  be  kept  open,  frequently  washed  out, 
and  sonic  stimulant  injected,  as  hydrochloric  acid  (diluted),  and 
tonics,  and  good  food  must  from  the  first  be  given. 

48 


754 


DISEASES  AND  THEIE  TKEATMENT. 


Exostosis,  or  Bony  Enlargement. 

Exostosis  is,  in  general,  the  consequence  of  periostitis,  or  in- 
flammation of  the  vascular  membrane 
covering  the  bone,  though  it  doubtless 
also  arises  from  other  causes.  It  some- 
times comes  on  without  having  attracted 
the  least  attention,  or  produced  the  least 
apparent  disturbance  to  the  animal,  and 
may  appear  on  any  bone  in  the  body,  or 
on  any  part  of  a  bone,  sometimes  so  small 
as  to  escape  observation  altogether,  and 
F  G    640  — E  -  sometimes   is   very  large.     It   may    be 


Fig. 641 
exostosis, 


ostosis. 


1.  Splint;  2,  3 

Enlargements 

caused    by    in 

jury. 


caused  by  external  injury,  or  it  may  be  bony  eniarge- 
the result  of  constitutional  disturbance,  ment  below- 
more  commonly  the  former.  Its  nature,  the  knee, 
causes,  symptoms,  and  treatment  will  be  better  un- 
derstood by  taking  the  most  common  example  of 
splint,  spavin,  and  ringbone. 

Splint,  or  Splent. 

Splint  is  a  hard,  bony  tumor  occurring  on  the  inside  of  the 
shank  or  cannon-bone  of  the  fore  leg,  usually  well  up  near  the 
knee,  which  is  well  represented  by  Fig.  642.  It  is  situated  partly 
on  the  splint-bone  (from  which  it  takes  its  name),  and  partly 
on  the  cannon.  Young  horses  are  most  subject  to  splints.  The 
periosteum  in  them  being  more  vascular  than  in  old  animals,  it 
is  more  liable  to  inflammation,  which  is  very  readily  induced  in 
the  unsolidified  bones  of  the  young  horse  when  exposed  to  con- 
cussion or  external  violence.  It  occurs  in  the  inside,  because  the 
center  of  gravity  falls  through  that  part ;  when  there  is  splint  or 
enlargement  on  the  outside,  it  is  usually  caused  by  an  injury. 
Sometimes  the  opposite  foot  striking  the  part  will  cause  so  much 
inflammation  as  to  produce  considerable  soreness  and  lameness, 
followed  by  thickening  arid  enlargement  of  the  part. 

Syonptoms. — At  the  start  there  may  be  no  enlargement,  nor 
anything  to  indicate  the  seat  of  trouble.  The  horse  appears  all 
right  on  a  walk  or  on  soft  ground  ;  but  if  moving  rapidly  on  a 
hard  road,  and  especially  down  hill,  considerable  lameness  will  bo 


DISEASES  OF  THE  BONES. 


755 


■,v 


shown.  Running  the  fingers  along  the  edge  of  the  bone  from  the 
knee  down,  and  pressing  with  the  ends  of  the  fingers,  inflamma- 
tion or  enlargement  will 
soon  be  discovered,  both 
by  heat  and  tenderness, 
and  in  time  by  enlarge- 
ment. 

Treatnfient. — If  the  in- 
flammation is  up  near  the 
joint,  it  will  usually  be 
more  serious,  and  cause 
more  lameness;  but  as  a 
general  thing,  splints  re- 
quire but  very  little  treat- 
ment, and  in  time  will  get 
well  themselves  if  let  alone. 
During  the  acute  stage, 
treat  simply  with  cooling- 
applications.  Cold  water 
turned  for  some  time  from 
a  pump  or  by  other  means 
of  letting  a  steady  stream 
strike    the   part,    which 

should  be  continued  for  at  least  fifteen  minutes,  and  repeated 
two  or  three  times  a  day,  would  be  best.  If  this  is  not  done, 
then  tie  several  thicknesses  of  cloth  around  the  part,  and  keep  wet; 
but  this  will  not  be  so  good  as  the  first  method.  The  following  is  a 
favorite  remedy  for  any  local  inflammation: — 

2  drachms  muriate  of  ammonia. 

2  ounces  vinegar. 

2  ounces  water. 

4  ounces  spirits  of  wine.  Mix. 

The  simplest  and  quickest  way  of  relieving  the  lameness,  and 
that  which  is  now  practiced  very  generally  by  veterinary  surgeons, 
is  to  cut  through  the  periosteum  over  the  part.  This  is  done  by 
catching  up  the  skin  between  the  thumb  and  finger  at  the  lower 
edge  of  the  splint,  and  with  a  knife  or  other  instrument  mak*  an 
incision  ia  it;  then  pass  up  under  it  a  probe-pointed  bistoury,  or 


Fig.  643.— Splint,  and 
small  wind-gall. 


Fig.  643. -a 

splint  after 

cure. 


756  DISEASES  AND  THEIR  TREATMENT. 

a  common  nicking-knife,  to  the  top,  and  cut  down  to  the  bone. 
The  part  may  now  be  treated  as  for  simple  inflammation;  after- 
ward, simply  by  cooling  applications.  The  usual  treatment  is, 
after  the  acute  stage  has  passed  oft',  to  clip  the  hair  and  blister 
once  or  twice.  Or,  a  more  eflfectual  way  would  be  by  firing,  the 
best  way  of  doing  which  is  by  the  pyro-puncture  process ;  but  this 
is  seldom  necessary. 

I  give  several  excellent  remedies  for  splints  and  ordinary  en- 
largements, either  of  which  may  be  used ;  also  a  number  under 
the  head  of  Special  Remedies,  given  near  the  close  of  this  book,  all 
of  which  are  very  good.  The  following  is  also  used  with  much 
success: — 

1  ounce  oil  of  origanum. 
1  ounce  oil  of  turpentine. 
^  ounce  of  alcohol. 

To  be  applied  night  and  morning,  for  a  few  days  at  a  time. 

Spavin. 

There  is  so  much  misconception  among  people  generally  about 
the  nature  of  spavin  and  its  cure,  that  I  will  include  such  illustra- 
tions as  will  show  clearly  the  character  and  location  of  the  disease. 
I  first  give  various  views  of  the  hock,  with  an  explanation  of  the 
diflerent  parts.  Also  views  of  specimens  of  a  bad  condition  of 
spavin;  first,  a  union  of  all  the  bones  of  the  hock  without 
any  enlargement;  next,  the  same  condition  with  a  large,  bony 
deposit,  the  result  of  long-continued  inflammation  of  the  parts. 
This  enlargement  is  what  is  called  a  spavin.  Many  pretend 
to  be  able  to  cure  spavin  by  a  medicine  that  will  take  off"  the 
bunch,  claiming  that  it  is  simply  a  form  of  detached  growth,  and  by 
removing  this  a  complete  cure  will  be  effected.  The  fallacy  of  this 
pretension  would  be  better  understood  could  the  specimens  from 
which  the  illustrations  are  taken  be  ex^amined. 

The  remedies  generally  used  are  nitrate  of  silver,  corrosive  sub- 
limate, arsenic,  muriatic,  sulphuric,  and  nitric  acids,  or  their  com- 
binations with  other  medicines  of  less  severe  character.  These 
medicines  aj^plied  to  the  surface  deaden  or  destroy  the  skin  and 
sub-tissues  of  the  part,  which,  in  the  course  of  a  week  or  two, 
sloughs  off",  leaving  a  bad  sore.     The  operator  exhibits  this  sloughed 


DISEASES  OF  THE  BONES. 


757 


off  part,  or  a  piece  of  cartilage  prepared  for  the  purpose,  which 
he  claims  is  the  spavin.  Or  the  medicine  may  be  so  prepared 
as  to  act  as  a  severe  blister.  In  any  case,  the  unsuspecting 
owner  is  usually  induced  to  pay  a  liberal  sum,  either  as  pay  for 


Fig.  644. — Back  inside  view  of  the 
bones  of  the  hock. 


Fig.  645. — Front  outside  view  of  the 
bones  of  the  hock. 


a.  Tibia;  h.  Os  calcis;  c.  Astragalus;  d.  Cuboides;  e.  Navicular;  /.  Outer 
cuneiform ;  g.  Middle  cuneiform ;  h.  Splint ;  i.   Cannon,  or  shank. 

the  medicine,  or  to  meet  expenses,  etc.     This  game  is  being  played 
constantly  all  over  the  country. 

There  are  innumerable  patent  cures  for  spavins,  and  concom- 
mitant  difficulties,  which  are  usually  nothing  more  than  ordinary 
blisters  which  act  merely  as  counter  irritants.  In  fact  all  the 
great  secrets  for  curing  spavins,  etc.,  are  but  mere  pretensions  of 
the  charlatan,  and  should  deceive  no  one.  During  my  early  ex- 
perience I  frequently  paid  large  prices  for  these  pretended  cure- 
alls,  wlUch  did  little  more  than  convince  me  of  the  extent  of 
imposition  practiced  in  this  Avay,  until  I  had  no  confidence  in  any 


758 


DISEASES  AND  THEIR  TREATMENT. 


one  professing  to  doctor  horses.     Becoming  finally  acquainted  with 
a  well-known  veterinary  surgeon,  Dr.  Wm.  Somerville,  of  Buflfalo, 

New  York,*  I  employed  him  to  give 
me  a  private  course  of  lectures,  in- 
structing me  in  the  principles  and 
ti'eatment  of  the  most  common  caus- 
es of  sickness  and  lameness  in  horses, 
and  I  spent  nearly  a  year  in  obtain- 
ing this  knowledge. 

At  the  commencement  of  these 
lectures  there  were  three  interesting 
cases  of  spavin  for  treatment,  two 
of  them  from  distant  cities.  He  ex- 
plained, among  other  things,  that 
he  charged  one  hundred  dollars  each 
for  treating  these  cases,  guarantee- 
ing a  cure  without  blemishing;  and 
that  were  the  treatment  for  these 
cases  understood  by  the  local  veter- 
inary surgeons,  whose  charges  were 
comparatively  nominal,  they  would 
not  have  been  sent  to  him  at  such 
large  expense  for  treatment  and 
shipping. 

The  better  to  explain  the  nature 
of  spavins,  I  quote  from  the  best 
description  I  can  find  of  this  disease 
and  its  causes: — 

"  There  are  two  distinct  kinds  of 
bone  spavin :  The  first  is  in  all  re- 
spects similar  to  splint,  and  arises 
from  inflammation  of  the  periosteum. 
It  frequently  comes  on  insidiously 
without  causing  much  annoyance. 
The  other  form,  arising  from  inflam- 
mation of  the  internal  structures  of 
Fig.  646.-Bones  of  leg  and  foot.     ^^^  hock-joint,  is  frequently  attended 

by  caries  or  ulceration,  and  from  the 
fii'st  produces  intense  pain  and  lameness,  when  the  bones  i*ub  on  one 
another.  "* 


*  I  give  his  exact  method  of  treatment  in  the  first  method  of  firing. 


DISEASES  OF  THE  BONES. 


759 


"  The  hoek -joint   corresponds   to  the  heel   in  man,  and  has  no 
fewer  than  ten  bones  entering  into  its  formation,  an  acquaintance 
with  the  arrangement  of 
which  is  necessary  be- 
fore the  complexities  of 
hock  diseases  can  be  un- 
derstood.    The  bones  of 
the  leg,  (seo  Fig.  647,) 
the  shank-bone  g,'  and 
the   two    small   splint 
bones  behind  h,  support 
the  lower  layer   of  the 
bones  of  the  hock.    The 
cube-bone   d  rests  prin- 
cipally  on    the    shank- 
bone,  and  in  a  slight  de- 
gree on  the  outer  splint- 
bone.       The    middle 
wedgebone  /  rests    en- 
tirely upon  the  shank- 
bone,    and   the   smaller 
wedge-bone  (not  seen  in 
the  cut)  presses  in  a  very 
slight    degree    on  the 
shank-bone,  but  princi- 
pally or  almost  entirely 
on   the   inner  splint- 
bone.     Then  the  splint- 
bone  sustains  a  very  un- 
equal degree  of  concus- 
sion  and   weight.     Not 
only   is   the   inner    one 
placed   more  under  the 
body,    and  nearer  the 
center  of  gravity,  but  it 
has  almost  the  whole  of 
the  weight  and  concus- 
sion   communicated     to 
the    smaller    cuneiform 
bone  carried  on  to  it.    It 
is  not,  therefore,  to  be 
wondered    at    that,    in 
the  violent  action  of  this  joint  in  galloping,  leaping,  heavj''  draught, 
and  especially  in  young  horses,  and  before  the  limbs  have  become 
properly  knit,  the  inner  splint-bone,  or  its  ligaments,  or  the  sub- 
stance which  connects  it  with  the  shank-bone,  should  suffer  injury." 

Different  views  of  the  bones  of  the  hock  can  be  seen  more 
clearly  by  referring  to  Figs.  644,  64-5,  in  the  first  part  of  this 
chapter.     Also  Figs.  648-651  show  the  various  changes  of  struct- 


FiG.  647. — Bones  of  the  hock  enlarged. 


^()0 


J)JSEA8ES  AND  THBIE  TEEATMENT. 


ures  produced.     Figs.  048,  649  were  copied  from  two  interesting 
specimens  loane<,l  the  writer  by  Froi.  Cressy,  of  Hartford,  Ct. 

The  causes  of  spavin 
are  numerous — altered 
iDcaring,  predisposition 
from  conformation  or 
mal-conformatiou  of 
the  hmb,  but  proceed- 
ing mainly  fiom  hard 
work,  sprains,  or  any 
cause  which  excites  in- 
fl  am  m  a t i o n  of  this 
part.  But  the  most 
common  cause  lies  in 
the  breeding  of  horses, 
as  very  often  a  colt  is 
bred  from  a  spavined 
sire  or  dam,  or  both, 
when  the  colt  is  sure  to 
inherit  the  same  defect. 


Fig.  648.  — L'uion  of  all 
the  bones  of  the  hock 
without  enlargement. 


Fifi.  049.— The  same, 
with  excessive  bony 
enlargement. 


Symptoriis.  —  The  fi  i- s t 
symptom  usually  shown  in 
spavin  is  a  stiff  moving  on 
the  toe,  which  causes  a  pe- 
culiar quick  catching  up  of 
the  leg,  especially  in  trot- 
ting. This  varies  according 
to  the  amount  of  inflamma- 
tion and  its  location,  from 
being  scarcely  noticeable  at 
first,  and  passing  off  entii'ely 
after  going  a  little  ways,  to 
severe  lameness  or  stiffness 
of  the  hock,  which  greatly 
improves  or  disappears  when 
waimed  up  during  a  sharp 


Fig.  650.  Fig.  651. 

Showing  a  bad  condition  of  spavin. 


DISEASES  OF  THE  BONES. 


761 


Fig.  653.— Healthy  hock 
dissected. 


Fig.  653. — Diseased  hock 
dissected. 


drive  of  a  few  miles,  but  appearing  much  worse  after  such  a  drive 
when  the  blood  is  again  cooled.  The  hock  is  observed  to  be  less 
freely  used  than 
the  other.  He 
is  worse  on  the 
hard  road.  He 
limps  consider- 
ably when  he 
strikes  his  toe  on 
a  stone  or  the 
ground.  If  the 
leg  be  taken  up 
and  the  j  oint 
forcibly  extend- 
ed or  flexed,  he 
will  limp  quite 
badly.  Spav- 
ined horses  gen- 
erally lose  con- 
dition, and  from  tJie  pain  caused  by  rising  they  frequently  stand 
for  a  long  time. 

If  it  is  the  result  of  a  strain,  causing  acute  inflammation,  the 

lameness  will  not  pass  ofl*  by  ex- 
ercise so  readily  as  it  will  after 
it  becomes  chronic. 

An  enlargement  usually 
makes  its  appearance  from  the 
fifth  to  the  sixth  week.  Any 
prominence  can  be  seen  by 
standing  in  front  of  the  horse 
about  three  or  four  feet  from 
Fig.  654.— Action  Fig.  655.— Action  of  the  shoulder,  and  looking  back 
when  natural.  badly  sprained  leg.      ^^^^^^^   ^^^  j^^^j^^    ^^.    ^^   ^^^^^_ 

ing  behind  the  horse,  and  looking  forward  acros-s  the  hock. 

The  efibrt  the  horse  makes  to  reliev-e  the  heels  by  walking 
upon  the  toe,  indicates  the  necessity  of  removing  the  shoe,  raising 
the  heel-calks,  hammering  down  or  cutting  ofl"  the  toe-calks,  and 
rounding  the  toe. 

Care  must  be  taken  not  to  mistake  a  natural  fullness,  known 


762 


DISEASES  AND  THEIE  TREATMENT. 


as  "  rough  hocks  ";  and  it  is  always  advisable  to  compare  the  one 
hock  with  the  other.     We  frequently  have  inflammation  or  spavin 

uniting  the  small  bones  without  the  least 
outward  enlargement.     Fig.  648. 

Quite  often,  before  any  enlargement 
appears,  the  trouble  may  be  mistaken  for 
hip  lameness.  But  in  this  difficulty  there 
is  a  peculiar  dragging  motion,  and  for 
want  of  muscular  action  the  hip  is  some- 
times fallen  in  or  wasted;  while  in  spavin 
the  leg  is  lifted  and  brought  forward 
easily,  traveling  mostly  on  the  toe,  and 
shows  marked  improvement  by  exercise. 
Treatment. — If  there  is  heat  during 
the  first  few  days,  use  cooling  applica- 


Fig.  656. — Showing  situa- 
tion of  bone-spavin ;  a  shallow 
groove  *being  left  in  the  os- 
sific  deposit  for  the  passage  of 
the  oblique  tendon  of  the  flex, 
or  metatarsi,  immediately  un- 
der which  the  spavin  is  situa- 
ted.—  Williams^  Surgery. 


Fig.  657. — A  healthy 
hock. 


Fig.  658. — A  Jack 
spavin. 


tions,  such  as  an  ounce  of  sugar  of  lead  to  half  a  pail  of  ice-water, 
about  two  weeks,  when  the  inflammation  may  pass  off".  A  dose 
of  physic  may  also  be  given.  Or  a  very  simple  way,  and  accord- 
ing to  my  judgment  the  best,  is  to  throw  a  strong  stream  of  cold 
water  against  the  part  for  twelve  or  fifteen  minutes,  repeating 
two  or  three  times  a  day  as  before  explained.  If  past  the  first 
stage,  and  the  case  has  become  chronic,  the  only  reasonable  treat- 
ment is  counter  irritation  and  rest,  or  keeping  up  sufficient  local 
inflammation,  without  dissolving  or  blistering  the  skin,  to  arouse 


DISEASES  OF  THE  BONES. 


763 


nature   sufficiently  to  produce  anchylosis,  or  a  union  of  the  bones 
involved. 

There  are  two  methods  of  treatment  for  this :  First,  if  not  very 


Fig.  659. — Small  spavin. 


Fig.  660. — Ordinary  spavin. 


serious,  by  blistering.  Second,  by  what  is  termed  "firing."  This 
is  done  in  two  ways :  First,  by  burning  lines  over  the  skin  with  a 
feather-edged  iron  sufficiently  close  and 
deep  to  produce  an  extensive  external 
inflammation,  but  without  breaking  or 
destroying  the  skin.  Second,  by  burn- 
ing small  holes  into  and  around  the  dis- 
eased parts.  On  the  following  page  are 
given  a  few  of  the  best  practical  reme- 
dies. 

Blistering  is  adapted  for  only  simple 
cases,  so  that  \^dlen  serious,  firing  is  the 
most  reliable  and  effectual  treatment. 
In  case  of  either  blistering  or  firing,  the 
hair  should  first  be  clipped  from  two  to 
three  inches  above  and  below  the  en- 
largement, and  out  to  the  middle  of  the 
hind  and  fore  part  of  the  leg.  A  favorite  blister  used  by  one  of 
the  best  practitioners  in  the  country,  is  prepared  and  applied  as 
follows  :— 


Fig.  661. — Very  large  spavin. 


764  DISEASES  AND  THEIR  TREATMENT. 

3  drams  of  biniodide  of  mercury. 
1  dram  of  iodide  of  potass. 
1^  drains  of  iodine  in  crystals,  pulv. 
1  ounce  of  blue  ointment  (mercurial). 
1  ounce  of  lard. 

Mix,  and  apply  to  the  seat  of  the  spavin  three  days.  When  the  parts 
become  sore,  omit  the  treatment  for  the  same  length  of  time  ;  then  apply 
once  in  three  days  for  two  weeks,  after  which  stop  all  treatment. 

Or  either  of  the  following  blisters  may  be  used,  which  are 
among  the  very  best: — 

1  ounce  finely  powdered  cantharides. 

2  drams  powdered  euphorbium. 

1  ounce  lard. 

2  ounces  tar. 

Mix.     This  is  a  very  strong  blister,  and  is  regarded  as  very  good. 

Another  favorite  prescription  is: — 

2  drams  corrosive  sublimate. 

1  ounce  lard. 
^  ounce  tar. 

2  drams  cantharides. 

The  following  will  also  be  found  efficient: — 

Equal  parts  of  biniodide  of  mercury  and  cantharides,  and 
three  parts  each  of  tar  and  lard. 

The  blister  should  be  thoroughly  rubbed  on  with  the  hand 
about  ten  minutes.  Twenty-four  hours  afterward  apply  a  little 
vaseline  or  oil,  and  repeat  night  and  morning  until  the  action 
subsides.  This  will  prevent  the  skin  from  cracking  as  well  as 
lessen  the  pain.  After  which,  wash  with  castile  soap  and  warm 
water.  In  no  case  should  more  than  one  leg  be  blistered  at  a 
time,  especially  if  the  horse  is  thin  skinned  and  sensitive,  as  it 
produces  serious  disturbance  and  fever.  A  variety  of  prescriptions 
for  blisters  will  be  found  under  the  head  of  the  best  remedies 
used,  if  it  is  desired  to  use  blisters;  also  the  most  famous  secret 
quack  cures  will  be  found  under  that  head ;  but  it  is  not  advisable 
to  use  them. 


DISEASES  OF  THE  BONES. 


765 


LiG.  662. — Feather-edge  firing-iron. 
Three-fourths  size. 


Firing.     , 

For  firing,  put  the  horse  in  stocks.  It'  this  is  not  convenient, 
the  next  best  way  is  to  bring  a  rope  around  the  neck  and  fasten 
to  the  well  leg; 
or  still  better, 
buckle  a  soft 
strap  around 
the  fetlock, 
and  from  a 
ring-  attached 
to  the  strap, 
pass  a  rope 
around  the 
neck  of  the 
horse  and  draw 
short   enough 

to  raise  the  foot  from  the  ground.  Next  put  on  a  twitch, 
with  the  stick  part  at  least  twenty  inches  long ;  it  should 
be  so  arranged  as  not  to  hurt  the  horse  until  the  instant 
of  touching  with  the  iron,  when  the  head  should  be 
thrown  up  a  little  with  a  slight  jerking  motion,  to  divert 
his  attention  from  the  pain  of  the  firing. 

I  give  two  illustrations  of  the  firing  part  of  the  iron, 
reduced  in  size  about  one-third.  The  larger  the  iron,  the 
longer  it  will  retain  the  heat.  The  blade  should  be  -of 
steel  (of  the  form  given  in  the  illustration),  a  little  more 
than  a  quarter  of  an  inch  thick  at  the  back,  and  grad- 
ually thinned  dow:n  to  the  edge,  which  should  be  about 
one-sixteenth  of  an  inch  in  thickness,  and  nicely  rounded. 
The  handle  may  be  nothing  more  than  a  straight  round 
bar  of  iron,  from  sixteen  to  seven-teen  inches  long  and 
turned  back  at  the  end.  It  is  necessary  to  have  at  least 
two  irons,  so  that  while  one  is  being  used,  the  other  can 
be  heating.     It  should  be  heated  to  a  dull  red  color,  and 

when  taken  from  the  fire  the  edg-e  quickly  run  over   a   „ 

Fig.  663. 

board  or  plank  to  make  it   smooth.      When    the   edge 

is  turned  dark,  draw  perpendicular  lines  on  the  leg,  as  shown  in 

Fig.  664,  from  top  to  bottom.     They  should  be  about  two  inches 


766 


DISEASES  AND  THEIE  TEEATMENT. 


apart  at  the  top,  and  not  drawn  deeply.  Lay  the  edge  whei'e 
desired  to  start  from,  anS  draw  steadily  and  gently  to  the  bottom. 
Then  commence  at  the  top  and  make  cross  lines,  obliquely,  about 
half  an  inch  apart.  Start  the  point  of  the  iron  from  the  line  at 
the  right  or  left,  and  draw  toward  the  center,  as  shown  in  Fig.  664. 
The  skin  should  not  be  penetrated  or  cut  through,  as  it  would 
leave  a  blemish.  The  cuticle  is  simply  to  be  destroyed,  and  a  dark 
brown  impression  left  upon  the  skin,  from  which  there  will  exude 
a  glutinous  substance  soon  after  the  operation.  If  the  iron  is  red 
or  too  hot,  there  will  be  great  danger  of  burning  through ;  though 


Fig.  664. — View  of  lines  as  tbey 
should  be  made  with  feather- 
firing-iron. 


FiQ.  665. — Bad  method  of  firing. 
The  lines  cover  too  small  a 
surface. 


if  the  operator  is  dextrous  he  can  use  it  quite  safely  by  drawing 
it  proportionately  light  and  quick,  but  the  work  cannot  be  so  well 
done  as  with  an  iron  that  is  of  a  dull  red  color,  or  quite  dark  at 
the  edge.  With  such  an  iron,  if  the  first  lino  is  not  drawn  quite 
deep  enough  it  can  be  repeated  until  the  right  depth  upon  the 
cuticle  is  obtained,  which  will  be  indicated  by  its  color.  If  the 
lines  are  drawn  much  nearer  than  half  an  inch,  there  will  be 
danger  of  sloughing,  while  if  too  far  apart  there  will  be  propor- 
tionately less  inflammation  produced.  They  should  be  of  a  cer- 
tain depth  and  distance  apart,  and  crossed  as  little  as  possible  to 
avoid  breaking  the  skin.  If  this  is  done  neatly,  when  the  healing 
process  takes  place,  the  creases  formed  by  the  iron  will  be  drawn 


DISEASES  OF  THE  BONES.  767 

together,  the  hair  grown  over,  leaving  no  visible  trace  of  the 
firing.  After  the  operation  the  horse  should  be  put  away  in  a 
box-stall.  On  the  following  day  a  little  grease,  vaseline,  or  oil 
should  be  rubbed  over  the  part,  which  will  keep  it  soft  and  pre- 
vent cracking.  This  may  be  repeated  at  any  time  afterward, 
should  it  appear  too  dry.  Should  any  of  the  cracks  break  and 
threaten  to  make  a  sore,  dust  on  a  little  of  the  masfic  healino- 
powder,  Avhich  will  stop  it  immediately  unless  very  severe.  No 
bandaging  or  any  such  means  should  be  resorted  to.  Simply 
see  that  the  horse  does  not  bite  or  rub  the  parts. 

This  method  cf  firing  is  the  one  that  has  been  most  generally 
used.     It  is  very  painful  to  the  horse,  and  re- 
quires considerable  practice  to  do  it  well,  al- 
though there  is  no  particular  sleight  or  secret 
in   doing  it  beyond  making  the  lines  over 
rather  a  large  surface,  and  as  near  each  other 
as  can  safely  be    done    without   causing   so 
much  inflammation  as  to  extend  across  the 
division  and  blemish  by  breaking  or  destroy- 
ing   the  skin    between.     The  next  point  is 
depth  of  the  firing.      This  can  be  learned  reli- 
ably only  by  practice.     The  deeper  the  firing, 
the  more   extensive   the   inflammation   pro-  riG.eee.-Dots showing 
duced,  though  in  no  case  should  it  be  carried     usual  number  and  lo- 
deep  enough  to  break  the  skin,  as  this  will      cation  of  punctures 
surely  cause  a  blemish,  while  in  very  slight  ^°  &nug. 

firing  there  will  be  proportionately  less  inflammation,  and  to  that 
degree  less  efiective. 

The  Pyro-puncturing  Process. 

The  method  of  firing  now  found  to  be  most  efiective  for  this 
difiiculty,  and  that  used  most  generally  by  the  best  practitioners,  is 
the  pyro-puncturing  process.  It  is  much  easier  done,  more  simple, 
not  so  liable  to  blemish,  and  far  more  efiective.  I  give  two  forms 
of  iron;  one  representing  about  three-sixteenths  of  an  inch,  the 
other  about  an  eighth  of  an  inch  or  less  in  diameter.  The  rule  is, 
the  larger  the  iron  tlie  farther  apart  must  the  holes  be  made,  and 
the  smaller  the  iron  the  closer  together.  The  principle  is  to  make 
the  punctures  as  near  as  can  be  done  safely  without  producing  so 


768 


DISEASES  AND  THEIE  TEEATMENT. 


much  inflammation  as  to  cause  the  skin  to  break  or  slough  between 
them.  Tlic  average  distance  apart  is  from  three-fourths  to  one 
inch  for  the  larger  iron,  and  half  an  inch  for  the  smaller  iron,  ob- 
serving not  to  go  near  the  vein. 

If  the  horse  is  valuable  it  is  best  to  use  the  smaller  iron,  as  there 


Fig.  667.— Small  Pyro- 
puncturing  iron. 


Fig.  668. — Lai-ge  Pyro- 
puncturing  iron. 


Fig.  669. — Small  Pyro- 

puncturing  iron.  The 

wire  represented  too  small. 


is  less  danger  of  blemishing.  The  part  of  the  iron  used  should  be 
sufficiently  long  to  enable  puncturing  as  deep  as  desirable.  I  give 
illustrations  of  two  such  irons;  one  representing  the  round  part 
drawn  out  with  considerable  bulb  behind  to  give  sufficient  body 
to  retain  heat;  the  other  a  bulb  of  iron  with  a  hole  punched,  into 
which  is  fitted  a  piece  of  steel  or  iron  wire  of  suitable  size.     These 


DISEASES  OF.  THE  B0:N"ES.  709 

fine  pointed  irons  for  pyro-puncturing  should  be  used  only  when 
at  a  white  heat,  and  never  when  cooled  to  a  red  heat.  The  reason 
for  this  is  that  there  is  much  less  pain  felt  when  the  iron  is  at  a 
white  heat,  as  the  sensibility  is  almost  immediately  destroyed.  It 
is  desirable  to  have  three  oi-  four  irons  heating  at  once,  so  as  to 
be  sure  of  having  one  continually  at  white  heat. 

The  method  of  using  it  is  to  barely  touch  the  skin  at  first  to 
mark  the  points  to  be  punctured,  which  should  be  extended  out 
some  little  distance  beyond  the  line  of  enlargement  or  immediate 
seat  of  trouble  (as  shown  in  Fig.  666).  Then  repeat,  burning 
much  deeper  each  time  until  the  holes  are  made  to  a  depth  of 
about  three-eighths  of  an  inch,  more  or  less,  according  to  the 
severity  of  the  case.  Where  there  is  much  enlargement,  penetrate 
to  the  bone  proper  over  that  part.  When  the  firing  is  complete, 
rub  on  thoroughly  a  strong  blister.  The  following  simple  Spanish 
fly  blister  is  good : — 

1  ounce  Spanish  flies. 
5  ounce  liquid  tar. 

2  ounces  lard. 

Mix,  and  rub  on  thoroughly  from  five  to  ten  minutes,  putting  on  a  pretty 
thick  application,  and  leaving  on  about  forty-eight  hours,  wlien  wash  off  with 
warm  water  and  soap.  When  dry,  rub  on  some  grease  or  lard;  and  let  the 
animal  rest  three  weeks. 

The  principle  is  to  keep  the  horse  quiet  long  enough  to  give 
time  for  exudate  to  bo  thrown  out  and  unite  the  parts  in- 
volved, and  this  requires  from  three  to  five  or  eight  weeks,  and  in 
some  obstinate  cases  possibly  even  longei',  depending  upon  age; 
the  younger,  the  more  easily  and  quickly  this  will  be  done,  while 
the  older  the  hoi-se,  and  the  less  constitution,  the  slower  and  more 
difficult  it  will  be  to  do.  In  any  event,  it  must  be  continued 
or  repeated,  until  the  lameness  disappears,  after  which  work  mod- 
erately for  a  while. 

If,  after  a  couple  of  months  or  so,  there  is  any  perceptible 
lameness  or  soreness,  an  ordinary  biniodide  of  mercury  blister  may 
be  applied  once  or  twice,  as  the  case  requires,  or  the  firing  may 
be  repeated,  as  before  stated.  The  point  is  to  keep  up  sufiicient 
counter  irritation  to  make  the  cure  complete.  It  will  also  aid  ia 
removing  any  enlargement  thctt  may  remain. 

49 


770 


DISEASES  AND  THEIR  TREATMENT. 
Ring-bone. 


The  treatment  for  ring-bone,  splints,  curbs,  and  spavins  is 
practically  the  same.     If  there  is  inflammation,  the  result  of  recent 


Fig.  670. — Joint   ancbylosed  in  ring- 
bone, without  enlargement.     The 
roughened    appearance   of    the 
bone  the  result  of  inflamma- 
tion  of   the   periosteum. 


Fig.    671. — Ring-bone.     The  joint  ancby- 
losed a«ad  enlarged. 


strain,  use  cooling  applications,  and  give  the  horse  rest  until  it 

passes  off,  when  counter  irritation  by  blister- 
ing or  firing  must  be  resorted  to. 

A  ring-bone  is  a  bony  excrescence,  or  en- 
largement, about  the  pastern,  most  frequently 
occurring  in  the  hind  leg.  Sometimes  it  does 
not  cause  much  lameness,  while  again  the 
lameness  may  be  very  severe,  and  perhaps  in- 
curable. This  will  depend  much  upon  the  lo- 
cation of  the  enlargement  upon  the  joint. 
Should  it  be  upon  the  center  of  the  bone,  it 
may  not  occasion  any  trouble  ;  but  if  upon 
the  margin  of  the  joint,  it  is  liable  to  cause 
much  lameness.  Fig.  671,  taken  from  a  pho- 
tograph, is  a  front  view  of  an  enlarged  an- 

FiG.  673.— Longitudinal      ,     i         i    •    •    ,  •         i  xp-        n^c^    • 

,..,,.        chylosed  lomt,  or  rmg-bone  ;   J^ig.   0/2   is  a 

section  of  joint  after  •'  J  '  n  '         o 

anchylosis.  view   of   another   specimen  cut  through  the 


DISEASES  OF  THE  BONES. 


771 


center, '  showing  the  joint  grown  soUcl.  I  inchidc  an  iUustration  of 
quite  a  bad  ring-bone,  and  the  same  clipped,  lined,  and  also  dotted 
to  show  how  the  firing  should  be  done  by  the  pyro-puncturing 
process. 

At  first  there  may  be  a  somewhat  tender  and  yielding  enlarge- 
ment, which,  in  the  course  of  time,  becomes  a  hard  bony  formation. 


Fig.  673. — Ring-bone  as  it  usually 
appears. 


Fig.  674. — As  a  ring-bone  should  be  fired 
by  the  first  method. 


Second,  the  horse  may  make  an  effort  to  relieve  the  pressure  from 

the  heels  or  toe,  according  to  the  location  of  the  inflammation. 

Should  he  raise  the  heels,  then  raise  the 

heel-calks  and  round  the  toe.     If  on  the 

other  hand  he  seems  to  throw  pressure 

upon  the  heels,  then  lower  the  heel  and 

round  the  toe.     In  the  fore  feet,  at  any 

rate,  it  will  be  necessary  to  round  the  toe 

sharply,   which  will  greatly  relieve   the 

strain  upon  the  joint   by    enabling   the 

foot  to  roll  easily,  or  turn  upon  the  toe. 

The  best  method  of  doing  this  is  by  the 

Roburg  shoe,  illustrations  of  which  are 

given   in    "  Shoeing,"    and   "  Navicular- 

Joint    Lameness."      Clip    the    parts,    as 

shown  in  Fig.  675,    then   blister  or  fire,   as  explained  for  .spavin. 

There  should  be  no  blistering  or  fijjing  around  the  heel  under  thtj 


Fig.  67.5. — Method  of  firing 

by  the  Pyro-puncturing 

process. 


772 


DISEASES  AND  THEIK  TREATMENT. 


fetlock,  as  this  would  cause  breaking,  or  an  irritation  of  the  skin, 
which  would  be  very  annoying  and  difficult  to  heal. 

Side-Bone  or  False  Ring-Bone. 

Side-bone,  properly  speaking,  is  not  exostosis,  but  ossification  of 
an  already  existing  structure,  it  being  ossification  of  the  lateral 
cartilages  of  the  ospedis,  or  bone  of  the  foot.     It  is  most  common 

in  the  fore   feet,   especially  where  the  pas- 
terns are  short  and  straight. 

SyTYiptoms. — The  lateral  cartilages,  which 
in  health  are  soft  and  flexible,  become  en- 
larged, project  above  the  hoof,  and  are  hard 
and  bony.  While  the  inflammatory  process 
is  going  on,  there  is  heat  and  pain  in  the 
part,  and  consequently  lameness,  which  in 
most  cases  ceases  when  the  ossification  is 
completed;  but  there  is  always  a  degree  of 
stiffness  observable,  and  the  lameness  is  apt 
to  return  if  the  horse  is  much  used  on  the 
road. 

Causes. — Short,  upright  pasterns  predis- 
pose to  them ;  they  are  most  common  in  heavy 
draught  horses,  used  for  teaming  on  the 
road.  Sometimes  it  arises  from  a  tread  from 
another  horse,  which  causes  inflammation  of  those  structures,  which 
is  followed  by  ossification  of  the  cartilage. 

Treatment. — The  same  principles  must  be  observed  in  all  these 
cases.  Rest  is  most  essential ;  continued  cold  applications,  by  mak- 
ing him  stand  up  to  the  fetlocks  in  soft  clay,  with  cold  water  fre- 
quently applied,  would  be  the  proper  treatment  until  the  acute 
stage  has  passed,  after  which  repeated  blistering,  or,  if  thought 
necessary,  tiring  would  be  advisable. 

Curb. 

This  is  a  swelling  upon  the  back  part  of  the  hock  about  five  or 
six  inches  from  the  point  (an  illustration  of  which  is  given  in 
Figs.  676,  678).  If  there  is  heat  and  tenderness,  with  more  or  less 
lameness,  use  cooling  applications.  The  quickest  way  to  reduce 
inflammation  of  this  kind  is  to  direct  a  stream  of  coM  water  against 


Fig. 


—A  well-defined 
curb. 


DISEASES  OF  THE  BONES. 


773 


the  part  for  ten  or  fifteen  minutes,  and  repeat  at  intervals.  It 
would  relieve  considerably  to  raise  the  heels  of  the  shoe,  and  when 
the  inflammation  subsides,  blister  repeatedly.  If  this  does  not  suc- 
ceed, fire  the  part. 

Curbs  are  not  usually  difiicult  to  manage.  I  include  a  remedy 
which  is  very  effective  in  removing  chronic  enlargements  of  this 
kind.  It  was  first  brought  to  my  notice  by  being  used  upon  one 
of  my  baggage-horses  during  one  of  my  campaigns  in  Ohio.  I 
purchased  this  horse  cheap  on  account  of  his  having  a  large  curb, 


Fig.  677. — An  ordinary  curb. 


Fig.  678. — A  very  bad  curb. 


which,  though  it  did  not  cause  lameness,  blemished  the  leg  badly. 
I  noticed  my  manager.  Dr.  Williams,  occasionally  rubbing  on 
some  medicine.  It  seemed  to  me  like  a  waste  of  time  to  attempt 
doing  anything  for  it,  and  so  expressed  myself.  He  said,  "  Wait, 
and  I  will  show  you  the  effect."  He  simply  applied  the  remedy 
two  or  three  times  a  week,  and  in  two  or  three  months,  to  my 
surprise,  the  enlargement  had  almost  entirely  disappeared.  Since 
then  several  cases  of  morbid  joint  enlargement  have  been  cured  by 
applying  this  remedy  occasionally  for  two  or  three  months,  one 
especially  bad,  caused  by  an  injury  down  near  the  hoof.  The  fol- 
lowing is  the  remedy: — 

1  ounce  each  of  oil  origanum,  oil  of  spike, 
oil  of  amber,  spirits  of  tur- 
pentine, and  camphor. 

Mix  thoroughly,  and  rub  on  the  enlargement  two  or  three  times  a  •week. 


774 


DISEASES  AND  THEIR  TREATMENT. 


The  following  is  the  treatment  used  by  one  of   the  most  suc- 
cessful veterinary  surgeons  in  this  country: — 

First,  put  on  a  high-heeled  shoe,  then  take  boiling  water,  and  with  a 
sponge  have  the  curb  well  bathed  for  about  ten  minutes.  Then  apply  the 
following  liniment: — 

1  ounce  aqua  amonia, 

2  ounces  tincture  of  iodine, 

3  ounces  glycerine. 

Apply  to  the  part  two  or  three  times  a  day,  until  quite  sore.  Then  stop 
for  a  few  days,  when  repeat  the  medicine  as  before,  and  so   continue    until 


again  sore. 


Bog  Spavins  and  Thorough-Pins. 


This  disease  may  be  called  wind-galls  of  the  hock,  caused 
usually  by  strain  and  overwork,  but  principally  by  lunging  back 

upon  the  hind  legs.  When  the  swelling  is 
inside  and  front  of  the  hock,  it  is  called  a 
bog  or  blood  spavin.  This  is  caused  by  a 
distension  or  rupturing  of  the  membranes 
which  cover  the  synovial  cavity  of  the  joint. 
The  sw^elling  is  soft,  and  yields  to  the  press- 
ure of  the  finger. 

Thorough-pin  is  of  the  same  character — 
an  enlargement  on  the  back,  inside  of  the 
upper  part  of  the  joint,  where  in  its  natural 
condition  is  a  hollow.  This  swelling  extends 
across  under  the  tendon,  forming  a  tumor 
between  the  calcis  and  thigh  bone.  It  is 
simply  a  rupture  of  the  synovial  membrane 
allowing  the  synovia  to  escape.  By  press- 
ing upon  one  side,  the  swelling  is  pushed 
through  to  the  other  side;  and  sometimes 
there  is  connection  with  swelling  in  front.  These  enlargements 
rarely  cause  lameness,  though  sometimes  they  may  cause  inflam- 
mation of  the  parts  involved. 

There  is  no  satisfactory  treatment  for  these  difficulties.  Blister- 
ing sharply  is  the  treatment  usually  pursued.  If  this  fails,  firing 
is  the  last  resort.  There  is  no  difiiculty  in  bringing  down  an  en- 
largement of  an  ordinary  bog  spavin  by  blistering,  but  as  soon  as 
the  horse  is  put  to  work  or  strained  in  the  least,  it  is  liable  to  come 


Fig.  679. — Bog  or  blood 
spavin. 


DISEASES  OF  THE  BONES. 


775 


back  again.  There  is  a  remedy  I  have  found  to  work  with  great 
success  in  tlio  removal  of  these  synovial  enlargements  during  their 
acute  stage. 

In  making  a  campaign  through  Wisconsin,  in  1867,  one  of 
my  trained  horses  acted  so  rebellious  oneday  that  I  was  compelled 
to  force  him  back  sharply  with  a  whip,  throwing  him  upon  his 
haunches.  Soon  after  the  di'ive,  when  cool,  he  acted  quite  sore 
and  stiff,  showing  quite  an  enlargement 
of  the  hock.  I  supposed  the  horse  was 
spoiled.  During  the  day  a  half  drunken 
follow,  in  looking  at  the  horses,  said  that 
he  could  "  remove  that  enlargement,  and 
cure  it."  Considering  the  case  incurable, 
I  paid  no  attention  to  him  at  the  time. 
The  man  feeling  annoyed  at  the  indifter- 
ence  with  which  he  was  treated,  said,  "  I 
suppose  you  think  I  don't  know  anything 
about  horses,  but  if  you  will  take  some 
soft  soap  and  salt,  i-ub  on  the  part  thor- 
ouffhlv  at  nie'ht  and  wash  off  in  the  morn- 
iug  for  two  or  three  times,  I'll  warrant 
you  that  will  be  cured." 

It  occurred  to  me  that  it  would  do  no 
harm  to  try  the  experiment,  so  I  directed  the  man  who  had  charge 
of  my  horses  to  apply  the  soft  soap  as  directed.  He  did  so,  and 
next  morning  the  swelling  was  greatly  re'duced;  and  after  repeat- 
ing two  or  three  times,  it  entirely  disappeared.  In  consequence 
of  hard  driving  and  strains,  the  parts  became  puffed  to  a  greater 
or  less  degree  several  times  afterward,  but  always  yielded  to  a  few 
applications  of  soft  soap  well  rubbed  in. 

While  this  remedy  will  work  well  on  acute  cases,  its  effect  is 
not  satisfactory  upon  old,  confirmed  cases;  for  if  the  enlargement 
is  brought  down,  sharp  driving  or  straining  of  the  parts  will  usu- 
ally bring  back  the  trouble.  I  consider  trusses  and  all  that  sort 
of  thing  of  no  special  account  in  this  difficulty.  I  have  been  told 
repeatedly  of  parties  who  punctured  these  enlargements  to  allow 
the  secretions  to  run  out,  that  in  each  case  so  much  inflammation 
was  excited  in  the  joint  as  to  cause  the  loss  of  the  horse. 

Blood  spavin  is  supposed  to  be  caused  by  a  distension  of   the 


Fig.  680. — Thorough-pin. 


77(i 


DISEASES  AND  THEIK  TKEATMENT. 


large  vein  which  passes  through  the  integuments  involved  in  bog- 
spavin.  I  do  not  know  any  distinction  between  them  worthy  of 
mention,  especially  as  there  is  no  treatment  given  other  than  that 
named. 

Cappe])  Hock. 


This  is  an  injury  or  bruise  at  the  point  of  the 
hock,  and  is  usually  caused  by  striking  the  parts 
against  some  hard  object.  If  the  inflammation  is 
acute,  use  cooling  applications.  When  the  inflam- 
mation has  subsided,  use  any  ordinar}^  stimulant 
or  blistei-  recommended  for  the  purpose. 

Wind-galls. 


Fig.  681. 
Capped  hock 


Wind-gall  is  the  name  given  to  those  soft,  puflTy  swellings  found 
at  the  back  pai't  of  the  fetlock-joint,  from  a  sujoposition  that  they 

contained  air.  They  consist  of  enlargement 
of  the  little  sacs,  or  bags,  which  are  always 
found  to  contain  a  mucous  fluid  wherever 
tendons  pass  over  j  oints,  as  at  the  back  of  the 
fetlock.  This  form  may  be  called  simple 
wind-gall.  In  other  cases,  the  distension  is 
caused  by  an  increased  secretion  and  bulging 
of  the  capsulai"  ligament  of  the  joint  itself. 
This  form  may  be  distinguished  as  com'pli- 
catecl  %vind-gall. 

Few  horses  that  have  done  any  work  are 
free  from  them,  and  unless  dependent  on  some 
more  serious  lesion  than  simple  distension  of 
these  hursra  mucosce,  they  are  of  no  conse- 
(|uence. 

Causes. — Hard  work  is  the  well-known 
cause  of  wind-gall.  In  rapid  motion,  or 
heavy  draught,  the  friction  of  the  tendons  is 
greatly  increased;  consequently  an  increased  seci'ction  of  synovia 
is  required,  and  takes  place  in  all  synovial  sacs  during  exercise; 
but  if  the  action  be  not  so  violent  as  to  strain  the  parts,  it  is  speed- 
ily i-e-absorbed.     On  the  other  hand,  if  the  exertion  be  inoi'dinate, 


Fm.  682. — An  ordinary 
capped  hock. 


NAVICITLAR-JOINT  LAMENESS. 


777 


these  little  burscc  mucosoi  become  injiu'ed,  infiammation  is  set  up, 
and  they  become  permanently  enlarged. 

Again,  the  exertion  may  bo  so  violent  as  to  cause  sprain  of  the 
tendon,  which  extends  to  the  capsule,  or  the  joint  itself  may  suffer, 
and  cause  distension  of  the  capsular  ligament  constituting  compli- 
cated wind-gall,  which  is  more  serious. 

Symptoms. — Simple  wind-galls  are  little  puffy  swellings,  sSen 
at  the  sides  of  the  tendons  as  they  pass  over  the  fetlock-joint, 
most  common  on  the  hind  leg.  They  are  soft  even  when  the 
weight  is  thrown  on  them.  It  is  very  important  to  be  able  to 
distinguish  between  simple  and  complicated,  or  between  the  harm- 


FiG.  683.— A  natural.     Fig.  684.— Showing 
healthy  joint.  two  enlargements. 


Fig.  685. — Clearly  mai-ked  con- 
dition of  wind-gall. 


less  and  what  is  not  harmless.  If  situated  between  the  tendon 
and  the  suspensory  ligament,  it  depends  on  distension  of  the 
bursse  through  which  the  tendon  passes ;  if  it  feels  hard  when  the 
other  leg  is  held  up,  and  is  accompanied  with  slight  lameness,  the 
tendon  is  implicated.  When  placed  in  front  of  the  suspensory 
ligament,  between  it  and  the  bone,  it  is  accompanied  with  increase 
of  synovia  in  the  joint  itself. 

Wind-galls  generally  appear  suddenly. 

Treatment. — There  are  three  methods  of  treatment:  First. 
During  the  acute  stiage  they  can  be  easily  removed  by  any  firm 
but  even  pressure  by  pads  and  bandages,  with  cold  water  fre- 
quently applied. 

Second.  When  it  has  been  long  neglected,  or  the  case  is  com- 
plicated, counter  irritation,  or  any  good  stimulating  liniment  or  light 


778  DISEASES  AND  TllEIE  TREATMENT. 

blister  may  be  vised.  The  biniodidc  of  mercury  ointment  may  be 
well  rubbed  in  several  times,  or  a  cantharides  blister  may  be  used. 
Third.  Letting  the  synovial  fluid  out.  This  is  done  with  an 
instrument  called  "the  aspirator,"  which  is  a  bottle  attached  to  a 
small  suction  pump,  or,  more  properly,  a  syringe  attached  to  a 
bottle,  and  worked  so  as  to  draw  out  the  fluid.  The  method  of 
operating  is  as  follows:  Force  the  needle  of  the  aspirator  mto  the 
wind-gall  and  draw  ofl"  the  fluid.  When  it  is  all  drawn,  inject  a 
little  of  the  following  solution  into  the  part: — 

^  ounce  tincture  iodine. 

20  grains  iodide  of  potassium. 

3  ounces  water. 

Bandage  well  and  keep  the  parts  wet   with  cold   water.     The 


Fig.  686. — Graduated  hypodermic  syringe. 

bandages  to  remain  on  from  three  to  five  days.  This  produces  an 
adhesive  inflammation  of  the  part.  This  treatment  can  be  used 
with  safety  in  all  cases  where  there  is  enlargement  of  the  sheaths 
of  the  tendons.  It  cannot  be  safely  used  in  what  is  called  a  blood 
spavin,  because  there  is  danger  of  puncturing  the  vein,  and 
secondly,  may  extend  into  the  true  hock-joint,  which  would  in- 
duce so  much  inflammation  as  to  produce  a  stiflf  joint,  or  even  sup- 
puration of  the  coverings  of  the  bone,  which  would  finally  destroy 
life.     The  hypodermic  syringe,  shown  above,  may  be  used. 

Navicular-Joint  Lameness. 

It  is  estimated  that  this  is  the  cause  of  fully  nine-tenths  of  all 
serious  and  obscure  cases  of  lameness  in  the  fore-feet.  I  refer  to 
it  at  the  commencement  of  the  Medical  Department,  page  745,  as 
one  of  the  principal  causes  of  trouble,  wliich  it  is  important  to 
know  how  to  treat.  If  neglected,  or  not  treated  properly,  in  from 
three  to  six  months,  such  changes  of  structure,  or  degeneration, 
take  place  in  the  parts  as  to  make  cure  impossible;  when  it  is 
termed  "groggy,  or  chronic  lameness,"  which  of  course  spoils  the 
horse;  and  when  it  is  seen  that  it  is  the  best  horses,  usually  favor- 


NAYICULAR-JOINT  LAMENESS. 


779 


ites,  that  are  perhaps  worked  irregularly,  that  are  most  subject  to 
this  lameness,  the  importance  of  being  able  to  treat  it  successfully 
when  it  arises,  can  be  seen;  and  the  treatment,  too,  is  so  simple, 
and  easily  applied,  during  its  early  or  acute  stage,  that  it  cer- 
tainly cannot  be  difficult  or  impossible,  by  the  directions  hereafter 
given,  for  any  one  to  apply  it.  On  this  account  I  have  made  a  special 
effort  not  onlj^  to  make  the  treatment  of  this  difficulty  so  full  and 
comprehensive  that  such 
cases  when  they  arise  may  be 
easily  understood  and  attend-  ^^^^Bii'^\liiH\' 
ed  to  promptly,  but  to  add  ^M^^^^^^A 
such  explanations  and  illus-  ^^^^^  ^^a?S'' 
trations  from  the  best  author-    ^^  ^^^W/0^mmMS^k 

ities,  as  will  show  the  serious  vSi^'i  W'^i' 

effect  that  may  follow  when 

neglected  or  not  treated  prop-  jnlfwm 

erly.     In  reference  to  this,  a 
very  able  author  says:— 

"  This  is  a  strain  that  does 
more  mischief  than  any  other, 
and  entirely  from  the  circum- 
stance of  its  producing  scarce- 
ly any  lameness  in  the  walk.      i^,,     ^o-      .    .,    v  ,,        <.  u- 

/         -^  Fig.  68(. — As  the  horse  usually  rests  his 

A    horse,   thereiore,    when  ^  ^,  , 

,  '  .        ,,  rt-.      •    •    ,  toe  upon  the  ground, 

stramed    in   the    coinn-jomt, 

and  having  no  lameness,  or  scarcely  any,  in  the  walk,  is  usually 
put  to  work,  or  what  is  nearly  as  bad,  is  turned  to  grass  with- 
out any  regard  to  the  situation,  where  he  is  often  liable  to  be 
driven  about.  If,  instead  of  this,  it  were  treated  like  other  strains 
whose  symptoms  are  more  apparent,  and  which  produce  a  greater 
degree  of  lameness,  it  would  soon  get  well,  and  with  greater  cei'- 
tainty  than  a  strain  in  the  back  sinews.  But  as  it  is  a  strain  in 
the  coffin-joint,  it  is  the  most  intractable  kind  of  lameness  we  meet 
with,  because  it  is  nearly  always  neglected  at  its  first  occasion." 

Symptoms. — It  sometimes  occurs  in  an  instant,  as  by  a  horse 
stepping  on  a  round  stone,  running  in  the  field,  etc.,  when  he  may 
at  once  be  quite  lame ;  at  other  times  its  progress  is  slow.  Some 
peculiar  formations  of  the  foot  are  more  subject  to  it  than  others. 
When  the  result  of  sudden  strain,  there  will  be  considerable  heat 
in  the  back  part  of  the  foot,  with  well-marked  lameness.  When 
it  comes  on  gradually,  a  slight  tenderness  is  observed,  particularly 
at  starting,  which  goes  off  with  exercise.     This  gradually  increases ; 


780 


DISEASES  AND  THEIE  TREATMENT. 


the  foot  is  found  hot,  and  as  a  result  of  the  increased  heat,  con- 
traction may  set  in,  the  hoof  becoming  dry  and  brittle.  He  steps 
on  his  toe,  and  when  standing,  points  his  foot,  that  is,  places  his 
foot  in  front,  resting  on  the  toe;  and  if  both  feet  are  involved, 
which  is  not  uncommon,  alternating  the  feet.      Contraction  is  not 

an  invariable  symptom,  as  feet 
are  subject  to  it  that  are  en- 
tirely free  from  contraction. 

Often  the  foot  is  found  to  be 
round  and  apparently  healthy, 
the  most  careful  examination 
by  the  owner,  or  smith,  not 
enabling  him  to  locate  any  cause 
for  the  trouble.  In  ordinary 
cases  the  horse  will  show  no  ap- 
parent lameness  while  on  a 
walk;  but  on  a  trot  may  flinch 
considerably,  showing  a  great 
tendency  to  stumble.*  Driving 
down-hill,  or  on  a  rough,  cob- 
bly  road,  will  greatly  aggravate 
the  lameness,  because  going 
down-hill  increases  the  force  of 
concussion;  and  a  stony  or  un- 
even road  so  wrenches  and 
strains  the  joint,  or  exposes  the  frog  to  such  incidental  pressure, 
as  to  greatly  increase  the  pain  and  soreness.  In  some  cases  of 
acute  strain,  the  lameness  may  be  quite  marked,  the  horse  being 
scarcely  able  to  walk,  and  when  he  does,  keeping  the  foot  flexed 
by  walking  upon  the  toe,  and  when  standing,  resting  the  toe  upon 
the  ground.  As  this  acute  stage  passes  off,  which  will  usually  be  in 
one  or  two  weeks,  the  animal  will  seem  to  have  grown  much  better, 
at  times  perhaps  appear  quite  well,  then  grow  suddenl}^  worse 
again,  depending  upon  the  part  of  the  joint  involved  and  the  road 
lie  is  traveling  on.  He  will  go  better  on  hard,  smooth,  sandy 
roads,  but  on  soft,  yielding  ground,  is  liable  to  grow  lamer,  if  the 

*  In  some  cases,  usually  fast  trotters,  the  horse  may  at  first  only  point,  and 
gradually  show  a  little  soreness  or  stiffness  at  starting,  or  what  is  termed  bobbing — 
dropping  the  head.  Irritation  in  these  cases  is  induced  very  slowly,  as  hereafter 
explainciii.  The  principle  of  treatment  is  the  same, — prompt  removal  of  the  cause 
of  irritation,  developing  healthy  circulation  in  the  parts,  and  aiding  mobility. 


Fig.  688. — Usual  appearance  of  foot 
with  chronic  coffin-joint  lameness. 


NAYICULAE-JOINT   LAMENESS. 


781 


sole  is  thin  and  the  frog  prominent,  because  of  the  increased  pres- 
sure upon  the  frog,  and  thence  upon  the  parts  involved,  by  the 
foot  setting  into  the  ground.  As  the  lameness  continues,  more  or 
less  change  of  structure  takes  place  in  the  foot,  a  gradual  draw- 
ing in  of  the  quarters,  the  foot  becoming  perceptibly  smaller  than 
the  opposite  one,  the  heels  higher,  the  frog  smaller,  and  the  sole 
more  concave,  the  hoof  showing  a  more  glossy,  hard  appearance. 
The  shoe  will  invariably  be  worn  round  at  the  toe.  A  result  that 
often  follows  is  a  shrinking  or  wasting  of  the  muscles  of  the 
shoulder,  called  "sweeny,"  which  is  caused  by  a  want  of  properly 
exercising  them.     The  symptoms  are  about  the  same,  so  far  as  the 


Fig.  689. — Back  view  of  coffin-bone  and  navicular-bone 
attached  in  place. 

lameness  goes,  whether  the  mischief  has  extended  to  ulceration  or 
not,  the  history  of  the  case  only  guiding  in  enabling  to  deter- 
mine how  far  this  has  gone.  Of  course  these  conditions  will  vary 
in  degree,  as  there  may  be  only  a  slight  extent  of  ulceration,  or  a 
high  degree  of  simple  inflammation.  Yet,  in  the  former  case,  the 
lameness  will  not  be  so  marked  as  in  the  latter,  notwithstandinof 
the  prospect  for  recovery  will  be  much  less. 

We  will  now  presume  a  horse,  without  any  apparent  cause,  to 
show  a  little  lameness,  and  we  desire  to  make  a  careful  exam- 
Luation.  First,  is  there  any  possible  cause  from  recent  shoeing, 
such  as  a  badly-fitted  shoe,  driving  the  nails  too  close,  or  prick- 
ing ?  Let  the  shoe  be  taken  off  carefully,  by  raising  each  clinch 
in  succession,  and  pulling  the  nails  out.  Now  tap  and  examine 
all  parts  of  the  foot  carefully,  and  especially  if  there  is  any  bruise 


782 


DISEASES  AND  THEIE  TEEATMENT. 


or  com  at  the  inner  heel,  or  at  any  part  of  the  sole,  which  will  be 
noticeable  by  being  red  and  sensitive  to  light  tappings  of  the  ham- 
mer, or  to  squeezing  of  the  pinchers.  It  is  always  best  to  make 
the  most  thorough  and  careful  examination,  so  as  to  give  assur- 
ance of  being  able  to  point  with  more  certainty  to  the  difficulty 
under  consideration.  Pressure  with  the  thumb  over  the  middle  of 
the  flexor  tendon,  on  its  inner  side  or  its  outer,  as  deeply  as  can 

be  reached  in  the  hollow  of  the  heel, 
the  foot  being  bent  back,  causes  pain; 
or  catching  the  foot  in  one  hand  and 
the  ankle  in  the  other,  and  while  twist- 
ing a  little,  pressing  against  the  tendon 
will  cause  considerable  flinching.  Tap- 
ping lightly  upon  the  bar  or  sole,  on 
each  side  of  the  frog,  will  cause  flinch- 
ing. Next,  if  the  horse  is  taken  by  the 
head  and  turned  short  around,  he  will 
show  increased  lameness. 

Upon  an  examination  of  these  cases 
by  the  owner  or  horse-doctor,  if  no 
cause  of  trouble  is  discovered  in  the  foot, 
the  lameness  is  supposed  to  be  in  the 
shoulder.  Now  there  is  no  lameness  that 
reveals  itself  more  plainly  than  shoulder 
lameness;  because  when  the  muscles  of 
the  shoulder  or  arm  are  strained  or  in- 
jured, the  mobility  is  so  seriously  im- 
paired that  the  limb  is  lifted  and  brought 
forward  with  a  sort  of  dragging  motion. 
It  is  easy  to  see  if  a  man  were  to  inj  ure  his  shoulder  or  arm,  that 
with  the  greatest  cflbrt  he  would  be  scarcely  able  to  lift  it  to  put  on 
his  coat.  But  were  the  trouble  in  his  hand,  or  below  the  elbow,  he 
could  do  it  without  the  least  difficulty.  The  effect  is  the  same 
upon  the  horse.  By  moving  him  back  and  forward,  if  the  trouble 
is  in  the  foot,  or  below  the  knee,  the  foot  will  be  raised  and  car- 
ried forward  naturally,  but  put  down  tenderly,  as  if  trying  to 
protect  it  from  the  force  of  concussion ;  whereas,  if  in  the  shoulder, 
as  explained,  the  mobility  of  the  limb  is  greatly  unpaired,  which 
is  shown  by  the  difficulty  with  which  it  is  raised  and  brought 
forward. 


Fig.  690.— Posterior  view  of 
bones  of  the  foot. 


NAVICULAE-JOINT   LAMENESS. 


78S 


I  would  call  particular  attention  to  these  symptoms,  from  the 
fact  that  after  an  examination  by  persons  who  do  not  under- 
stand the  nature  of  the  difficulty,  and  finding  no  apparent  trouble 
in  the  foot,  the  conclusion  is  arrived  at  that  it  must  be  in  the 
shoulder,  which  is  treated  with  liniments,  blistering,  etc.,  as  ex- 
plained, without  doing  any  good,  not  only  punishing  the  horse  un- 
necessarily, but  occasioning  a  loss  of  valuable  time. 

I  would  also  remind,  in  this  connection,  that  when  the  lame- 
ness continues  in  one  foot  for  some  time,  on  account  of  throwing 
the  weight  so  much  upon  the  opposite  foot  to  relieve  the  lame  one 
in  standing  or  walking,  there  is  liability  to  bring  on  the  same 


Fig.  691. — Position  of  bones  of  the  foot  too  oblique. 

a.  Pastern  bone ;  h.  Coronary  bone ;  c.  Os  pedis,  or  coffin-bone ;  d.  Usual 
seat  of  the  lameness ;  e.  Perforans  tendon. 

trouble  in  the  well  one, — a  not  uncommon  occurrence, — when  the 
lameness  will  be  equally  marked  in  both  fore-feet.  The  horse  will 
go  worse  when  the  heel  is  lowered  by  putting  on  a  thin  shoe,  or 
by  losing  the  shoe,  and  will  go  better  when  the  heel  is  raised,  and 
especially  so  if  the  toe  is  rounded  so  as  to  aid  mobility. 

Causes. — The  coffin-joint  is  composed  of  three  bones;  viz.,  the 
lower  or  pedal  bone,  and  the  navicular  and  pastern  bones.  By 
referring  to  Figs.  865  and  392,  in  chapter  on  Shoeing,  and  Figs. 
670-688,  which  were  copied  and  engraved  from  photographs  of 
a  manikin,  and  also  from  a  natural  foot,  showing  different  views 
of  the  bones,  ligaments,   and  tendons  of  the  parts,  a  good  idea 


784 


DISEASES  AND  THEIK  TKEATMENT. 


can  be  obtained  of  its  location  and  character.  By  looking  at  Fig. 
679,  it  will  be  seen  that  the  navicular  bone  extends  across  the 
back  edge  of  the  coffin--^oint;  at  Fig.  686,  that  the  flexor  tendon 
passes  down  under  it,  and  inserts  itself  into  the  lower  surface  of 
the  pedal  bone.  This  supports  the  navicular  bone  when  weight  is 
thrown  upon  the  limb,  as  the  back  part  of  the  small  pastern  i-ests 
upon  the  navicular  bone.  Now,  if  from  any  cause  irritation  is 
set  up  in  the  synovial  membrane  of  this  small  bone,  or  of  the 


l'i(..  692. — Natural  position  of  boues  of  the  foot. 

sheath  of  the  tendon  which  supports  it,  or  of  the  surrounding 
parts,  whetlier  by  sprain,  concussion,  injury,  contraction,  improper 
shoeing,  changing  the  obliquity  of  the  foot,  that  is,  raising  or  low- 
ering the  heel  too  nmch,  allowing  the  toe  to  grow  too  long,  or  any 
cause  of  changing  the  proper  adjustment  of  the  foot,  etc.,  the 
effect  is  practically  the  same  in  causing  inflammation  and  lame- 
ness. 

The   best   authorities  agree  that    the  most  common   indirect 


JN"AVICULAE-J01NT   LxVMENESS.  785 

causes  of  this  lameness  ai-e  i-aisiug  the  frog-  from  the  ground  and 
contraction.  I  copy  the  remarks  of  an  old  author  of  high  stand- 
ing on  this  cause,  who  says :- — 

••  When  the  foot  is  iu  its  natural  condition,  the  frog  is  its  strong 
jDoint  of  support;  and  if  this  support  is  removed  by  paring,  or  b}^ 
the  use  of  thick- heeled  shoes,  which  raise  the  frog  from  all  pos- 
sible contact  with  the  ground,  the  support  is  weakened,  and  there 
is  necessarily  great  straiji  thrown  u[»on  the  tendon.  This  is  caused 
by  pushing  the  coronary  against  the  navicular  bone,  and  which, 
being  repeated  at  every  step  or  jump  the  horse  takes,  strains  the 
tendons,  or  causes  inflammation.  By  contraction,  because  in  pi'o- 
portion  to  the  drawing  together  of  the  heels,  there  will  be  a  com- 
pressing or  forcing  upward  of  the  arches  of  the  commissures  and 
horny  frog  against  the  tendon  and  navicular  joint,  impeding  the 
action  of  the  joint  generally,  and  liable  to  cause  inflammation  of  the 
synovial  membrane,  ulceration,  and  change  of  structure;  it  also 
destroys  the  natural  position  of  the  limb  by  making  the  pastern 
joint  more  perpendicular,  which,  as  has  been  mentioned,  increases 
the  jar  of  the  corona  on  the  pedal  bone.  So  that  we  have  involved 
the  lower  surface  of  the  navicular  bone,  its  synovial  membrane,  the 
flexor  tendon  which  i)lays  over  it,  and  sometimes  the  upper  sur- 
face, when  it  is  called  coffin  or  navicular-joint  lameness." 

Another  author  says: — 

"Disease  of  the  navicular  joint  is  the  chief  danger  to  be  appre- 
hended from  a  good-looking  strong  foot,  just  as  the  open,  flat  one  is 
])rone  to  laminitis,  and  is  rarely  subject  to  disease  of  the  navicular 
joint.  The  reason  of  this  immunity  on  the  one  hand,  and  the  con- 
trary on  the  other,  is  this:  The  open  foot,  with  a  large  spongy  frog, 
exposes  the  navicular  bone  and  the  parts  in  contact  with  it  to  con- 
stant pressure  in  the  stable,  so  that  these  parts  are  always  prepared 
for  work.  On  the  other  hand,  the  concave  sole  and  well-formed 
fi'og  are  raised  from  the  ground  by  our  unfortunate  mode  of  shoe- 
ing, and  when  the  whole  foot  is  exposed  to  injury  from  battering, 
and  iu  addition  to  the  tendon  which  plays  over  the  navicular  bone 
presses  it  against  the  os  corona),  the  unprepared  state  in  which  this 
part  is  allowed  to  remain,  is  sure  to  ])roduce  inflammation,  if  the 
work  is  carried  far  enough." 

In  1816  an  English  veterinary  surgeon,  James  Turner,  was 

the  first,  after  careful  observations  and  numerous  dissections,  to 

call  attention  to  the  causes  of  this  lameness  and  its  treatment. 

His  explanation  is  so  good  that  I  will  include  it  also  here,  though 

experience  has  since  proved,  as  explained,  that -contraction  is  only 

one  of  its  causes: — 

"The  next  deviation  from  nature  is  the  passive  state  to  which 
tho  foot  is  submitted,  at  Uasl  iwenly  two  or  twenty-three  hours 

50 


786  DISEASES  AND  THEIR  TREATMENl'. 

out  of  twenty-four,  and  sometimes  for  sevcnil  consecutive  days. 
Let  this  be  compared  with  the  few  hours  during  which  the  feet  of 
a  horse  at  pasture  are  in  a  quiescent  state,  and  there  will  be  no 
cause  of  surprise  in  the  change  of  form  and  position,  and  character, 
and  the  state  of  conli'action  which  takes  i>lace  in  the  foot  deprived 
of  its  natural  pressure  and  motion. 

"  The  first  indication  of  contraction  is  the  gradual  disj^lacement 
of  the  navicular  and  coffin-bones.  They  ascend  within  the  lioof  An 
unnatural  arch  is  formed  by  the  ascent  of  the  frog,  and  the  delicate 
synovial  membrane  lining  the  joint  is  crushed  and  bruised  by  the 
ver}^  matei"ial  Avhich  nature  has  bestowed  as  a  defense.  This  bruise 
of  the  sj^novial  membrane  lining  the  joint  is  the  veritable  source  of 
the  complaint,  the  actual  cause  of  the  whole  not  consisting  in  the 
wear  and  tear  of  the  part,  but  having  its  origin  in  rest.  It  is  en- 
gendered in  the  stable,  but  it  becomes  permanently  established  by 
sudden  violence  out  of  it.  General  contraction  of  the  foot  of  the 
horse  may  take  place  to  a  great  extent  with  comparative  impunity; 
but  it  is  a  ])artial  contraction  or  jiressure  which  is  the  root  of  evil." 

Prof.  Williams,  our  best  modern  authority,  in  relation  to  the 

cause,  says: — 

"  I  have  stated  my  oinnion  that  generall}^  the  alteration  of  the  di- 
rection of  the  bony  column  by  the  shoe,  or  by  a  natural  u])i-ight  con- 
formation of  pastern,  is  the  great  cause.     In  addition  to  this  violent 
interference  with  the  designs  of  nature,  the  elevation  oft  he  heels  fur- 
nishes additional  cause  of  concussion  to  those  already  stated,  by 
removing  the  frog  from  the  ground;  the  Irog  being  elastic,  tough, 
and  strong,  intended  to  touch  the  ground  and  diffuse  concussion, 
as  well  as  to  prevent  slipping  at  each  step  the  animal  takes.    When 
left  in  its  natural  condition,  it  is  a  large,  tough,  sottish  body,  giv- 
ing Avay  to  the  pressure  of  the  fingers  Avhen  manipulated,  expand- 
ing each  time  the  foot  is  put  to  the  ground,  the  commissures  at  its 
sides  admitting  of  this  expansion  Avithout  the  other  jjarts  of  the  foot 
being  interfered  Avilh.     So  long  as  it  touches  the  ground,  the  sen- 
sitive ])arts  within,  and  particularly  the  navicular  bursa,  ibr  which 
it  furnishes  a  soft  bed,  rests  upon  a  resilient  body,  free  from  con- 
cussive    danger.      Besides   furnishing   this    soft   bed,    it  ])erforms 
another  impoi'tant  function,  being  elastic  within  and  Avithout,   it 
assists  the  flexors  in  the  first  act  of  elevating  the  foot  from  the 
ground,  and  it  does  this  in  virtue  of  its  inherent  poAver  of  assuming 
its  original  shape  Avhei\  the  superincumbent  Aveight  is  taken  aAvay 
from  it.     Thus,  Avhilst  on  the  ground,  and  bearing  its  proportion  of 
weight,  it  is  flattened  from  side  to  side,  bulging  into  the  commis- 
sures and  cleft,  ready  at  every  moA^ement,  like  a  piece  of  india- 
rubber,  to  assume  its  proper  form  Avhen  the  least  jiortion  of  the 
weight  is  taken  :^'om  it.     When  the  flexoi^s  are  acting,  it  becomes 
narroAved  from  side  to  side,  and  deeper  from  surface  to  surface,  and 
during  this  assumption  of  its  natural  form,  it  gives  an  ujiAvard  im- 
petus to  the  foot,  Avhich  is  of  essential  importance  to  its  easy  eleva- 
tion.    The  removal  of  this  frog  pressure  during  long  periods  of  rest 


NAVICULAR-JOINT   LAMENESS. 


787 


in  the  stable  is  also  a  fertile  source  of  disease,  because  the  frog  be- 
comes hardened,  and  does  not  funiish  a  soft  cushion  for  the  bursa 
to  rest  upon." 

I  may,  in  this  connection,  add  that  there  may  be  cases  of  this 
disease,  thoug-li  somewhat  rare,  in  feet  that  are  weak  and  thin, 
which  are  entii-cly  free 
from  contraction.  In  such 
cases  it  is  suj)poscd  the 
cause  is  owing  to  the  ob- 
liquity of  the  joint  being- 
so  great,  that  there  is  ex- 
ceasive  play  upon  the  trn- 
don,  the  strain  upon  which 
produces  irritation  of  the 
tendon  at  its  connection 
with  the  navicular  bone; 
or  owing  as  well  to  the  in- 
creased action  of  the  joint, 
irritation  of  some  of  the 
soft  structures  is  produced. 
It  properly  comes  under  the 
head  of  Cause  of  Irritation. 
But  as  there  may  be  dan- 
ger of  parties,  especially  of 
trotting  men,  causing  di- 
rect strain  and  inflannna- 
tion  of  the  part  by  lower- 
ing the  heels  too  much,  or  suddenly,  especiall}^  in  the  feet  of 
horses  that  are  exposed  to  much  strain  by  being  speeded,  I  will 
include  the  following  explanations  to  show  the  impropriety  and 
danger  of  doing  so.  It  is  stated  in  the  chapter  on  shoeing,  where 
thin  shoes  or  tips  are  recommended,  that  this  change  must  be 
brought  about  gradually.  When  traveling  through  Vermont,  an 
intelligent  trainer,  who  was  a  member  of  my  class,  wished  to 
know  the  best  method  of  keeping  the  feet  of  horses  sound  and  free 
from  contraction: — 

"Keep  the  adjustment  and  condition  of  the  feet  as  nearly 
natural  as  possible,"  I  answered,  "by  using  thin  steel  shoes  that 
will  give  the  frog  natural  contact  with  the  ground." 


Fig.  693. — Tendons  and  ligaments  of  the  foot. 


788 


DISEASES   AND  THEIE  TEEATMENT. 


"That  is  my  idea,"  said  he,  "but  while  in  New  York  City,  a 
man  came  along  and  persuaded  the  president  of  one  of  the  horse 
i-ailroad  companies,  where  I  was  at  the  time  employed,  to  put  thin- 
heeled  shoes  on  all  his  horses." 

I  replied,  "  That  would  be  all 
right,  and  an  advantage  for  the 
average  of  horses;  but  there 
woidd  be  found  an  occasional 
one,  perhaps  one  in  every  ten 
or  twelve  of  them,  that  would 
grow  decidedly  lame  by  such 
shoeing;  for  if  there  was  the 
least  inflammation  or  weakness 
in  the  navicular  joint  or  sur- 
rounding parts,  giving  such  sud- 
den and  violent  contact  of  the 
frog  upon  hard-paved  streets 
would  aggravate  the  irritation 
and  produce  direct  lameness. 
Certainly  the  heels  of  such 
horses  should  be  kept  somewhat 
raised  until  the  irritation  passed 
ofl",  when  the  heels  might  be 
gradually  lowered  sufiiciently  to 
bring  about  a  good  condition  of 
circulation." 

He  stated  in  reply  that  about 
that  proportion  of  the  horses 
did  become  seriously  lame;  still 
they  were  worked  right  along 
without  any  regard  to  their  condition.  When  in  Buffalo,  N.  Y., 
I  became  owner  of  a  horse  that  was  very  sore  and  lame,  in  con- 
sequence of  excessive  driving  during  the  race  week  in  that  city, 
in  conveying  passengers  to  and  fi'om  the  track.  He  had  been  so 
shod  as  to  let  the  frog  come  directly  upon  the  gi-ound.  I  found 
upon  examination  that  the  heels  had  been  so  bruised  as  to  cause 
suppuration  between  the  sensible  and  insensible  frog,  which  was 
the  cause  of  the  trouble,  and  practically  spoiled  the  horse.  Now, 
putting  on  thin-heeled  shoes  would  have  been  a,ll  right  for  ordin- 


FiG.  694. — Attachment  of  perforans 

tendon  to  bottom  of  pedal-bone. 

From  manikin  of  the  foot. 


NAVICULAE-JOIKT   LAMENESS. 


789 


ary  light  driving  on  mud  roads,  but  when  subjected  to  such 
severe  and  continued  concussion,  they  became  a  direct  cause  of 
irritation  and  disease.  As  a  good  iUustration  of  this  cause  of 
danger,  I  copy  the  remarks  of  a  very  excellent  author  fWhite)  on 
the  danger  of  lowering  the 
heels  too  suddenly  and  subject- 
ing them  to  severe  strain:  "  It 
has  appeared  in  a  great  num- 
ber of  dissections  of  the  feet  of 
horses  affected  with  chronic 
lameness,  that  the  small  bone 
of  the  foot,  called  navicular  or 
nut-bone,  is  diseased  either  on 
the  surface  over  which  the 
great  tendon  of  the  foot  passes, 
or  on  that  which  articulates 
with  the  small  pastern  and 
coffin  bones."  In  speaking  of 
the  cause,  he  says:  "I  once 
knew  an  excellent  trotting- 
horse  that  had  won  several 
matches.  Thin-heeled  shoes 
were  put  on  his  feet,  but  it 
was  soon  found  that  he  could 
no  longer  trot;  that  when 
urged  he  would  go  into  a  can- 


FiG.  695. — Excellent  view  of  perforans 
tendon.     From  photograph  of 
manikin  of  the  foot. 

And  this,  I  have  no  doubt^  was 


ter.  The  shoes  were  therefore 
taken  off,  and  a  common  shoe 
applied,  but  it  was  too  late. 
He  was  no  longer  able  to  trot, 
caused  by  inflammation  of  the  coffin -joint,  or  of  the  pai'ts  con- 
nected with  it,  in  consequence  of  lowering  tlie  heels  and  throw- 
ing so  much  stress  on  the  tendon  and  navicular  bone." 

In  talking  with  an  intelligent  veterinary  surgeon  on  this  sub- 
ject, he  referred  to  a  case  in  his  own  practice  that  had  strained 
the  perforans  tendon.  The  owner  called  him  in  to  treat  it,  and 
by  proper  management  soon  relieved  the  lameness;  but  in  conse- 
quence of  the  horse's  being  driven  and  speeded  too  soon,  there  was 
a  return  of  the  lameness,  which  he  again  treated  with  success. 


7!^0 


DISEASES  AND  THEIE  TREATMENT. 


Fig.  096. — Inferior  articulating  surface  of  the  navicular 
■     bone  in  a  healthy  condition. 


After  nearly  six  months'  rest,  the  horse  was  again  put  in  training 
for  a  race,  there  being  no  indication  of  a  return  of  lameness.  At 
this  point  a  new  driver  was  employed,  who  took  it  into  his  head 
to  put  on  thin-heeled  shoes;  the  consequence  w.as,  the  first  time 
the  horse  was  speeded,  he  again  fell  lame,  when,  notwithstanding 
all  that  could  be  done,  the  case  became  chronic  and  incurable. 
As  the  first  stage  is  that  of  inflammation,  the  object  should  be 

to  use  such  means 
as  will  arrest  this 
most  speedily,  be- 
fore any  alteration 
of  structure  takes 
place,  which  is  usu- 
ally in  from  three  to 
six  months;  for  as 
before  explained,  if 
allowed  to  go  on  far 
enough  to  produce 
a  change  of  struct- 
ure, or  caries,  the 
case  will  be  past  all 
cure. 

Treatment.  — The 
first  and  most  im- 
portant condition  of 
cure  is  rest;  hence 
the  horise  must  be  at 
once  taken  from  all 
work;  he  must  not 
be,  as  is  commonly 
the  case,  allowed  to  run  even  in  pasture,  or  anywhere  where  there 
would  be  any  freedom  to  run  or  walk  around  much;  give  him 
simply  the  limits  of  a  large,  level  stall.  Remove  the  shoe  by  rais- 
ing the  clenches,  and  pull,  out  the  nails  one  by  one;  then  cut 
off  or  hammer  down  the  toe-calk,  and  partly  tui-n  up  the  toe  like 
the  ground  surface  of  an  old  worn-out  shoe.  Next,  raise  the  heel- 
calks  from  five-eighths  to  three-quarters  of  an  inch,  fit  the  shoe 
nicely  to  the  foot,  and  nail  on,  being  careful  not  to  wrench  or 
hammer  it  unnecessarily  in  doing  so.     Two  important  points  are 


Fig.  697.- — Indications  of  disease. 


Fig.  G9S.  —  Inflammation  progressed  so  far  as  to 
cause  caries  of  the  bone. 


NAVICULAE-JOINT  LAMENESS.  791 

gained  by  this  :  First.  Raising  the  heels  from  the  ground  throws 
the  articulation  of  the  pastern  bone  well  forward  upon  the  pedal 
bone,  relieving  pressure  of  the  navicular  bone  from  the  tendon  sup- 
porting it.  Second,  the  removal  of  all  pressure  of  the  frog  from  the 
ground,  which  aggravates  the  inflammation,  and  rounding  the  toe, 
aids  mobility,  and  thereby  lessens  the  strain  upon  the  joint. 

If  there  is  much  lameness  and  heat  in  the  foot,  provide  a  tub 
or  box,  in  which  put  water  as  hot  as  can  be  borne  with  the  hand, 
and  sufficient  to  come  up  even  with  the  ankle,  and  let  the  horse 
stand  with  the  foot  in  it  for  about  an  hour,  keeping  the  tempera- 
ture up  to  the  point  stated.  Now  take  a  bag,  or  cloth,  into 
which  put  a  sufficient  quantity  of  bran  to  envelop  the  foot 
thoroughly,  and  tie  loosely  around  the  foot  or  ankle;  pour  on  hot 
water  moderately,  and  then  let  the  horse  stand,  allowing  the 
poultice  in  the  meantime  to  become  cool.  If  there  is  much  inflam- 
mation and  lameness,  this  method  of  hot  fomentation  may  be  re- 
peated two  or  three  times  during  the  day,  until  all  the  inflamma- 
tion subsides.  The  usual  method  of  applying  hot  fomentations  is 
to  take  several  thicknesses  of  blanket  or  rugs,  and  after  wrino-ing 
them  out  of  water  as  hot  as  can  be  borne,  bring  them  around  the 
foot  loosely,  and  repeating  at  short  intervals  as  they  become  cool; 
or  a  lot  of  bran  or  mud  can  be  put  in  a  box,  and  hot  water  poured 
on  until  at  the  temperature  desired,  when  the  foot  can  be  placed 
in  it  up  to  the  ankle,  as  before  explained.  The  general  practice 
is  to  tie  a  poultice  of  bran  around  the  foot,  and  keep  wet  with 
cold  water  until  the  inflammation  subsides,  which  would  be  good 
treatment;  but  if  there  is  much  inflammation  and  lamenes.s,  I 
would  certainly  advise,  as  far  preferable,  hot  fomentations  con- 
tinued for  about  an  hour,  then  alternating  with  cold,  and  repeated 
two  or  three  times  each  day ;  but  letting  the  poultice  or  cloths  re- 
main on  until  cool  will  be  sufficient  for  reaction  from  the  previous 
application  of  heat. 

If  cold  applications  are  used,  it  is  important  that  there  be  suffi- 
cient bran  or  wet  cloths  tied  around  the  foot  and  ankle  to  keep 
the  parts  thoroughly  wet  and  cool,  until  inflammation  subsides, 
in  addition  to  which  the  bottom  of  the  foot  should  be  kept  stufled 
with  flax-seed  meal,  or  anything  that  will  aid  in  keeping  the  foot 
moist  and  cool.  If  this  is  done,  after  about  a  week  the  attack 
will  usually  pass  oflf.     After  the  acute  stage  has  passed  off',  and 


702  DISI^:A8KS  and  TllElH  TIJEATMENT. 

the  wet  cloths  should  bo  kept  on  until  that  time,  even  if  there  is 
no  lameness,  it  is  i^-ood  practiec  to  apply  a  sharp  blister  around  the 
heel  and  coi-on(^t.  Tt  is  in  any  (■\-(;nt  necessary,  and  may  be  even 
repeatrnl  once  or  twice,  should  there  still  remain  any  lameness. 
In  the  meantime,  as  Ix'fore  stated,  the  horse  should  bo  kept  quiet, 
and  if  there  is  much  lameness,  there  should  be  given  in  the  first 
place  a  small  dose  of  physic,  with  laxative,  cooling  food.  This  is 
all  that  is  necessary  to  do  in  any  ordinary  case,  and  especially  at 
an  early  stage. 

It  is  next  important  not  to  expose  the  horse  to  conditions  that 
would  strain  or  injure  the  foot  until  fully  over  the  effects  of  the 
injury.  Consequently  the  horse  at  fii-st  should  be  driven  very 
moderately  for  two  or  three  months,  or  moic.  If  the  road  is  rough, 
frozen,  or  stony,  there  is  such  danger  of  straining,  wrenching,  or 
bruising  the  foot,  and  thereby  causing  a  relapse,  that  the  horse 
should  not  be  driven,  if  it  can  pos.sibly  bo  avoided. 

If  there  is  any  contraction  of  either  or  both  quarters,  there 
should  be  a  special  effort  to  overcome  this  also  during  the  treat- 
ment. (For  full  details  of  doing  which,  see  "Shoeing,"  page  681.) 
In  opening  the  foot  with  the  spreaders,  great  care  should  be  taken 
not  to  pi-oduce  any  irritation.  The  (quarters  should  be  opened 
gradually.  When  the  lameness  has  entirely  <lisappeared,  bring 
the  frog  again  slowly  to  the  ground  to  the  extent  it  will  safely 
bear.  If  any  soreness  is  indicated,  raise  the  heel  a  little,  keeping 
the  foot  moist  to  prevent  contraction,  and  when  tlie  soreness 
passes  off,  again  gradually  lower  it. 

Some  authorities  advise  bleeding  in  the  foot  in  connection  with 
the  treatmont  given;  my  judgment  of  this  is  that  it  is  rarely 
necessary,  and  is  advisable  only  when  tho  hoi'se  is  very  fat  and 
the  lameness  is  very  severe,  or  during  its  acute  stage.  The  best 
practitioners  with  whom  the  writer  has  conversed  on  tho  subject 
do  not  bleed. 

If,  after  blistering,  there  is  still  lameness,  it  is  evident  that  the 
case  has  been  running  some  time,  and  has  assumed  a  chronic 
stage.  In  this  event,  the  next  and  last  step  of  treatment  for  cure 
is  a  frog  seton.  Prof.  Williams's  instructions  for  doing  this  are 
so  good  that  I  cannot  do  better  than  to  copy  them : — 

"If  the  near  foot  is  to  be  operated  upon,  the  needle  should  be 
introduced  IVom  the  frog  upwards;  but  if  tho  off  one,  from  the  heel 


NAVICULAR-JOINT  LAMENESS.  70S 

downwards,  if  the  operator  be  not  left-handed.  It  is  seldom  neces- 
sary to  cast  the  animal.  The  horny  frog  must  be  well  pared,  and 
if  the  needle — a  sharj)- pointed,  sharp,  curved  one — be  passed 
quickly,  the  operation  is  generally  completed  before  the  animal 
knows  much  about  it.  It  is  necessary  that  care  should  be  taken 
not  to  introduce  llio  needle  too  deej^ly,  as  the  tendon  may  be 
wounded;  tlie  ])oint  of  the  needle  sliould  be  introduced  into  the 
frog  about  an  inch  from  the  toe  and  brought  out  midway  between 
the  bulbs  of  tlie  frog  and  the  anterior  boundary  of  the  hollow  heel. 
The  ends  of  the  tape  must  be  tied  together,  so  as  to  form  a  loop, 
which  is  to  be  sufficiently  long  to  admit  of  a  little  movement  in 
dressing,  but  not  so  long  as  to  extend  to  the  boundary  of  the  wall, 
or  the  horse,  by  treading  upon  it,  will  soon  destroy  it.  Before  the 
seton  is  introduced,  it  is  usual  to  put  on  the  shoe  for  the  purpose  of 
removing  weight  fi"om  the  ii-ritated  frog.  About  three  weeks  or  a 
month  is  the  usual  time  for  keeping  the  seton  in  the  frog,  dressing 
it  daily  and  keeping  the  foot  clean.  After  its  removal,  the  frog 
must  be  examined,  for  usually  it  is  '  under-run '  between  the  two 
orifices  by  purulent  matter;  if  such  be  the  case,  the  detached  horn 
must  be  removed  and  the  exposed  parts  dressed  with  a  little  tar. 
If  structural  changes  have  not  taken  place,  this  plan  of  treatment 
will  usually  be  found  effective;  but  if  the  lameness  continue  after  a 
month  has  elapsed  after  the  removal  of  the  seton,  all  treatment  will 
be  useless,  and  the  animal  should  be  put  to  slow  work,  or  the  pain 
removed  by  neui'otomy." 

This,  of  course,  should  be  done  by  a  competent  veterinary 
surgeon. 

I  have  been  led  to  give  particular  attention  to  the  study  of 
this  lameness,  from  the  fact  that  many  years  ago  one  of  my  best 
horses,  old  Turco,  became  lame  from  this  cause.  First,  there 
was  noticed  a  slight  flinching  while  moving  on  a  trot.  The  feet 
being  at  the  time  very  dry  and  hard,  it  caused  a  compression  of 
the  wall  upon  the  soft  parts.  In  the  course  of  a  couple  of  months 
I  called  in  a  veterinary  surgeon,  who  was  considered  a  good  prac- 
titioner as  well  as  good  authority.  He  promised  to  cure  the  case 
in  a  month.  His  treatment  consisted  of  simply  applying  a  strong 
sweating  blister  to  the  coronet,  keeping  up  a  sharp  counter-irrita- 
tion foi-  eight  or  ten  days,  but  with  no  good  results.  I  am  satis- 
fied that  if  at  this  stage  of  the  case  the  foot  had  been  thoroughly 
soaked  by  either  hot  or  cold  water,  the  quarters  opened  a  little 
with  the  shoe  well  rounded  at  the  toe,  and  the  heels  somewhat 
elevated,  there  would  have  been  no  difficulty  in  making  a  cure. 
But  the  surgeon  did  nothing  more  than  apply  a  counter-irritant 
for  a  little  more  than  a  week.     This  seemed  to  be,  and  is  3'^et,  about 


794 


DISEASES  AND  THEIR  TREATMENT. 


the  extent  of  treatment  used  by  the  average  of  practitioners, 
which  in  the  writer's  judgment  is  not  sufficient.  Mobihty  must 
be  aided  as  much  as  possible,  to  assist  in  preventing  and  remo^- 
ing  any  irritation  caused  by  motion.  In  the  course  of  time  the 
foot  became  narrower  and  liigher  at  the  heels,  the  frog  smaller, 
and  the  convexity  of  the  sole  greatly  increased.     Notwithstanding 

I  had  at  various 
times  during  this 
period  consulted 
with  different 
veterinary    sur- 


geons of  consid- 
erable reputa- 
tion, the  treat- 
ment recom- 
mended was 
merely  pallia- 
tive, and  prac- 
tically did  no 
good.  The  near- 
est any  of  them 
came  to  giving 
any  relief,  was 
in  putting  on  a 
convex  shoe  to 
relieve    contrac- 


FiG.  699. 


As  the  seton  should  be  inserted  into  the  foot. 

C  Navicular  bone ; 


A,  A.  The  seton ;  B.  The  sensitive  frog ; 
B.  Insensitive  frog. 


tion,  and  blistering  the  coronet,  for  which  instruction  the  v/riter 
was  charged  twenty-five  dollars,  but  the  case  had  run  too  long, 
and  the  treatment  did  no  ofood.  Now,  with  the  treatment  here 
given,  it  would  have  been  a  very  simple  matter  to  have  relieved 
this  case,  if  taken  in  time.  But  not  knowing  anything  about  the 
proper  treatment  myself  at  the  time,  a  valuable  horse  W"as  ruined. 
In  some  simple  cases  the  eflfect  of  raising  the  heels  and  rounding 
the  toe  is  often  quite  remarkable. 

I  will  refer  to  one  case  in  point:  At  a  little  town  in  the 
western  part  of  New  York,  near  Jamestown,  a  farmer  who  had 
attended  my  class,  wished  me  to  look  at  a  young  horse  that  had 
been  lame  for  some  time.  I  took  the  horse  to  the  blacksmith 
shop  and  ordered  the  shoe  removed,  the  toe  hammered  down  and 


NAVICULAE-JOINT  LAMENESS.  795 

rounded  a  little,  the  heels  raised,  and  the  shoe  again  put  on. 
Years  afterward,  upon  my  return  to  that  place,  I  heard  the  owner 
state  publicly  the  facts  concerning-  this  horse.  He  said  that  it  had 
been  lame  for  over  a  month ;  that  he  was  unable  to  find  out  the 
cause  of  the  trouble,  and  did  not  know  what  to  do  for  it;  that  1 
examined  the  horse  and  took  it  to  the  .shop;  that  he  did  not  know 
what  I  did  with  the  case ;  he  only  knew  that  it  never  took  a  lame 
step  afterward.  He  as  much  as  inferred  that  the  cure  was  made 
by  some  secret  manipulation  of  my  own  which  I  did  not  divulge. 
The  horse  happened  to  be  kept  idle  for  about  a  week  after  the 
change  in  the  shoeing,  which  gave  the  irritation  time  to  pass  off, 
so  that  when  the  horse  was  put  to  work  and  found  not  lame,  it 
was  regarded  as  a  remarkable  cure. 

At  the  Sanitarium,  in  Battle  Creek,  Mich.,  while  engaged  in 
writing  and  revising  this  work,  I  was  requested  to  look  at  a  very 
fine  horse  owned  by  the  institution.  It  had  been  lame  for  three 
or  four  weeks,  and  upon  examination  I  concluded  it  was  a  simple 
case  of  navicular-joint  lameness.  I  ordered  the  shoe  to  be  taken 
off  and  changed  as  before  directed,  and  again  put  on.  Tliere 
being  some  slight  inflammation  in  the  foot,  I  directed  that  se^•eral 
thicknesses  of  blanket  be  wound  around  it,  and  kept  wet  for  a 
week,  at  the  expiration  of  which  time  the  horse  seemed  to  be  all 
right;  but  I  told  the  manager  that,  to  make  a  permanent  cure, 
the  horse  must  not  be  put  to  work  yet  for  three  or  four  weeks, 
and  then  to  drive  only  on  a  walk  upon  a  smooth  road.  My  in- 
structions were  followed,  the  horse  put  to  work  in  due  time,  and 
the  cure  proved  to  be  permanent. 

Soon  after  my  visit  to  Cleveland,  Ohio  (referred  to  in  Personal 
Experience),  "  Gifford,"  one  of  my  trained  horses,  sprained  one  of 
his  feet  so  badly  that  he  could  scarcely  walk  upon  it.  I  simply 
rounded  the  toe,  raised  the  heels,  and  kept  the  foot  wet  for  a  week, 
when  the  soreness  and  inflammation  entirely  disappeared.  Being 
compelled  to  move  him,  I  drove  him  carefully  on  a  walk  for 
several  weeks,  after  which  the  shoe  was  gradually  lowered  again 
at  the  heel.  A  year  after  this,  he  sprained  the  opposite  foot  in 
the  same  manner,  showing  great  pain  and  lameness.  It  was 
treated  in  the  same  manner  as  the  other,  and  with  the  same  suc- 
cess. I  could  refer  to  a  great  many  cases  showing  the  good  results 
of  this  simple  treatment,  which  could  be  done  by  any  one  by  the 
dii'ections  here  given. 


796  DISEASES  AND  THEIR  TREATMENT. 

When  the  lameness  has  continued  so  long  as  to  render  cure 
impossible,  it  may  be  greatly  helped  by  slightl}'  i-ounding  or  turn- 
ing up  the  toe  so  that  the  foot  will  roll  a  little  6n  the  ground,  and 
slightly  raising  the  heel-calks.  The  shoe  should  be  fitted  very 
carefully.  A  still  better  way  in  very  sensitive  cases,  is  to  put 
leather  or  rubber  between  the  shoe  and  foot.  When  this  is  done, 
the  nails  should  not  be  driven  or  clinched  tightly.  Hard  wrench- 
ing or  hammering  of  the  foot  should  never  be  permitted,  as  a  very 
little  carelessness  in  this  way  would  be  liable  to  cause  considerable 
soreness  and  lameness. 

Since  writing  this  chapter,  I  have  incidentally  obtained  some 
points  in  the  management  of  this  lameness,  which,  notwithstand- 
ing the  extreme  length  of  this  article,  I  will  take  the  liberty  to  add. 

While  in  conversation  with  a  well-known  veterinary  surgeon 
in  New  York  Cit}',  he  incidentally  ii^iformed  me  of  a  case  of 
navicular-joint  lameness,  which  was  diagnosed  as  such,  and  pro- 
nounced incurable  by  one  of  the  leading  veterinary  authorities  in 
that  city.  The  animal  was  a  fine  mare,  owned  by  Dr.  Sayers,  an 
eminent  specialist,  and  valued  highly  as  a  gift.  Discouraged  at 
this  decision  from  a  high  authority,  he  went  immediately  to  Mr. 
Robert  Bonner,  whose  general  knowledge  on  everything  pertaining 
to  the  horse  he  regarded  as  next  to  infallible,  and  in  whom,  as  a 
personal  friend,  he  had  great  confidence.  Mr.  Bonner  assured 
him  that  the  case  could  be  easily  cui'ed,  and  directed  him  to 
take  her  to  Mr.  David  Roburg  for  treatment,  requesting  him, 
as  a  matter  of  curiosity  and  as  a  proof  of  the  success  of  the  treat- 
ment, to  give  a  daily  report  of  the  progress  of  the  case.  The 
result  of  the  trial  was  the  complete  disappearance  of  the  lameness 
in  about  two  weeks,  although  the  horse  was  driven  daily. 

I  called  upon  Mr.  Roburg,  who,  as  stated  on  page  630,  is  an 
expert  shoer  of  remarkable  skill,  and  stated  to  him  what  I 
had  learned,  and  that  I  would  like  to  have  him  give  me  such  an 
explanation  of  his  method  of  treatment  as  he  could  constistently 
do;  that  I  wished  to  give  the  best  points  known  on  the  subject, 
not  only  for  the  benefit  of  my  readers  generally,  but  for  that 
of  the  veterinary  profession.  Mr.  Roburg  very  kindly  ex- 
plained to  me  the  main  points  of  his  management.  First :  To 
remove  all  strain  from  the  part  involved  b}'  the  most  perfect  ad- 
justment of  a  shoe  that  would  aid  mobility  to  the  greatest  extent; 


NAVICULAR-JOINT   LAMENESS. 


797 


Fig  700. 


-Side  view  of  second  form  of 
Roburg's  shoe. 


and  when  in  the  stable,  keeping  the  foot  cool  Ly  sUghtly  packing 
the  sole  with  wet  oakum,  and  covering  the  coronet  with  wet 
cloths.  If  there  was  any  contraction,  he  made  it  a  particular  point 
to  relieve  it  and  the  compression  of  the  wall  at  the  same  time,  as 
quickly  as  ho  could, 
by  the  adjustment  of 
his  spring,  which  is 
explained  and  illus- 
trated in  connection 
with  his  shoes  on  the 
pages  referred  to.  His 
best  shoe,  he  claimed, 
for  this  purpose,  is  the 
one  here  shown,  of  which  I  give  very  accurate  sectional  drawings, 
with  those  of  others  made  on  the  same  principle,  on  pages  691 ,  692. 
In  fitting  the  shoe  to  the  condition  of  lameness,  he  is  very  particular 

to  adjust  it  so  as   to 


ease  the  strain  or 
cause  of  irritation  to 
the  greatest  possible 
degree,  frequently  be- 
ing compelled  to  exper- 
iment, more  or  less,  by 
moving  the  shoe  a  lit- 
tle to  the  right  or  left, 
then  noticing  the  ef- 
fect upon  the  horse  in 
traveling.  When 
there  is  improvement,  it  is  accepted  as  proof  of  the  correctness  of 
his  adjustment;  if,  on  the  other  hand,  there  is  not  what  he  regards 
as  satisfactory  progress,  he  changes  the  shoe  according  to  the 
indications  of  the  case  until  successful.  The  real  point  of  this 
shoe  is  that,  by  its  rounded  form,  it  supplies  the  lack  of  mobility 
caused  by  the  inflammation  and  soreness  in  the  foot  ;  that 
it  acts,  as  it  were,  as  "an  extra  joint  to  the  foot,"  which  is 
the  necessary  requisite;  so  that  for  all  forms  of  acute  or  chronic 
lameness  he  tries  to  aid  the  freedom  of  the  foot  in  motion  by  the 
conformation  of  the  shoe  and  its  adjustment. 

Mr.  Roburg  has  had  such  remarkable  success  in  the  manage- 
ment of  such  cases  by  his  treatment,  the  one  referred  to  beino' 


Fig.  701.— Roburg's  shoe. 


798  DISEASES  AND  THEIK  TEEATJ^IENT. 

but  an  ordinary  one  in  his  practice,  that  it  certainly  seems  worth 
while  to  study  the  matter  with  care,  since  it  is  evident  there  is 
much  to  learn  on  the  management  of  tliis  and  other  kinds  of  foot- 
lameness,  and  that  Mr.  Bonner  is  so  thoroughly  informed  on  this 
subject  as  to  be  far  in  advance  of  all  accepted  authority.  In- 
deed, Dr.  Going,  formerly  veterinary  editor  of  the  Spirit  of  the 
Times,  who  is  himself  one  of  the  most  successful  practitioners  and 
reliable  authorities  in  the  country,  in  an  article  published  in  the 

Turf,  Field,  and  Farm,  admits  as  much,  as  will  be  seen  by  his 
statement,  which  I  copy,  with  the  editor's  comments  on  the 
same : — 

"  Dr.  Going,  who  was  for  many  years  editor  of  the  Veterinary 
Department  of  our  Chambers  street  contemporary,  writes  as  follows 
on  the  subject  of  Horse-Shoeing,  in  his  'Veterinary  Dictionary': — 

"  '  It  is  said  no  man  has  ever  yet  reached  perfection  in  any  branch  of  art, 
science,  literature,  industry,  etc.;  but  while  I  am  imprepared  to  join  issue 
with  the  assertion,  I  can  safely  say  that  the  nearest  approach  which  has  ever 
been  made  in  this  connection  (horse- shoeing  and  the  study  of  the  horse's 
foot)  has  been  made  by  Robert  Bonner,  Esq. ,  of  New  York,  who,  had  not 
the  Ledger  already  made  him  famous,  would  undoubtedly  have  obtained 
widespread  renown  through  his  almost  superhuman  knowledge  in  this  de- 
partment. I  have  had  the  pleasure  of  conversing  Avith  him  on  this  subject, 
and  am  pleased  to  have  an  opportunity  of  stating  the  impression  the  conver- 
sation made  upon  me. 

*  *  #  "  'J  -vvoidd  say,  if  Mr.  Bonner  could  only  be  persuaded  to  write 
a  book  on  this  subject  (which  ho  so  intimately  understands),  it  would  be  an 
inestimable  boon  to  the  present  and  future  generations  of  man  and  horse. ' 

"  This  is  a  generous  tribute  on  the  part  of  Dr.  Going  to  an  ama- 
tem'.  Jf  other  veterinary  surgeons  were  equall}^  generous,  then 
there  would  be  a  chance  for  them  to  learn  something.  At  present, 
we  know  that  they  know  comparatively  nothing,  for  instance,  about 
navicular-joint  disease  and  other  alleged  incurable  troubles  of  the 
foot.  A  lesson  in  this  line  would  not  hurt  the  editor  of  our  own 
Veterinary  Department. 

"  We,  too,  think  that  Mr.  Bonner  ought  to  write  a  book  on  this 
subject." 

All  are  aware  how  much  depends  upon  the  judgment  and  in- 
genuity of  the  operator;  that  a  very  little  want  of  judgment  or 
skill  in  making  the  adjustment  would  cause  failure;  that  this 
harmonizing  of  conditions  to  those  of  the  case  must  be  largely 
the  province  of  genius,  aided  by  the  most  careful  study,  to  ac- 
complish, and  this  Mr.  Roburg  proves  himself  in  the  highest 
degree  an  expert  in  doing. 


NEUROTOMY.  799 

Neurotomy.* 

Should  the  case  prove  to  be  incurable,  there  is  now  one  alter- 
native for  relieving  the  lameness.  That  is  severing  the  nerves,  or 
peiforming  the  operation  of  neurotomy.  If  the  foot  will  bear  it, 
the  character  of  which  I  will  presently  describe,  it  will  prove  a 
very  important  and  valuable  operation,  because  it  can  be  resorted 
to  with  success  after  all  other  means  have  failed  to  remove  the 
lameness;  not  only  this,  but  it  relieves  the  animal  from  the  con- 
tinued pain  and  suffering  to  which  he  has  been  subject.  But  if, 
on  the  contrary,  the  case  is  not  a  suitable  "^one,  no  matter  how 
skillfully  the  operation  may  be  performed,  it  will  prove  unfavor- 
able or  destructive  to  the  case. 

It  was  first  introduced  by  Dr.  Turner  (before  referred  to), 
who,  after  vainly  exhausting  his  resources  of  treatment  for  the 
cure  of  navicular  lameness,  finally  turned  his  attention  to  destroy- 
ing sensibility  of  the  foot  by  severing  the  nerve,  and  obtained  the 
most  satisfactory  results. 

The  operation  was  afterward  introduced  in  the  Veterinary 
School  of  England,  as  a  means  of  overcoming  chronic  lameness. 

Great  care  should  be  taken  in  selecting  proper  subjects,  as  in 
no  case  where  inflammation  exists  in  the  foot,  should  the  opera- 
tion be  performed.  It  is  adapted  only  to  cases  of  chronic  navi- 
cular disease,  ossification  of  the  lateral  cartilages  and  rinsr-bone, 
and  from  feelings  of  humanity  in  aggravated  cases  of  canker, 
which  are  tedious  and  painful  in  the  extreme.  The  following  are 
the  rules  laid  down  by  the  best  authorities :  First,  Never  operate 
upon  a  very  heavy,  thick-legged  cart-horse;  Second,  Never 
operate  where  the  feet  are  thin,  weak  in  the  heels,  full  or  convex 
in  the  sole,  or  brittle  through  weakness  of  the  hoof,  and  on  no 
account  if  the  horse  has  high  action ;  Third,  Operate  only  when 
the  foot  is  good  and  strong,  with  a  concave  sole,  and  the  action 
not  too  high;  for  if  the  action  is  high  he  is  apt  to  injure  his  feet 
by  the  severe  pounding.  The  greatest  care  is  required  not  to 
prick,  and  in  driving  not  to  bruise,  the  sole.  The  feet  should  be 
picked  and  washed  every  night,  and  well  covered  with  hoof  oint- 


*This  article  was  written  by  the  author,  mainly  from  notes  taken  of  Dr.  Sum- 
merville's  lecture  to  liim  on  neurotomy. 


800 


DISEASES  AND  THEIK  TEEATJVIENT. 


ment  to  keep  them  from  becoming  dry  and  hard.  There  are  two 
locations  for  this  operation,  the  high  and  the  low.  By  dividing 
the  nerv^e  above  the  fetlock,  called  the  high  operation,  we  destroy 
all  sensibility  below  the  fetlock.      The  lower  operation  may  be 

performed  at  a  point  about  at  the 
middle  of  the  large  pastern  bone  and 
upon  the  posterior  pai-t  of  the  nerve ; 
it  then  acts  as  a  cure  for  ossified 
cartilages,  and  the  forward  part  of 
the  foot  is  left  to  be  supplied  as  be- 
fore by  the  other  branch  of  the 
nerve. 

Before  performing  this  operation, 
the  horse  should  have  a  few  days' 
rest,  and  proper  means  should  also 
be  used  to  allay  any  inflammation 
of  the  affected  parts.  The  horse 
should  then  be  cast,  the  foot  secured, 
and  an  incision  made  throuGrh  the- 
skin  about  aninch  long,  and  about 
an  inch  and  a  half  from  the  fetlock, 
using  a  sponge  to  absorb  the  blood. 
The  subtissues  are  now  scraped 
aside  with  a  blunt  knife  until  the 
nerve  is  exposed,  which  lies  by  the 
a  threaded  needle,  slightly  crooked 
is  passed  under   the   nerve.      When 


Fig.  703.— Usual  method  of  jier- 
formiug  the  operation. 


side  of  the  artery.  Next, 
and  blunted  at  tlie  point, 
once  the  thread  is  passed  undei",  the  main  difficulty  is  over. 
The  needle  is  now  taken  out,  the  nerve  gently  lifted  with  the 
thread,  and  the  cellular  membrane  underneath  Kni2:)ped  away  with 
a  pair  of  scissors  or  knife,  so  as  to  admit  a  slender,  curved  bistoury 
to  pass  under  the  nerve  without  touching  it.  As  soon  as  the 
nerve  is  cleared  up  to  the  highest  part  of  the  incision,  the  bistoury 
is  passed  along  to  this  point,  and  the  nerve  quickly  divided  by  a 
drawing  stroke.  It  is  necessary  that  the  nerve  be  divided  with  as 
little  violence  as  possible,  for  when  it  is  done  with  the  scissors,  or 
by  lifting  the  knife  directly  up,  or  with  a  knife  that  does  not 
91ft  well,  a  thickening  will  form  at  the  upper  extremity  of  the 


NEUROTOMY. 


801 


divided  nerve,  which  will  show  considerable  tenderness;  and  when 
this  happens  to  be  struck  in  driving,  it  gives  the  horse  so  much 
pain  as  to  cause  him  to  go  lame  for  a  short  tiuie. 

The  division  of  the  nerve  causes  intense  but  momentary  pain, 
like  an  electric  shock,  and  the  horse's 
strue'o-linof  at  the  moment  must  be  at- 
tended  to ;  but  as  soon  as  this  passes  otf 
the  pain  of  the  operation  is  over.  The 
inferior  portion  of  the  nerve  is  then  to 
be  laid  hold  of  by  the  forceps,  and 
from  half  to  three-quarters  of  an  inch 
cut  out.  The  edges  of  the  skin  should 
next  be  drawn  too-ether  with  one 
stitch  in  the  middle,  and  the  operation 
performed  on  the  opposite  side  in  the 
same  manner.  Next,  apply  a  cold, 
wet  bandage;  give  a  dose  of  physic. 
About  the  fourth  or  fifth  day  the 
stitches  may  slough  out,  leaving  the 
wound  open ;  but  this  need  not  cause 
any  anxiety.  Keep  the  horse  quiet 
about  two  weeks,  when  he  may  be 
turned  to  pasture  or  put  to  slow 
work. 

It  has  been  found  that  simply  sev- 
ering the  nerve  will  remove  the  lame- 
ness for  a  few  weeks,  Avhen  it  will 
again  unite  and  lea\e  the  foot  as 
sensitive  as  it  was  before;  and  that 
by  removing  a  small  portion  of  it, 
three-eighths  of  an  inch  or  so,  it  ^\•ili 
unite  in  the  course  of  a  few  months ; 
but  th(!  cure  in  most  cases  is  made 
permanent.  When  it  is  desired  ti) 
destroy  this  sensil  lility,  or  so  that  the 
nerve  cannot  grow  sufficiently  to  again  unite,  from  three-([uar- 
ters  of  an  inch  to  an  inch  is  removed.  Of  course  care  should 
bo  taken  not  to  work  the  horse  violenth'  iunuediateiv  after   (he 

51 


Fig.  703, — Showing  uervc, 
and  vein. 
«,  a.   Nerve;  e.  Vein;   v. 


artery, 


Artery. 


802  DISEASES  AND  TllEIE  TEEATMENT. 

operation,  or  have  the  feet  injured  by  shoeing,  or  exposed  in  any- 
way to  injury,  such  as  taking  nails  and  so  on. 

This  has  been  an  operation  that  for  many  years  has  been  made 
the  most  of  by  jockeys  and  unprincipled  persons,  by  cheating  in 
two  ways:  First,  by  operating  upon  a  horse  so  as  to  remove  the 
lameness,  and  then  trade  or  sell  quickly  as  a  sound  animal,  and  if 
not  suspected,  there  would  be  no  way  of  detecting  it  until  too  late. 
Hence  there  should  be  a  law  passed  that  all  horses  having  this 
operation  performed  upon  them,  should  be  branded  so  as  to  be 
known.  If  there  is  any  suspicion  of  such  a  thing,  it  can  be  easily 
proved  by  sticking  a  pin  into  the  coronet,  when,  of  course  if  the 
nerves  had  been  severed,  there  would  be  no  sensibility. 

The  second  would  be  done  somewhat  as  follows:  Parties  would 
travel  rapidly  through  the  country,  assuming  that  for  a  sum  of 
money  they  would  perform  an  operation  that  would  cure  any 
case  of  lameness  in  the  feet.  By  their  promising  to  give  perfect 
satisfaction  or  no  pay,  unsuspecting  owners  would  be  induced  to- 
bring  in  their  horses  for  treatment.  No  matter  though  the  horse 
may  have  been  driven  twenty  miles  that  morning,  with  his  feet 
full  of  heat  and  inflammation,  and  unsuitable  for  the  operation, 
the  hoi'se  would  be  thrown  down,  the  nerves  severed,  when  he 
would  be  trotted  up  and  down  the  street  to  show  the  apparently 
wonderful  effect.  The  owner,  of  course,  would  be  delighted,  and 
pay  the  fee,  when  he  would  be  told  he  could  drive  the  horse  home. 
The  result  would  be  that  from  the  amount  of  inflammation  pro- 
duced in  the  foot,  there  would  be  ulceration  of  the  coronet  and 
loss  of  the  hoof,  making  the  destruction  of  the  horse  inevitable. 
This  led  to  the  operation  being  brought  into  great  disrepute  and 
suspicion. 

It  is,  of  course,  advisable  in  all  cases  to  have  a  competent 
veterinary  surgeon  employed,  if  available,  to  perform  this  opera- 
tion . 


PATHOLOGICAL   CONDITIONS   OF   FEET. 


803 


Description  of   Some  of  the  Pathological  Conditions  of 
Horses'  Feet,  Commonly  Present  in  the  Various 
Stages  of  Chronic  Lameness.* 

The  morbid  specimens  selected  for  the  drawings  which  illus- 
trate this  section  of  my  Avork.  comprise  some  of  the  most  impor- 
tant conditions  commonly  met  with  in  lame  horses,  the  occurrence 
of  which  it  is  my  object  to  prevent  and  remedy. 

The  chronic  anomalous  conditions  of  horses'  feet,  entailing  lame- 
ness of  more  or  less  acute  degree,  present  two  quite  opposite  ap- 
pearances to  our  view ;  the  one  a  wasting  and  the  other  an  e?i- 
grossment  of  structures,  the  textures  of  the  parts  affected  being 


Fig.  704. 

in  both  instances  greatly  changed.  In  describing  these  conditions, 
I  shall  laake  use  of  the  appropriate  short  terms, — Atrophy  and 
Hypertrophy. 

Fig.  704  represents  a  transverse  section  of  the  hoof  of  a  fore  foot 
of  an  aged  cart-horse,  in  which  the  sole  had  become  flattened,  and  at 
some  points  had  even  passed  the  plane,  and  assumed  the  convex,  in 
contrast  to  the  normal  concave  form  of  surface. 

Fig.  705  represents  tlie  coflin-bone  of  the  same  foot,  as  that 
of  the  hoof  described,  and  shows  how  exactly  the  outhne  and  sur- 
faces of  one  accord  with  those  of  the  other,  which  characteristics 
are  made  more  manifest  when  the  parts  are  handled.  It  is  true 
that  these  surfaces  are  not  met  with  quite  regular,  but  the  irregu- 


*To  illustrate  some  of  the  chang-es  of  structure  that  take  place  in  the  foot,  as 
the  result  of  iuflammation,  etc.,  1  copy  the  followiug  article  from  Gamgee  on  Lame- 
ness. 


804  DISEASES  AND  THEIE  TREATMENT. 

larities  arc  constantly  reciprocal.  It  has  been  said,  and  I  believe 
truly,  that  "nature  abhors  plane  surfaces"  in  animal  formation, 
and  such  is  found  to  be  true  as  normal  and  altered  forms  are 
studied. 

The  above-described  aspect  shows  the  atrophy  of  the  bone,  but 
this  coffin-bone  affords  a  typical  example  of  hypertrophy  also,  and  1 
can  submit  no  better  specimen,  though  I  have  many  others  anal- 
ogous to  it,  to  show  the  twofold  condition  of  wasting  and  enlarge- 
ment existing  together  in  the  same  bone  at  different  parts.  Atro- 
phy, wasting  of  bone,  precedes  hypertrophy,  augmentation  of  bone; 
and  yet  both  are  effects  due  to  prior  adverse  causes,  without  which 
neither  of  these  conditions  would  have  happened. 

Figs.  706  and  707  represent  the  hoof  and  last  three  bones  of 
the  near  fore  foot  of  a  horse,  which,  in  a  state  of  great  lameness, 
was  taken  to  an  Edinburgh  tan-yard  to  be  destroyed.  1  obtained 
and  dissected  both  fore  limbs,  which  were  deformed  precisely  alike, 


Fig.  705. 

and  were  affected  by  altered  conditions  of  structure,  as  these  speci- 
mens prove. 

Fig.  706  shows  the  conditions  of  the  hoof,  which  displays  obvi- 
ous traces  of  mutilation  on  the  exterior  surface  of  the  wall,  0y  means 
of  the  rasp,  and  of  the  indiscreetly-applied  drawing-knife.  By  this 
twofold  action  of  paring  the  hoof  below,  and  rasping  it  exteriorly, 
a  result  was  attained  which  has  been  admirably  characterized  in 
the  technical  phraseology  of  model  Italian  farriers — "The  horse's 
foot  so  treated  is  peeled  like  an  orange." 

Fig.  707  represents  the  skeleton  of  the  foot  to  which  the  above- 
described  hoof  belonged.  Similarl}^  yjlaced  upon  a  plane,  the  hoof 
and  coffin-bone  exhibit  corresponding  anomalous  conditions,  the 
most  obvious  being  their  tilting  inward,  due  to  the  reductions  of 
the  hoof,  chiefly  in  its  inner  part.  The  tilting  was  caused  by  reduc- 
tion of  the  hoof,  and  by  absorption  of  the  coffin-bone, — nature's 
common  accommodating  provision  for  the  mitigation  of  pain  by  the 
removal  of  margins,  when  these,  being  deprived  of  support  and 
defense,  become  exposed  to  injury. 

Here,  again,  that  provision  is  seen,  as  in  the  former  instance  of 


PATHOLOGICAL   CONDITIONS   OF   FEET. 


805 


compensation,  by  hcav  bone-structure  being  formed  at  different 
points. 

Succeeding  to  the  atrophy  of  the  coffin-bone,  its  appended  car- 
tillages  become  ossified,  and  two  bone-columns  rise  up  laterally, 
one  on  each  side  of  the  short  pastern  bone,  which  is  seen  leaning 
against  the  inner  one,  and  is  held  by  ligamentous  bands  extended 
from  the  outer  column. 

Figs,  708  and  709  also  represent  a  hoof  and  the  skeleton  of  the 
near  fore  foot  of  a  horse.     This  case  is  of  great  interest,  and  I  ad- 


FiG.  706. 


duce  it  for  the  puipose  of  explaining  something  in  a  positive  and 
also  a  negative  way  about  corns. 

In  the  estimation  of  all  concerned,  corns  were  the  great  cause 
of  suffering  to  this  horse.  Besides  the  usual  paring  of  the  sole, 
Fig.  708  shows  two  openings  due  to  the  scooj)ing  away  of  the  hoof 
where  "  the  seat  of  corn'"  was  said  to  exist.  The  more  the  scoop- 
ing away  of  the  hoof  w^ts  persisted  in,  the  greater  was  the  suffering 
caused  by  the  destruction  of  the  quick.  The  openings  through 
which  the  blood-colored  dischai'ge  descended  are  shown  in  Fig.  708 
by  two  bands  of  paper  passing  through  each  angle  of  the  hoof,  at 
its  extremities,  by  the  sides  of  the  frog. 

Fig.  709  represents  prominently  a  lateral  view  of  the  inside 
aspect  of  the  coffin-bone.     A  deep  ulcerated  cavity  is  shown  at  the 


soo 


DISEAS1<:S  AND  THEIR  TREATMENT. 


side  of  the  extremity  of  the  bone,  and  one  siniilur  in  kind,  but  less 
extensive,  exists  on  the  retrorsal  margin  on  tlic  other  side.  Apart 
from  the  lesions  of  hoof,  soft  structures,  carlilaj^e,  and  bone,  atrophy 
of  the  coffin  and  navicular  bones,  with  deep  excavation  of  the  latter, 
existed  to  the  same  extent  in  both  fore  feet. 

The  termination  of  this  case  was  extraordinarj-  in  its  occurrence, 
and  more  than  justifies,  it  seems,  a  short  digression  from  my  sub- 
jectj  the  termination  was  by  sudden  death.  The  incident  which  1 
am  about  to  nai'rate  happened  nine  years  ago.  While  in  the  ]>er- 
formance  of  my  duty  at  the  Edinbui-gh  New  Veterinary  College,  1 
was  called  in  haste  by  a  groom  to  attend  a  horse  that  had  acci- 
dentally fallen  in  a  street  close  by.     I  accomj^anied  the  man  in- 


FiG.  707. 

stantly,  and  when  we  reached  the  stable  found  the  horse  lying 
quite  dead;  only  a  few  minutes  had  elapsed  I'rom  the  time  the  groom 
left  the  horse  standing  in  his  stall,  and  only  about  twenty  minutes 
from  the  time  the  horse  fell.  The  immediate  occurrence,  as  related 
by  the  man,  happened  thus:  The  horse,  lame  on  both  fore  feet,  was 
being  ridden  by  the  groom,  who  was  returning  to  the  stable  with  a 
sackful  of  forage  placed  before  him  on  the  horse's  back.  The  ani- 
mal, so  encumbered,  was  being  trotted  on  the  pavement  of  a  narrow 
street,  and  tbe  way  he  was  going  was  on  a  decline.  The  horse 
stumbled,  and  after  making  efforts  to  recover  himself,  fell,  pitching 
the  man  and  sack  over  his  head.  The  man  escaped  injury,  but  the 
horse  was  with  difficulty,  and  only  by  help,  raised  upon  his  feet, 
and  staggered  into  the  stable,  which  was  only  a  few  yards  distant. 
An  examination  of  the  carcass  revealed  the  cause  of  the  almost 
instant  death  that  succeeded  the  fall'of  the  horse.  The  midriff  was 
rent  in  its  center,  making  an  aperture  so  large  that  the  stomach 


PAT-HOLOGICAL   CONDITIONS   OF   FEET. 


807 


and  other  contents  of  the  abdomen  had  shot  through,  in  the  for- 
ward ftill,  and  these  filled  up  the  chest  and  were  immovable.     Rup- 
tures of  the  diaphragm  of  the  horse  have  come  under  my  notice  on 
several    occasions,   from 
well-understood  causes   of 
spasmodic    kind,    but   the 
above  is  the  only   case   I 
ever  knew  of  a  similar  oc- 
currence. 

The  rest  of  the  history 
of  the  subject  was  soon 
made  out.  The  horse  was 
the  property  of  a  grocer, 
who  used  to  run  him  in  a 
light  cart,  and  w^ho  stated 
that  he  had  owned  the 
animal  for  about  two  years, 
and  that  he  had  been  a 
reputed  goc>d  hunter,  and 
came  to  the  last  owner  at 
a  loAV  price  through  being 
lame,  in  which  state  the 
animal  had  continued,  and 
had  worked  till  the  ter- 
mination now  detailed; 
thereafter  I  obtained  both 
fore  limbs  of  the  horse  for 
dissection,  with  the  results 
shown  above. 

Figs.  710  and  711  repre- 
sent component  structures  of  the  foot  of  a  horse  whose  case  was 

intimately  and  long  known 
to  me. 

Fig.  710  shows  the  hoof 
placed  on  a  plane  surface; 
it  is  seen  to  be  depressed 
across  the  front  of  the  wall, 
and  a  light-colored  streak, 
marking  an  inveterate  sand- 
crack,  extends  from  top  to 
bottom  at  the  quarter.  Cor- 
responding to  the  hollow 
depression  of  the  foot  above 
referred  to,  there  was  nec- 
essaril}'  a  bulging  of  the  sole 
downAvard,  that  is,  a  flat- 
tening, and  more  or  less 
convexity  at  parts  of  the  sole.  Altogether  a  total  abnormal  state 
is  observable.     The  horn  fibres  are  seen  in  the  illustration  of  the 


Fig.  708. 


808 


.1  )i s I-: A s  Ks  A X  I)  '1'  1 1  h^ 1 1 ;  t  n  v:a t  m  i*; n t. 


liool'  to  liavo  nltained  an  nndnc  obliquity,  and  furvc  in  Ihcii-  course 
from  above  downwai'd. 

Till'  onii'ravint;'  of  the  coffin-bone  of  lbe  foot,  of  Avhicli  the  above- 


FiG.  710. 


described  hoof  forms  part,  is  remarkable  under  the  twofold  aspect 
of  deformity  and  diminution  of  substance.  The  space  occupied  by 
the  bone  Avithin  the  hoof,  and  its  -weight,  are  reduced  probably  two- 
thirds  the  ])roportion 


of  its  primitive  com- 
plete groAA- 1  1j  ,  Av li  i  1  e 
the  hoof,  viewed  su- 
perficially, greatly  ex- 
ceeds the  normal  size. 
I  have  mentioned  the 
superficial  aspect  of 
the  form,  that  is,  the 
deceptive   view,    the 


one  common  to  aged 
horses  with  defective 
and  diseased  feet. 
Surface  and  substance 
do  not  amount  to  the 
same  thing;  Aveakness 
and  disease  are  com- 
mon to  the  first,  but 
strength  and  perfec- 
tion are  only  com- 
patible Avith  de])(h  of  cubical  capacitj'^,  with  proportionate  sub- 
stanci'.  and  form  of  sirnctnrc. 

The  animal  Avhich  supplied  matei'ial  for  the  above  illustrations 
was  Bent  to  the  Ncm^  A^eterinary  College,  when  very  lame,  in  1859. 
With  difficulty  the  horse  had  been  led  from  his  stable.  Bar-shoes, 
with  leather  soles,  hid  from  view  surfaces  of  soles  and  frogs  painful 
even  to  look  on  when  exposed. 


Fi<;.   ril. 


PATHOLOGICAL   COISTDITIONS   OF   FEET 


809 


The   C'oacbiiKin    expressed   surprise,  and   exhibited   displeasure, 
when  he  saw  mv  {-Akiuis,  u])  the  house's  foot,  ordering  the  shoe  to  be 


taken  off,  and  a  new  pair 
of  shoes  to  be  made,  while 
I  proceeded  to  prepare  the 
feet.  It  subsequcntl}' 
transpired  that  putting  the 
horse  out  of  his  misery 
was  contemplated,  and 
that  OUT  opinion  was  ex- 
pected to  be  in  accordance 
witb  advice  tendered  to 
th  at  effect.  "We  took  pains, 
and  employed  the  knowl- 
edge and  skill  at  command, 
with  the  result  that  the 
horse  which  arrived  in 
pain  and  difficulty  walked 
from  the  forge  two  hours 
afterward,  almost  free 
from  pain,  and  was  put  to 
work  either  on  the  next 
or  second  day,  and  went 
on  rendering  excellent  ser- 
vice for  three  3^ear3  after- 
wards, when,  being  then 
nineteen  years  old,  and  a 

casualty  having  happened  to  him,  he  was  put  away. 

Fig'.  711  represents  a  coffin-bone,  selected   for  the    purpose   of 

showing  one  in  a  more  advanced  stage  of  disease  than  any  of  thosQ 

yet  brought  under  notic*?. 


810 


DISEASES  AND  THEIR  TREATMENT. 


The  tliffcroiices  in  the  degree  of  absorption  of  this  l)ouc  which 
had  taken  phice,  and  its  consequent  shortened  form,  will,  it  is  pre- 
sumed, make  impression  on  the  minds  of  readers.  1  have  to  state, 
moreover,  that  such  phenomena  arc  not  veiy  uncommon,  but  often 
lie  hidden  from  obsei'vation  within  a  hoof  excessively  prolonged 
and  turned  up  in  front,  with  depressed  sole.  By  looking  at  the 
bottom  surface  of  this  bone,  it  may  be  seen  that  at  the  center,  which 
normally  is  the  point  of  the  deepest  concavity  of  the  arch,  columns 


Fig.    714. 

of  bone  are  formed  which  give  attachment  to  the  fibrous  bands, 
tendons,  etc.,  the  natural  bony  crest  and  arch  being  destroyed. 

The  three  succeeding  engravings  represent  distinct  views  of  the 
same  foot,  one  of  the  two  fore  feet  of  a  cart-horse,  both  of  which 
were  in  precisely  the  same  abnormal  state;  the  history  of  the  sub- 
ject is  known  only  to  the  extent  that  the  limbs  were  obtained  by 
the  author  at  a  tan-yard  in  Edinbiu-gh,  where  the  horse  had  been 
taken  to  be  slaughtered. 

Figs.  713  and  714  show  respectively  a  front  and  back  view  of 
the  same  parts— the  bones  of  the  near  foot — in  a  complete  state  of 
anchylosis.  I  shall  only  attempt  to  give  a  bi'ief  description  of  these 
anomalous  specimens;  to  treat  fully  the  causes,  the  conditions,  and 
the  order  of  sequence  of  occui*rences,  would  i-equire  more  space  than 
can  be  assigned  here  to  a  single  specimen  or  a  series. 


PATHOLOGICAL   CONDITIONS   OF   FEET 


811 


The  hoof  is  drawn  as  if  one  were  looking  down  into  its  cavity, 
showing  the  bulged  form  corresponding  to  the  large  bone  formation 
on  the  outer  aspect  of  the  foot, 
occupying  the  space  from  the 
pastern  joint  downward,  and 
rigidly  fixing  the  joints  involved. 
In  this  case,  so  faithfully  illus- 
trated b}^  the  figures  produced, 
phenomena  are  exhibited  that 
are  rarely  seen  so  well.  In  the 
back  view,  Fig.  714  of  the  spec- 
imen, is  seen  the  wasted  and 
irregularly  flattened  state  of  the 
coffin-bone,  the  extent  to  which 
cartilages    and    ligaments    have 


Fig.  715. 

become  replaced  by  bone,  and 
also  how  some  of  the  ligament- 
ous bands  are  developed,  and  their 
courses  modified  by  attachment  to 
strong  spars  of  bone-substance, 
displayed  to  afford  hold  for  these 
essential  bands,  without  which 
no  movement  would  be  possible, 
strength  would  be  wanting,  and 
the  bones  woiild  be  crushed  by 
muscular  force  exerted  from  above. 
I  find  the  same  order  of  sequence 
in  this  case  as  I  have  described  in 
others;  firstly  external  anomalous 
conditions,  alterations  of  the  sur- 
faces of  the  coffin-bone,  and  these 
succeeded  by  other  compensating 
provisions.  The  case  is  typically 
illustrative  of  the  two  conditions 
to  which  I  have  referred  as  com- 
mon to  these  anomalous  changes, 
— destructive  and  reparative;  the 
first  of  these  in  this  case  is  ob- 
scured by  the  excess  of  the  latter.  I  venture  to  submit  that  the 
lesser  in  appearance  was  the  real  diseased  state,  set  up  by  artificial 
measures  badly  applied,  and  that  the  additions  represent  Nature's 
provisions  of  palliation,  following  as  the  necessary  sequels, 


Fig.  716. 


812 


DISEASES  AND  TllElE  TEEATMENT.. 


Fig.  716  represents  the  last  six  bones  of  a  near  fore  foot,  and  is 
another  typical  illustration  of  the  waste  and  increase  of  substance, 
mostl}'  of  bone.  These  phenomena,  so  marvelous  in  their  character, 
are  more  common  to  horses  under  adverse  influences  than  to  any- 
other  race  of  animals.  But  this  figure,  and  the  succeeding  one, 
shows  still  further  nature's  provision;  the  elongations  of  bone, 
transformation  of  cartilages  and  ligaments  into  bone,  and  the  sub- 
stance of  one  uniting  with  that  of  the  other,  to  give  strength,  are 
brought  about  by  the  dragging  of  the  periosteum.     That  which 


Fig.    717. 

modern  surgery  has  accomplished  by  transposing  the  membrane  of 
bone  from  one  position  over  another,  is  done  in  the  case  of  the 
horse  by  tlie  dragging  leverage  of  shaft  bones  upon  pliable  interme- 
diate structures,  having  their  fixed  points  upon  the  surface  of  bones 
below,  which  constitutes  their  base  of  action,  and  that  failing,  a 
new  order  of  reparative  construction  ensues. 

Atrophy,  in  most  instances,  escapes  notice,  or  from  lack  of 
knowledge  is  alluded  to  under  the  vague  phrase  of  "Contraction 
of  the  foot."  Then  occur  swellings,  which  are  tortured  with 
assumed  remedies;  that  is  beginning  at  the  wrong  end,  and  in 
the  wrong  manner  to  effect  a  cure  or  afford  relief  The  Fig. 
7X6  was   taken  from  one  of  the  two  fore  feet,  both  of  which  were 


PATHOLOGICAL   CONDITIO A^S   OF   FEET. 


813 


affected  with  corns.  The  hoofs  were  reduced  so  as  to  be  in- 
capable of  performing  their  office;  and  while  the  drawing-knife 
was  doing  its  scooping  work,  natui-e's  fence  of  bone  was  closing 
the  breach.  Leather  soles  and  bar-shoes  hid  the  bottom  of  the 
mangled  feet. 

Fig.  717. — The  pathological  conditions  represented  by  this 
engraving,  which  includes  the  bones  of  the  foot  corresponding  to  the 
last  referred  to,  excepting  the  navicular  bone,  offer  much  in  com- 
mon with  the  last  for  contemplative  instruction.  All  that  has  been 
said  about  the  urgent  causes  which  induced  such  extensive  substi- 
tutions of  bone  for  ligaments  and  cartilages,  the  augmentations  and 
complete  anchylosis  of  joints,  applies  to  this  case.     The  history  of 


Fig.   718. 


both  subjects  is  alike  unknown;  the  specimens  were  obtained  at  the 
place  of  slaughter,  to  which  the  lame  horses  were  taken  at  Edin- 
burgh, and  the  dissections  and  observations  were  carefully  carried 
on  by  me,  and  much  time  was  devoted  to  the  work.  The  cause 
and  origin  of  the  disease  in  this  instance  differed  from  those  of  the 
former,  and  so,  in  the  sequence  and  termination,  obvious  differences 
in  external  appearances  and  conditions  were  observable. 

The  original  and  essential  scat  of  disease  in  the  case  represented 
by  Fig.  717  was  caries  of  the  pyramidal  process  of  the  coffin-bone, 
Avhich  the  drawing  admirably  shows;  the  foot  represented  is  the 
near  one,  and  an  enlargement  and  deep  excavation  of  the  bone  is 
seen  in  the  lateral  aspect  of  that  projection.  The  disease  had  been 
of  very  long  standing,  as  all  the  changes  the  foot  had  undergone 


814 


DISEASES  AND  THEIll  TREATMENT. 


testify.  The  front  of  the  Ioavi;]-  surface  of  the  coffin-bone,  upon 
which  aloiio  the  limb  rested,  hud  become  absorbed,  the  object  being 
to  constitute  a  straight  column,  since  the  parts  were  incapable  of 

performing  any  of  the 
motive  functions  of  the 
health}'  foot,  for  leverage 
etfect.  The  hoof  necessa- 
rily took  the  vertical  lino 
of  forjn  Avith  the  Avhole 
region — the  heels  were 
dee]).  All  bearing  was 
conveyed  to  the  point  at 
which  part  the  shoe  was 
worn,  proving  that  the  an- 
imal had  been  worked  to 
the  last  in  the  state  in 
which  the  foot  was  found 
after  death,  there  being 
no  signs  of  recent  change 
in  the  case,  nor  any  means 
of  relief  having  been  re- 
sorted to. 

This  figure.  No.  718,  in 
some  of  its  phases,  is  a 
repetition  of  the  last  (not 
included  because  not  of 
sufficient  interest  to  be  desirable),  for  the  deplorable  barbarity 
practiced,  of  which  it  affords  the  most  conclusive  evidence. 

The  specimens  from  which  the  diniwing 
was  taken,  the  hoof  and  navicular  bone, 
arc  those  of  the  fore  foot  of  a  fine  mare, 
apparently  thorough-bred,  which  I  was  in 
the  habit  of  seeing  with  mingled  feelings 
of  pity,  and  admiration  of  her  form,  as  she 
worked  a  cab  in  Edinburgh  seven  years 
ago.  The  navicular  bono,  as  is  plainly 
shown,  was  extensively  wasted  and  ulcer- 
ated. The  marc,  long  before  her  death, 
which,  like  that  of  the  previous  case,  was 
caused  by  the  toi'ture  she  endured,  had 
been  the  victim  of  inveterate  chronic  lame- 
ness, which  could  have  been  readily  re- 
lieved, but  progressively  advanced  from 
bad  to  worse,  deduction  of  the  hoof  by 
cutting  induced  absorption  of  the  lower  surface  of  the  coffin- 
bone,  and  also  that  of  the  navicular  bone;  until,  as  in  the  previous 
case,  the  knife  repeatedlj'"  employed  destroyed  the  hoof  first,  then 
the  cartihigc,  and,  lastl}'',  reached  to  the  navicular  bone  and  the 
joint,  the  latter  injury  proving  fatal  to  life. 

Fig.  719  shows  the  state  of  the  loAvcr  surface  of  the  coffin-bone; 


Fig.  710. 


Fig.  720. 


PATHOLOGICAL   CONDITIONS   OF   FEET. 


816 


the  convex  form  of  the  plantar  surface  of  that  bone  had,  as  is  always 
the  case,  its  counterpart  in  the  form  of  the  hoof,  the  sole  of  which 
Avas  pawmace— after  a  French  expression, — literally,  apple-shaped, 
or  round  instead  of  concave  and  arched.  But  the  t3q:)ical  character 
of  those  coffin-bones,  as  represented  by  the  sing-le  specimen,  is  that 
of  both  being  fractured  in  a  transverse  direction  across  the  bottom 
of  the  bone,  at  an  inch  from  the  point. 

Fig.  720  shows  the  foot,  drawn  as  it  was  placed  upon  a  table, 
and  will  help  in  this 
description  the  com- 
prehension of  the  state 
of  the  case.  The  point 
of  the  bone  is  turned 
up.  The  bone,  which 
hadbecome  shallow  and 
weak,  at  length,  under 
the  weight  and  exer- 
tion of  the  animal,  gave 
way  at  the  part  indi- 
cated, i.  e.,  it  fractured, 
but  was  held  together 
by  the  net-work  of  fi- 
bious  texture  which 
laces  and  invests  the 
bone.  The  lesion  may 
be  regarded  as  a  partial 
fracture,  associated 
with  a  bending  upward 
of  the  loosened  end  of 
the  bone,  held  in  prox- 
imity chiefl}'^  by  the  fi- 
brous tissues,  but  sup- 
ported also  by  the  hoof,  which,  though  thiimed  and  weak,  took  the 
form  of  the  broken  bone,  and  was  bent  upward  in  front.  The 
other  foot  I  prepared,  differently  from  that  used  for  these  en- 
gravings, by  sawing  longitudinally  through  the  hoof  and  the  in- 
cluded parts  while  fresh;  these,  together,  are  remarkable  sjjecimens. 

Fig.  721  represents  another  form  of  fracture  of  a  coffin-bone,  but 
though  differing  in  its  appearance,  and  place  of  the  occurrence  of 
fracture,  from  the  case  previoiisly  described,  the  two  help  to  eluci- 
date each  other  as  to  the  cause  and  mode  of  occurrence.  As  shown 
by  the  engraving,  this  bone  was  flattened  down  by  absorjjtion  until 
it  became  so  attenuated  as  to  be  unequal  in  substance  and  strength 
to  bear  the  burden  imposed,  and  it  therefore  gave  way  under  it.  It 
will  be  observed  that  the  bone  broke  where,  from  greatest  pressure 
and  absorption,  it  had  become  weakest,  and,  as  in  the  former  case, 
it  broke  where  the  greatest  strain  of  lever  action  was  brought  to 
bear  upon  it.  To  explain,  I  must  state  that  the  coffin-bone  is  one 
of  the  most  energetic  levers  in  the  whole  system  of  animal-con- 
struction, in  the  line  of  its  long  axis  from  heel  to  point.     The  fract- 


FiG.   721. 


816 


DISEASES  A^^D  THEIR  TREATMENT. 


urc  of  the  boiiu,  rc2)resented.  by  Fig.  72U,  happened  near  to  the 
point  of  the  lever,  Avhile  being  raised,  under  Aveight  from  behind, 
upon  the  point.  In  the  case  under  consideration  the  bone  ]iad  be- 
come weakest  on  its  inner  half,  precisely  at  the  center  line  of  the 
foot,  so  depressed  by  its  thinness  that  the  foot  tilted  inward,  and 
gave  way  immediately  beneath  the  pivot,  the  mid-line  of  the  coi'o- 
nary  bone;  this  Avas  also  the  fulcrum  of  the  lever,  the  front  of  the 
bone  being  its  point  of  resistance.  As  in  the  former  case,  the  rais- 
ing of  the  foot  from  a  2)lane  toAvard  a  AX'rtical  line  fractured  the 
corresponding  bone  in  the  two  cases  in  difterent  positions,  but 
through  the  same  causes, — Aveakened  hot)f.  and  tlir  other  adA'crse 
conditions  Avhich  led  to  atrophy  of  the  bones. 

Fig.  722  is  a  representation  of  a  fractured    naviculaj-  bc;nr,   a 
casualty  of  more  frequent  occurrence  to  horses  in  this  country  than 


Yu:.   72:2. 

is  commonly  knoAvn,  but  Avhich  has  scarcely  been  noticed.  Fract 
ures  of  this  kind  arc  eft'ects  due  entirely  to  long-protracted  ad^ 
verse  conditions  of  the  feet,  such  as  have  been  already  dwelt  u[)oii. 
I  haA^e  never  met  Avith  a  case  of  fracture  of  either  colfin  or  navicular 
bone  Avhere  ])i"evious  long-prevailing  diseased  action  of  the  foot  Avas 
not  manifest. 

In  the  instance  represented  above,  the  reader  may  see  that  the 
bone  was  exti'nsively  ulcerated  and  cxcaA'ated  like  a  decayed  tooth, 
and  at  last  the  fracture  occurred  in  tAVO  lines  diverging  fj-oni  tlie 
excavated  center  to  the  anterior  margin  of  the  bone,  Avhere  it,  is 
connected  to  the  cotiin-bone.  •  But  I  must  request  the  reader  to  go 
back  Avith  me  to  see  the  order  and  se^iuence  of  occurrence;  llie  ex- 
cavation of  the  miAucular  bone  is  a  secondary  occuri-ence,  an  effect 
due  to  preceding  and  continuous  de\'iations  from  health. 

The  coffin-bone  in  Fig.  722  is  Avasted  down  (o  about  tw<>-lliir<ls 
of  its  natural  depth  and  substance.  Its  semi-lunar  civst  is  gone; 
there  is  no  sufficient  concaAdty  behind  the  plantar  surface  of  the 


PATHOLOGICAL   CONDITIONS    OF   FEET. 


817 


cofiin-bonea ;  tendons  and  other  strong  bands,  requiinng  strong,  bony 
points  for  attachment,  lack  such  hold,  and  the  space  between  the 
navicular  bone  and  the  tendon'upon  which  it  glides  is  diminished ;  the 
joint-capside  lacks  space,  all  the  functions  are  deranged,  and  the 
navicular  bone,  if  in  normal  condition,  would  be  too  big  for  the 
lessened  space;  it  becomes  flattened,  its  substance  is  diminished, 
and  is  so  much  weakened,  that  at  length  it  breaks  down  imder  less 
than  ordinary  exertion. 

Fig.  723  represents  another    ease  of  fractured  navicular  bone, 
in  Avhich  all  the  complications  arc  still  more  manifestly  extensive 


Fi( 


28. 


than  in  the  last.  The  f(»ot  that  su])plied  this  specimen  was  ob- 
tained after  the  horse  was  slaughtered,  and  nothing  was  leanied  of 
the  histor}'  of  the  case. 

The  fractures  in  both  cases  had  occurred  long  before  the  horses 
were  destroyed,  and  there  was  ample  evidence  to  my  mind  that  the 
horses  had  been  made  to  work  almost  as  long  as  they  lived,  judg- 
ing, as  I  did,  by  the  appearance  of  the  feet  and  shoes,  and  by  the 
pathological  conditions  revealed  by  dissection.  It  may  seem  to 
some  that  there  is  not  much  to  be  learned  from  seeing  these  dried 
bones!  still  less  from  engravings  from  them!  All  depends  u])on 
the  kind  and  extent  of  research  which  follows  from  the  promptings 
of  such  incidents;  and  I  cannot  refrain  from  stating  that  all  that 
is  presented  to  the  view,  though  it  be  as  much  as  could  be  saved, 
is  insigniticant  compared  to  Avhat  the  explorer  sees  in  the  researches 
and  dissection.     Much  more  is  removed  than  can  be  left,  and  each 

layer  of  structures  unfolds  its  own  tale. 

52 


818 


WSEASE8  ANJJ  TIIEIE  TEEATMENT. 


All  tlic  subjects  Avhieli  supplied  the  specimens  illustrated  were 
selected  on  account  ot'indifutions  whicli  led  me  to  investigate  Ihcm. 

When  I  first  saw  this  animal  after  death,  ni}'  whole  mind  was 
absorbed  in  the  case,  and  it  would  have  been  of  no  use  if  I  had  only 
detached  the  foot,  strictly  so  called,  for  examination.  When  trying 
to  make  out  anything  natural  or  unnatural  about  the  foot,  1  always 
take  a  great  part  of  the  Vunh,  so  as  to  include  the  whole  carpal 
region;  and  if  a  hind  limb,  then  of  the  tarsal  region.  In  this  in- 
stance I  divided  the  radius  a  little  above  the  knee.  I  had  per- 
ceived, in  the  condition  of  the  leg,  a  rigidity  induced  by  thickness 
and  hai'dness  of  all  the  flexing  apparatus  of  the  foot,  especially 


■-\>s^J:; 


Fiu.    724. 

from  the  fetlock-joint  to  the  knee;  the  back  sinews  were  as  thick 
as  the  fore-arm  of  a  man,  and  to  the  touch  felt  hard  like  a  cable.  1 
shall  refrain  from  entering  into  a  detailed  descri])tion  of  the  condi- 
tion of  these  })arts,  ni}--  olijcct  being  now  to  show  plainly  hoAV  one 
inay  be  drawn  olT  tbe  seei'it,  and  led  to  mistake  an  after-effect  for 
the  original  state  of  the  case — an  effect  for  a  cause.  I  knew  Ihat 
the  massive,  hard  bunds  were  but  syni]itoms  of  serious  conditions 
below;  that  it  was  a  coiling  of  these  bands,  with  the  design  of 
shortening  their  track,  1)}^  which  the  range  of  bones  could  be  held 
firm,  and  in  a  vertical  line.  AVith  such  notion;'.  I  proceeded  to  dis- 
sect the  iimb,  first  by  disarticulation  at  the  j)astern-joint,  and 
placing  the  foot  in  the  macerati<Mi-tub  for  six  weeks;  meanwhile  I 
dissected  the  ])arts  above,  confirming  my  views  of  the  conditions, 
and  greatly  extending  my  knowledge.  Tn  due  time,  the  hoof  be- 
coming detached,  I  dissected  the  foot,  with  the  result  shoAvn  in  Fig. 


PATHOLOGICAL   CONDITIONS   OF   FEET.  819 

723.  All  practitioners,  and  horsemen  of  much  experience,  will  have 
noticed  that  when  horses  begin  to  get  uneasy  on  their  fore-limbs 
and  unsafe  in  action, — in  other  words,  when  permanent  lameness  is 
threatening, — a  commonly  prevalent  characteristic  anomaly  is  a 
tightness  of  the  sinews  just  behind  and  below  the  knee.  Atten- 
tion is  usually  fixed  on  that  part,  and  all  the  rest  overlooked.  Yery 
early  in  my  career  I  noticed  these  conditions,  and  doubted  in  my 
own  mind  the  conclusion  that  a  sprain  had  happened  locally,  to 
account  for  what  Avas  observed. 

It  was  long,  howevei*,  before  1  arrived  at  any  exact  knowledge 
in  the  matter,  or  succeeded  in  doing  anything  beyond  following 
the  ordinary  injurious  and  useless  practice.  But  it  was  a  good  be- 
ginning to  get  rid  of  all  mischievous  interference.  I  next  made  out 
that  the  state  of  the  limb  was  in  some  way  caused  by  that  of  the 
feet — by  the  shoeing;  for  it  never  appeared  in  unshod  horses  if 
ever  so  severely  exerted.  Having  determined  that  I  had  a  foot- 
derangement  to  deal  with,  I  then  succeeded  in  curing  cases,  my 
remedy  consisting  in  taking  off  the  shoes,  and  taking  measures  for 
strengthening  the  hoofs.  Nor  did  I  find  it  necessary  to  keep  the 
horses  at  rest,  though  it  is  not  often  practicable  to  find  work  that 
horses  can  do,  and  a  ground  surface  congenial  to  their  going  bare- 
footed. But  when  the  mind  is  awakened,  and  intent  on  the  further- 
ance of  an  object,  opportunities  arc  made;  and  so  it  happened  with 
me.  I  was  in  practice  at  Florence  in  those  years,  in  a  climate 
favorable  for  making  some  such,  trials  as  I  aimed  at  prosecuting;  I 
had  the  advantage  of  observing  customs  in  other  localities.  I  saw 
horses  trained  without  shoes  able  to  hold  their  own  with  those  more 
systematically  brought  out  on  our  plan,  and  perceived  that  their 
legs  stood  sound.  So  far,  1  had  achieved  little  more  than  negative 
results  for  all  practical  purposes,  because  a  plan  that  pi"escribes 
that  horses  must  go  barefooted  does  not  accomplish  any  of  the  re- 
quirements of  the  art  of  farriery.  The  next  stage  in  the  inquiry 
was  to  determine  the  relative  effects  between  good  and  bad  shoe- 
ing, iin-d  in  what  these  respectively  consisted.  This  I  was  able  to 
do,  though  it  was  a  Avork  of  much  cost,  labor,  and  years  of  time. 

Fig.  724  is  a  representation  of  the  coffin  and  naA^icular  bones  of 
one  of  the  fore  feet  of  a  horse  similarly  affected  in  both;  with  the 
diffei'ence  in  the  one  represented  that  a  compound  fracture  of  the 
navicular-bone  had  occurred,  as  is  plainly  exhibited.  Firm  reunion 
of  the  fragments  Avas  completed  before  the  horse  Avas  destroyed. 

The  subject  Avas  an  aged  grey,  latterly  Avhite,  gelding,  in  his 
time  Avell  knoAvn  to  horsemen  of  Edinburgh  as  an  exceptional!}'  good 
horse,  a  fast-goer  in  the  field  and  on  the  road. 

In  1861  the  pupils  of  the  ncAV  Yeterinary  College  bought  the 
poor  horse,  in  a  miserable  state  of  lameness,  as  a  subject  to  dissect. 
One  of  the  complications,  which  was  a  source  of  inconceivable 
agony,  Avas  a  quittor.  As  it  appeared  that  relief  might  soon  be 
afforded,  and  the  case  made  AX'ry  instructive,  the  subject  Avas  taken 
up  for  treatment,  Avith  the  mo&t  satisfactory  result.  Eelief  from 
pain  Avas  soon  attained;  and  restoi\ation  ensued,  and  progressed  as 


820 


DISEASES   AND   TIIEIIi   TEEATMENT. 


rapidly  as  such  comijlication  admits  of.  It  was  subsequently  ascer- 
tained that  the  horse  had  been  unnerved  tAVO  or  three  years  previ- 
ousl}',  had  been  for  years  lame,  and  for  some  time  had  worked  in  a 
cab.  The  recovciy  of  the  horse  having  been  advanced,  so  that  he 
was  capable,  under  special  care,  of  rendering  some  service,  the 
question  arose  what  should  bo  done  with  him.  AVe  had  no  require- 
ment for  such  hiervices  as  might  have  been  rendered  on  a  farm,  and 
it  was  resolved  not  to  part  with  him;  the  only  alternative  was 
taken  of  putting  an  end  to  his  life;  and  finally  of  making  the  best 
possible  use  of  the  case  for  future  instruction. 


Fig.    72.'). 

Dissection  of  the  feet  revealed  more  than  we  had  made  out 
during  the  life  of  the  animal;  the  fractured  bone  was  not  predicted, 
nor  was  it  possible,  beyond  guessing,  that  it  could  have  been,  amidst 
the  mass  of  change  and  destruction  of  parts;  but  in  the  sequel  it 
has  been  of  inestimable  value  as  a  pathological  specimen,  unique, 
as  far  as  I  have  seen,  in  character.  1  have  seen  no  other  instance, 
nor  do  collections  contain  one,  of  a  navicular-bone,  as  the  sequel  to 
inveterate  degeneracy,  being  broken  into  so  many  fragments,  and 
then  uniting  so  completely,  the  foot  rendered  painless,  and  the  horse 
becoming,  to  a  possible  degree,  useful. 

Fig.  725  I'epresents  another  com])licated  case  in  which  extensive 
disease  and  wasting  of  the  coffin-bone  was  followed  by  fracture  of 
the  navicular-bone.  The  subject,  a  grey  cart-horse,  was  taken  to 
the  New  Veterinary  College  in  1864,  when  excessively  lame,  and 
left  there  for  treatment.  At  the  time  no  opinion  was  pronounced 
on  the  case;  the  horse  had  been  under  treatment. 


PATHOLOGICAL   CONDITIONS   OP    PEET. 


821 


The  foot  was  mangled,  and  shod  Avith  a  bar-shoe  and  interven- 
ing leather  sole,  all  combining  to  augment  and  perpetuate  the  pain- 
ful condition  of  the  animal.  The  limb  of  the  afflicted  foot  was  kept 
as  much  as  possible  flexed,  obviously  so  at  the  knee,  and  the  foot 
i"cposed  upon  the  front  of  the  hoof — not  the  natural  bearing-surface, 
but  the  anterior  surface  of  the  wall — tilted  over.  The  knee  was 
swollen  to  twice  its  natural  size. 

After  the  lapse  of  a  fcAV  days,  Avith  persistence  of  pain  and  all 
the  urgent  symptoms  unabated,  the  parties  who  left  the  horse  were 
advised  that  an  unfavorable  issue  of  the  case  was  prognosticated.    I 


Fig.    726. 

had  formed  the  opinion  that  either  the  coffin  or  navicular-bone  was 
fractured,  yet  nothing  could  be  made  out  to  enable  one  to  deter- 
mine the  fact  positively.  Difficulty  was  encountered  in  discovering 
the  real  owner  of  the  horse,  and  it  was  not  until  tAventy-nine  days 
had  elapsed  that  consent  was  obtained  to  have  it  destroyed.  Time 
and  care  being  taken  for  the  maceration  of  the  parts,  so  that  dis- 
section could  be  proceeded  with,  the  ultimate  revelations  were  the 
state  of  the  two  bones  represented.  The  case  is  remarkable,  for 
the  presence  of  at  least  one  phenomenon  I  have  in  no  other  instance 
met  with,  that  is,  fracture  of  the  navicular-bone  without  the  appear- 
ance of  any  antecedent  excavation  of  its  substance  by  ulcei*ation. 
There  were  other  more  remarkable  appearances,  but  which  could 
not  be  kept  for  exhibition,  and  could  only  be  observed  by  the  eye 
and  touch  of  the  dissector;  the  fractured  bone  was  held  together  by 
its  investing  ligamentous  textures,  and  I  could  feel  the  bone  yield 


822 


DISEASES   AND   THEIR   TREATMENT. 


at  the  broken  part,  under  pressure  of  the  thumb,  while  the  line  of 
fracture  Avas  scarcely  to  be  seen.  Neither  was  there  any  blush  of 
marginal  redness  to  indicate  the  commencement  of  reparatory 
vascular  action.  But,  although  that  navicular-bone  is  exceptional 
among  my  morbid  specimens  of  the  kind,  in  regard  to  the  absence 
of  obvious  excavation,  1  am  not  prepared  to  testify  to  its  being  in  a 
normal  state;  on  the  contrary,  I  suspect — for  no  analysis  of  the 
boi^c,  still  in  my  possession,  has  been  performed — that  its  constitu 
tion  was  defective,  and  that  the  bone  was  destitute  of  natura 
strength.  The  wasted,  deformed,  and  weakened  state  of  the  coffin- 
bone  is  extraordinary,  and  quite  accords  with  all  my  experience, 
gained  by  these  investigations,  that  such  casualties  of  the  navicular 


Fig.    727. 

bone  are  secondary,  and  due  to  the  partial  destruction  of  both  sub- 
stance and  functions  of  the  coffin-bone. 

Fig.  726  illustrates  a  typical  case  of  advanced  navicular  disease, 
apart  from  the  complications  which  commonly  ensue  as  additional 
consequences. 

The  never  absent  accompanying  phenomenon,  atrophy  of  the 
coffin-bone,  is,  however,  well  marked  in  this  case.  In  the  navicular 
bone  itself,  two  openings  into  chambei'ed  cavities  of  the  bone  are 
seen  about  the  middle  of  the  hindmost  and  lower  surface,  and  an 
oblong  excavation  is  observable  on  the  lower  inner  margin  of  the 
bone. 

The  above  figure  represents  a  case  of  navicular  disease,  not 
essentiall}^  different  in  character  ft-om  that  last  described;  only 
that  this  was  a  worse  case,  with  more  complications  and  extensive 
ulceration.  I  adduce  it,  not  to  show  t)»e  little  difference,  or  to  pro- 
duce a  duplicate,  but  because  the  case  has  a  history  worth  relatiug. 


PATHOLOGICAL   CONDITIONS   OF   FEET.  823 

The  subject  was  a  grey  mare  of  high  courage  and  breeding,  be- 
longing to  Mr.  James  Stewart,  cab-proprietor  at  Edinburgh.  The 
mare  had  been,  for  an  unascertained  length  of  time,  lame  of  both 
fore  feet,  when  she  was  bought  for  a  trifle  by  Mr.  Stewart,  who 
thereupon  took  her  to  the  New  Veterinary  College  shoeing-forge, 
to  get  her  shod.  This  happened  in  the  autumn  1858.  I  had 
charge  of  the  shoeing;  that  is,  did  the  chief  part  of  the  work  in 
this  as  in  similar  cases — prepared  the  feet  and  fitted  the  shoes. 
Mr.  Stewart,  being  then  a  beginner  in  business,  and  driving  the 
mare  himself,  procured  abundance  of  work,  so  that  in  the  space  of 
seventeen  days  she  Avore  out  a  strong  set  of  shoos,  and  was  brought 
back  to  the  forge  to  bo  re-shod,  which  was  done  as  before.  At  the 
exi^iration  of  about  the  same  number  of  days  as  before,  the  mare 
was  brought  to  bo  shod  again  for  the  third  time;  and  this  time  the 
intelligent  owner  was  elated  at  the  way  his  mare  was  going,  and 
at  the  manifest  improvement  that  had  taken  place,  notwithstanding 
the  inordinate  amount  of  work  the  animal  was  doing,  in  drawing  a 
four-wheeled  carriage  over  the  hilly  streets  of  Edinburgh.  I  may 
state  that  the  pi'Ogressivo  improvement  in  the  action  of  the  mare 
went  on  up  to  recovery  to  the  extent  of  complete  freedom  from 
lameness.  There  was  no  delay  in  the  effect  following  the  cause,  or 
rathei',  inversely,  of  effects  ceasing  when  the  causes  that  produced 
and  kept  them  up  were  removed.  The  result  Avas  so  much  the 
more  gratifying  to  the  owner  of  the  mare  and  all  concerned,  from 
the  fact  that  she  proved  to  be  one  of  the  best  animals  of  her  class 
in  Edinburgh,  and  continued  to  work  uninterru])tedly  for  three 
years,  thereby  helping  in  no  small  degree  to  give  the  worthy  owner 
a  start  in  business. 

I  shall  not  dwell  on  the  termination  of  the  mare's  career,  beyond 
stating  that  during  the  severe  frost  in  1862  she  encountered  an 
accident  by  falling  on  the  frozen  snow  Avhich  encumbered  the 
streets  of  Edinburgh  that  winter.  One  of  the  bones  of  the  knee, 
the  OS  magnum,  was  fractured  transversely  through  its  narrow 
axis,  and  the  animal  was  consequently  destroyed. 

On  dissecting  both  the  fore  feet,  it  was  found  that  their  condi- 
tion was  nearly  the  same;  the  degree  of  ulceration  of  the  navicular 
bone,  and  diminution,  with  subsequent  incrustation  of  the  coffin- 
bone,  was  a  little  in  excess  in  the  specimen  from  which  the  illustra- 
tion was  drawn.  But  most  remarkable  and  instructive  of  all  was 
the  obviously  improved  state  of  those  ulcerated  bones  that  had 
taken  place.  As  was  seen  by  the  mare's  action,  her  feet  revolved, 
if  not  fully,  at  least  fiiirly  u])on  the  ground,  and  that  was  quite 
manifest  by  the  appearance  of  the  joints.  The  cartilage  lining  the 
navicular  bone,  less  the  breaches  on  the  surface,  was  smooth  and 
white,  and  the  synovial  capsule  healthy,  and  in  full  secreting  func- 
tion.    In  fact,  the  joint  was  amply  lubricated  and  free. 

In  anticipation  of  reasonable  inquiries  as  to  how  the  good  result 
was  brought  about  in  this  ease,  I  answer.  By  shoeing.  What 
principle  or  mode  of  shoeing? — Rational  method,  elaborated  after 
long  individual  experience,  founded  on  observation,  and  on  the  ex- 


824 


JM8EASES   AND   TllElJl   TREATMENT. 


pcriencc  of  able  men  of  uU  times  and  countries  ;  in  other  words,  by 
means  Avhieh  are  only  acquired  by  ai)plication  of  mind  and  liands 
for  years  to  the  art.  I  used  no  differently  made  shoe  for  that  marc 
from  those  I  use  lor  other  horses  of  her  class  doing  the  same  Avork; 
viz.,  shoes  with  calkins  adapted  to  the  pavement  and  hills  of 
Edinburgh;  nor  v;as  there  anj-thing  special  in  the  way  I  fitted  her 

shoes;  the}'-  Avere  adapted  to  the  mo- 
tion and  requirement  of  the  feet  in  the 
mare's  particular  case,  according  to  the 
principles  inculcated  in  this  Avork.  !N"o 
other  agencies  Averc  used  beyond  the 
ordinary  measures  I  recommend  for 
the  feet  of  all  horses,  to  be  hereafter 
noticed. 

The  two  folloAving  and  the  last  fig- 
ures of  the  series  are  representations 
of  the  different  structures  of  the  same 
loot;  a  section  of  the  hoof,  and  the 
coffin  and  navicular  bones  of  the  off 
fore  foot  of  a  horse,  Avhose  case  I  am 
about  to  describe  b}^  the  he!])  of  these 
illustrations. 

The  subject  Avas  a  fi\'e-year-old  Cly- 
desdale stallion,  for  Avhich   a  nobleman 
in  the  Avest  of  Scotland  paid  £300,  and 
at  Avhose   instance,  not  many  months 
after  the  purchase,  I  AA^as  called  to  at- 
tend the  animal,  not,  hoAvcA'er,  until  too 
late  lor  m}^  services  to  be  of  any  avail. 
The  horse  died  a  fcAv  hours  before  1 
reached   the   ])laee  Avhere    he   was,  in 
Ayrshire.     With  the  splendid    carcass 
lying  extended  before  me,  I  made  in- 
quiries into  the  history  of  the  case,  and 
after  receiving  tlie  necessary  replies  for 
my  i)urpose,  and  obtaining  permission 
to  bring  aAvay  the  feet  of  the  animal, 
1   removed   them    and   returned   Avith 
them  to  Edinburgh.     The  disease  from  which  the  horse  had  suf- 
lei'ed   Avas   inflammation   of  the  feet,  and    death   ensued  through 
long-continued    ii-ritant    fever,     ending    in    a    blood-contaminated 
system. 

Fig.  728  is  that  of  the  inner  half  of  the  hoof  of  the  off  fore  foot; 
the  section,  made  longitudinally,  passes  through  the  middle  of  the 
frog,  sole,  and  Avail.  The  bulging  down  of  the  sole  and  its  thin 
state  are  apparent;  the  Avhite  spot  represents  an  opening  through 
Avhich  an  excrescence  of  the  inflamed  texture  jjrotruded. 

Fig.  729  represents  the  coffin  and  navicular  bones,  upon  the 
latter  of  Avhich  no  further  remarks  are  necessary  than  to  state  that 
that  bone  Avas  found  in  perfect  health.     33ut  to  the  coffin-bone  and 


Fig.  728. 


PATHOLOGICAL    CONDITIONS  OF   FEET. 


825 


hoof  together  1  must  devote   myself,  with  the  view  to  make  intel- 
ligible what  1  have  to  state. 

1  must  premise  my  description  of  the  case  by  stating  that  all 
four  of  this  horse's  feet  were  alike  affected,  and  almost  in  the  same 
degree,  the  ravages  sustained  by  the  two  fore  feet  somewhat  pre- 
ponderating. 3Iy  information  obtained  on  the  origin  of  the  disease 
recompensed  the  journe}'"  to  Ayrshire;  I  learned  that  one  hind  foot 
was  first  affected;  a  -fissure  appeared  in  the  front  of  the  hoof, 
always  a  painful  affection  until  the  cause  is  removed,  and  a  cure 
effected.  Lame  of  one  hind  foot,  and  all  the  hoofs  in  a  weak  state, 
inflammation  set  up  in  the  other  hind  and  over-burdened  one;  then 
reaction,  Avith  inflammation  of  the  other  hind  foot,  and  first  one 
fore  foot  and  then  the  other  became  affected;  the  result  Avas  that 


Fig.  729. 

the  animal  was  doomed  to  lie  suffering,  because  he  had  not  a  foot 
that  he  could  stand  upon.  All  this  Avas  endured  for  several  weeks 
before  the  horse  succumbed.* 

Eeference  again  to  Fig.  729  shows  the  flattened  lower  portion 
of  the  coffin-bone,  and  in  some  measure  the  extent  to  Avhich  it  be- 
came reduced;  not,  as  in  chronic. cases,  slowly,  but  rapidly — all  in 
the  space  of  a  few  Aveeks.  (The  drawing  taken  of  the  one  must 
be  regarded  as  repi^esenting  the  state  of  the  coffin-bones  and  the 
hoofs  of  all  four  feet.) 

I  devoted  scA^eral  months,  at  intervals,  to  the  dissection  and 
study  of  three  out  of  the  four  feet,  the  tAvo  fore  and  the  hind  one 
first  affected;  and  I  never  investigated  such  a  case  before.  The 
ravages  that  disease  had  made  Avere  entirely  confined  to  thc^  loAvor 


*In  reference  to  this  special  case,  we  should  never  allow  the  dissolution  of  the 
suspensary  power  to  progress  to  an  incurable  extent,  but  relieve  the  laminye  of  tlie 
strain  by  taking  off  the  Aveight  either  by  slinging  or  throAving  the  horse,  cooling 
the  feet,  poultice,  bleeding,  and  as  soon  as  the  inflammation  subsides  to  blister  the 
cor()n(-t  thoroughly. — Prof.  Hamill,      (See  Lamiaitis.) 


82G  DISEASES  AND  THEIE  TEEATMENT. 

surface  of  the  coffin-bone.  I  wish  particularly  to  place  this  ftict  on 
record,  for  reasons  that  will  hereafter  appear.  Beneath  the  bottom 
of  the  coffin-bones  and  the  thin  mutilated  soles  of  the  hoofs  was 
deposited  a  dense  layer  of  lymph,  about  one-eighth  of  an  inch  thick, 
in  which  were  innumerable  particles  of  bony  deposit,  imparting- 
a  feeling  as  if  sand  had  been  sprinkled  over  the  inner  surface  of  the 
hoof  Such  had  been  the  rapid  destruction,  partly  by  absorption 
and  partly  by  casting  off"  of  useless  matter. 

As  to  the  treatment  to  which  the  horse  had  been  subjected,  I 
have  little  to  say.  1  saw  that  the  current  orthodox  teaching  had 
been  complied  with,  in  the  form  of  cutting  away  the  hoof,  and  soak- 
ing the  feet  with  moisture;  every  one  in  attendance  had  doubtless 
done  his  best  according  to  his  intelligence,  and  was  to  be  pitied 
rather  than  blamed  for  want  of  the  right  kind  of  knowledge  of  the 
pathological  conditions. 

The  specimens  of  disease,  illustrated  and  briefly  described  in 
this  section,  oifer  material  for  much  more  lengthy  comment.  My 
purpose  in  publishing  these  is  to  prove  the  fundamental  fact  that 
lameness  is  a  consequence  of  destructive  causes,  is  associated  with 
changes  of  structure  in  the  foot,  and  that  it  is  only  by  a  patient 
and  thorough  inquiry  into  these  anatomical  changes,  that  what  I 
maybe  allowed  to  call  the  natural  history  of  lameness  can  be  under- 
stood, its  causes  prevented,  and  the  proper  remedial  measures  based 
on  well-defined  knowledge  applied.  This  is  a  line  of  inquiry  which 
I  particularly  commend  to  members  of  the  veterinary  profession, 
many  if  not  the  majority  of  whom  have  grown  up  in  the  habit  of 
looking  upon  the  hoof  merely  as  the  investing  termination  of  the 
limb,  and  not  taking  cognizance  of  the  whole  digit  as  a  complex 
organic  structure,  to  understand  which,  in  health  and  disease,  dis- 
section of  a  lai'ge  number  of  specimens  is  indispensable. 

Laminitis,  or  Founder. 

Laminitis,  or  Founder,  may  be  described  as  simply  congestion 
or  inflammation  in  the  feet.  It  may  be  severe  or  moderate 
according  to  the  degree  of  disturbance.  If  inflammation  runs 
high  and  is  allowed  to  continue,  it  is  liable  to  produce  so  much 
disoroanization  as  to  induce  loss  of  the  hoof,  which  is  however 
rare,  or  so  much  change  of  .structure  in  the  feet  as  to  make  the 
horse  ultimately  so  stiff  and  sore  or  so  much  of  a  cripple  as  to  be- 
come practically  worthless  excepting  for  slow,  easy  work. 

There  are  two  stages  of  this  disease,  acute  and  chronic.  The 
first  produces  a  high  state  of  excitement  and  inflammation  of  the 
sensitive  lamina,  and  more  or  less  of  the  internal  structure  of  the 
foot  generally.  The  second,  a  morbid  or  insensitive  feeling  of  the 
parts  generally.      The   first   or   acute   stage   can   be   invariably 


LAMINITIS,  OR  FOUNDEE. 


827 


cured,  if  treated  properly,  which  is  not  at  all  difficult  to  do.  The 
second  or  chronic  stage  is  not  curable  ;  but  may  be  palliated  to 
a  limited  extent. 

Syrtiptoms. — At  first,  if  the  result  of   exhaustion  and   chill, 


Fig.  730. — Position  of  horse  whea  sufEering  severe  attack  of  Laminltls. 

there  will  be  the  marked  effects  of  great  disturbance  of  the  circu- 
lation so  that  there  may  be  a  general  stiffness  and  soreness,    with 


Fig.  731. — As  the  horse  usually  lies  down  when  suffering  from  Laminitis. 

high,  quick  pulse,  etc.,  which  will  be  soon  followed  by  tenderness, 
congestion,  and  inflammation  in  the  feet.  To  relieve  the  pain  in 
the  feet  he  endeavors  to  throw  his  weight  upon  the  hind  ones. 
He   advances   them    in    front,  resting   principally  on    the   heels, 


828 


DISEASES  AND  THEIR  TREATMENT. 


when  the  hind  ones  are  drawn  well  under  him,  soni(,> thing  like  the 
position  shown  in  Fig.  730.  On  backing  him.  ho  backs  with  e\'i- 
dent  reluctance ;  when  forced  back,  he 
drags  one  foot  after  the  other,  evincing 
considerable  pain  in  doing  so.  When  moved 
forward,  he  Avalks  on  the  heels,  his  move- 
ments being  slow  and  difficult.  He  will 
often  be  found  lying  down,  as  removing 
weight  from  the  feet  gives  relief ;  and  while 
down  he  will  usually  point  with  his  nose 
toward  the  feet.  Sometimes  the  inflamma- 
tion may  be  in  but  one  of  the  fore  feet, 
or  sometimes  in  the  hind  feet,  which  is  not 
common  ;  and  in  some  isolated  cases  may 
have  inflammation  in  all  four  feet ;  but  it 
is  usually  limited  to  the  two  fore  feet. 

Causes. — Laminitis  is  very  apt  to  occur 
from  overtasking  the  feet  by  pounding  them 


Fig.  733. — An  ideal  drawing  of  the 
veins  of  the  foot  injected. 


Fig.  732  — An  ideal  illus- 
tration of  the  arteries  of 
the  foot  injected. 

over  a  hard  or  rough,  frozen 
road,  or  leaving  the  horse 
standing  while  heated  and 
exhausted,  and  especial ly 
where  a  current  of  cold  air 
strikes  him  ;  indirectly  by 
prick  or  binding  with  nails, 
or  continued  injury  from  a 
badly  applied  shoe,  or  any 
cause  of  continued  strain 
or  injury  to  the  feet  ;  driv- 
ing through  a  river  while 
warm  ;  washing-   the  feet 


while  warm  and  neglecting  to  dry  them  ;    frequently  also  from 


LAMINITIS,  OR  FOUNDER. 


829 


overloading  the  stomach  by  eating  too  freely  of  oats  or  other 
grains,  as  we  often  see  when  a  horse  gets  loose  during  the  night 
and  gets  to  the  oat-bin  ;  or  drinking  too  freely  of  cold  water 
when  heated  and  exhausted.  It  may  also  be  caused  by  inflam- 
mation passing  from  other  pai'ts  of  the  body  to  the  feet,  but  not 
often  ;  but  by  whatever  cause,  it  is  the 
same,  namely,  excess  of  blood  in  the  feet. 
The  better  to  convey  an  idea  of  the 
large  amount  of  blood  passing  through 
the  feet,  I  include  a  description  of  the 
same  by  an  excellent  old  author  : — 


Fig.  734. — Bottom  of  foot 
with  hoof  removed. 

The  trunk  of  the  artery 


"As  the  quantity  of  horn  necessary 
for  the  defense  of  Ihe  foot  is  considera- 
ble, a  large  quantity  of  blood  is  dis- 
tributed to  it  for  the  purpose,  and  is 
supplied  b}^  two  large  arteries  which 
pass  down  on  each  side  of  the  pastern; 
these  give  off  considerable  branches  to 
the  frog,   cartilages,  and  coronary  ring, 

enters  at  the  inferior  and  posterior  part  of  the  coflin-bone,  and  di- 
vides into  eight  branches,  which  pass  out  at  the  circumference  or 
angle  of  the  toe,  and  give  off  innumerable  branches  about  the  in- 
ferior partof  thelaminated  struct- 
ure, especially  about  the  toe.  The 
distribution  of  the  blood  to  the 
frog  is  remarkable.  Here  we  find 
several  branches  of  considerable 
size  without  giving  off  other 
branches,  as  in  the  other  parts  of 
the  foot,  until  they  arrive  near 
the  surface,  when  they  divide 
into  innumerable  branches,  sup- 
no.  7.35.— Interior  view  of  the  hoof.  Paying  the  skin  or  secreting  sur- 
face of  the  frog,  and  communi- 
cating with  those  of  the  skin  of  the  sole,  or  sensitive  sole,  so  that  the 
frog  and  sole  form  one  continuous  surface  of  skin  of  great  vascu- 
larity and  sensibility  ;  but  greatly  inferior  in  both  respects  to  the 
laminated  substance  which  is  more  richly  organized,  both  as  to 
blood-vessels  and  nerves,  than  any  other  part  of  the  body." — White. 

I  include  a  number  of  illustrations  which  ffive  an  excellent  idea 
of  the  large  amount  of  this  circulation ;  also  of  the  hoof  and  pedal 
bone,  showing  that  this  sensitive  structure  is  covered  by  an  un- 


830 


DISEASES  AND  THEIR  TREATMENT. 


yielding  shell  of  horn  which  makes  the  inflammation  when  very- 
intense,  extremely  painful,  and  rapidly  destructive  in  its  effect. 

Treatment. — It  is  evident  when  such  a  large  volume  of  blood 
is  obstructed,  and  active  inflammation  is  set  up,  that  there  must 
not  only  be  great  local  but  general  disturbance,  and  that  it  is  of 
the  greatest  importance  to  relieve  this  as  quickly  as  possible,  if  re- 
sults would  be  prevented,  which  would  destroy  the  health  and 
mobility  of  the  foot.      The  Inflammation  is  primarily  limited  to 


1.  Transverse  section 
of  the  hoof. 

2.  Horny  laminae. 

3.  Vascular  laminae. 

4.  5.  Small  cells  be- 
tween the  podophyllous 
and  keraphyllous  tissues. 

6.  Section  of  the  tubes 
of  the  hoof. 

4  As  will  be  seen  this  beau- 
tiful structure  is  entirely 
destroyed  in  front  part 
of  foot  as  shown  in  Figs. 
738  and  742. 


Fig.  736. — Section  of  hoof  lamiuse  largely  magnified. 

the  sensitive  lamina  and  .sole,  which,  if  allowed  to  go  on,  seriously 
involves  the  periosteum  and  bone,  when  it  is  called  peditis,  which 
is  of  a  more  serious  character,  referred  to  hereafter.  I  will  first 
give  the  treatment  pursued  by  Dr.  Summerville,*  with  whom  I 
studied,  which  is  practically  the  standard  treatment  used  by  all 
the  old  practitioners.  I  include  it  mainly  because  I  know  of  its 
effectiveness  from  personal  experience.  If  the  case  can  be  treated 
as  soon  as  the  disease  begins  to  develop,  bleed  from  the  neck  vein 
from  four  to  ten  quarts,  according  to  the  size  and  condition 
of  the  horse  ;  that  is,  if  the  horse  is  large  and  fat,  and 
consequently  full  of  blood,  and  the  attack  severe,  then  the  larger 
quantity  mentioned  may  be  taken.     Afterward  give  a  purgative 


*  Dr,  William  Summerville,  No.  127  Erie  Street,  Buffalo,  N.  T. 


LAMINITIS,  OE  FOUNJDEE. 


831 


ball,  not  enough  to  physic  severely,  but  to  open  the  bowels  freely, 
which,  as  explained  definitely  under  the  head  of  "Physicing,"  for 
an  average  sized  horse 
should  be  from  4  to  7 
drachms  aloes,  1  dr. 
ginger,  barsoap  enough 
to  make  a  mass,  and 
made  into  a  ball.  Af- 
ter the  fore  shoes  have 
been  removed,  poultice 
the  feet  thoroughly  with 
bran  and  cold  water  as 
follows  :  Fill  two 
small  baws,  sufficientlv 
large  to  hold  three  or 
four  quarts,  -vyth  bran, 
put  a  foot  into  each, 
and  tie  loosely  around 
the  top  with  a  string. 


Fig.  737. — Front  view  of  the  pedal-bone  in  a 

healthy  condition.     See  the  great 

contrast  with  Fig.  740. 


Keep  wet  either  by 
pouring  on  water,  or 
by  putting  each  poul- 
ticed foot  into  a  bucket 
of  water.  This  man- 
ner of  poulticing 
should  be  kept  up  for 
four  or  five  days,  when 
the  shoes  m  ay  be  tacked 
on  and  the  horse  exer- 
cised a  little.  Cloths 
wet  with  cold  water 
f;hould  be  tied  around 
the  coronet,  and  the 
soles  stuffed  with  flax- 

-Posterior  view  of  a  liealthy  pedal-bone.  ,  ,  ,, 

seed  meal,  or  any  other 
means  of  keeping  the  feet  wet  for  a  week  or  two  can  be  used. 

The  horse  should  have  tepid  water  to  drink,  and  warm  bran 
mashes  during  the  operation  of  the  medicine.     If  the  disease  is 


Fui.  73S.- 


832 


DISEASES  AND  THEIK  TREATMENT. 


sinibborn,  as  is  rarely  the  case,  a  second  ball  may  bo  given  after 
an  interval  of  four  or  five  days.  All  the  cases  corning  under  my 
observation  in  the  Infirmary  during  the  year  in  which  I  was  con- 
nect(jd  with  it,  and  all  that  have  been  treated  under  iny  super- 
vision since  then,  invariably  yielded  to  this  treatment.  If  the 
case  has  run  two  or  three  days  without  treatment,  or  not  been 
treated  properly,  I  would  advise  opening  both  toes  by  thinning 
out  their  soles,  and  the  feet  put  into  moderately  hot  water  so  as 
to  extract  a  quart  or  more  of  blood  from  each.     If  this  cannot  be 


Fig.  739. — Showing  the  great  change  of  structure  produced  by  severe 

inflammation. 

done,  then  open  the  veins  freely  at  the  coronet.  If  treated  as  di- 
rected it  is  rarely  that  the  attack  wall  not  pass  ofi'  in  four  or  five 
days. 

Dr.  Charles  Meyer  advises  the  following  mode  of  treatment, 
wdiich  he  has  used  with  great  success: — 

"  If  the  animal  is  taken  within  the  past  twenty -four  hours,  have 
the  shoes  removed,  and  put  the  feet  into  a  tub  of  hot  water.  Wind 
flannel  wrappings  or  bandages  around  both  logs  up  to  the  elbows, 
and  keep  them  constantly  wet  with  hot  water  for  I'rom  two  to  three 
houi^s.  In  the  meantime  have  the  horse  well  covci'ed  with  blankets, 
and  give  the  following  remedy  : — 

30  drops  fluid  extract  aconite. 

1  ounce  oil  of  sassafras. 

2  oinices  salt-petre. 
■  1  pint  Unseed  oil. 


LAMINITIS,  OR  FOUNDBE. 


833 


"  This  is  to  be  given  at  once.  There  will  be  a  profuse  perspira- 
tion in  from  tifteen  to  twenty  minutes.  Keep  the  blankets  on 
about  six  hours,  then  remove  and  put  on  dry  ones.  Keep  wet 
swabs  on  the  horse's  feet,  and  stand  him  on  wet  clay.  All  stiffness 
and  soreness  in  the  feet  will  be  removed   in    from  thirty-six   to 


Fig.  740. — Internal  view  of  Fig.  737,  showing  the  great  displacement 

of  pedal  bone.     The  dotted  lines  show  the  point  to  which 

the  foot  should  he  trimmed. 

seventy-two  hours.     In  the  meantime  give  one   of  the   following 
powders :" — 

3  ounces  bicarbonatt;  of  polasli, 
6  ounces  nitrate  of  potash. 
Make  into  six  [n)\vders,  and  give  two  every  eiglit  hours  until  well. 


Dr.  William  Shepherd,  of 
Ottawa,  Illinois,  in  an  address 
before  the  State  Veterinaiy  As- 
sociation, advised  treatment  as 
follows : — 

"  In  the  treatment  of  acute  1am- 
initis,  as  soon  as  possible  after 
having  discovered  that  the  animal 
has  been  foundered  in  the  feet, 
or  has  acute  laminitis,  which  is  the 
same  thing,  have  the  shoes  taken 
off,  place  the  feet  in  a  deep  tub  of  warm  water  in  which  some  ha}^ 
ImB  been  put  to  form  a  soft  foundation  for  the  tender  feet  to  rest 

53 


Fig.    741. — Showing   the   direction  of 
the  bone-cells  as  thrown  out  from 
the  podophyllous  tissue. 


834 


DISEASES  AND  TIIEIU  TEEATMENT. 


on.  Keep  thcni  there  for  about  an  liour,  then  take  them  out  and 
put  them  in  Avarm  poultices,  composed  of  equal  parts  of  slipjiery 
elm  bark  and  linseed  meal.  Bo  sure  the  poultices  envelop  the 
whole  hoof  Have  a  deep  soft  bed  placed  under  the  animal.  Give 
a  purgative,  which  should  be  one-half  of  the  ordinary  dose,  as  su- 
pcrpurgation  is  apt  to  follow  otherwise.  If  Barbadoes  aloes  bo  the 
agent  employed,  four  drachms  will  bo  found  sufficient.  Give  a  dose 
of  aconite,  say  ten  drops  every  twenty  minutes,  until  the  animal 
has  been  thrown  into  a  profuse  perspiration.  Cover  him  with 
warm  blankets.  The  poultices  should  bo  changed  twice  a  daj^,  aiid 
after  taking  them  off  put  the  feet  in  water,  as  above  recommended. 
Continue  this  treatment  for  three  or  four  days  at  least.  Feed  no 
grain,   simj^ly  bran   mashes,   vegetables,  and   hay.     When   shoeing 


Fig. 


-Position  of  the  bones  of  the  foot  iu  a  healthy  coiulition. 


the  animal,  see  that  the  shoes  arc  wide-webbed,  the  hoof-surface 
being  convex,  still  leaving  sufficient  flat  surface  for  the  wall  of  the 
hoof  to  rest  comfortably  on.  If  it  is  a  valuable  beast,  have  him 
turned  out  on  low  land  jiasture  in  about  two  weeks  after  the  com- 
mencement of  the  attack.  Should  he  bo  stabled,  keep  damp  swabs 
on  while  he  is  housed.  This  treatment  is  applicable  to  either  acute 
or  sub-acute,  which  I  have  here  treated  as  one  disease,  and  which, 
in  fact,  it  is." 

Dr.  Hamill  Advises 

If  there  is  simply  a  congestion  of  the  extremities  and  fever, 
then  treat  as  a  fever  locally  and  generally.  Give  as  sedatives 
aconite  and  nitre  internally,  with  cooling  applications  locally  to 
the  feet.  If  the  inflammation  is  so  extreme  as  to  cause  a  de- 
struction of  the  suspensory  power  of  the  laminae,  then  it  is  advis- 


LAMINITIS,    OE   FOUNDEE. 


835 


ablo  to  bleed  quickly.  If  purgatives  are  advisable,  give  calomel 
and  aloes  in  the  proportion  of  1  to  2  drachms  of  calomel  to  4  to  7 
of  aloes. 

In  a  conversation  with  Dr.  Walton  (house  surgeon  of  Co- 
lumbia Veterinary  College)  on  this  subject,  he  advised  treatment 
as  below,  and  the  better  to  explain  it,  referred  to  treatment  pur- 
sued in  the  management  of  a  very  bad  case,  as  follows: — 

"  The  horse  had  been  driven  through  a  rain-storm  twenty  miles  ; 
was  stiff  in  all  four  feet,  and  unable  to  stand.  The  shoes  were  re- 
moved, and  poultices  applied  to  the  feet.  At  first,  aconite  15  drops, 
then  10  drops  an  hour  were  given  for  the  first  3  or  4  hours.  At 
the  same  time,  as  the  horse  was  in  considerable  pain,  hypodermic  in- 


FiG.  743. — Abnormal  condition  of  foot  caused  by  Laminitis. 

jections  of  about  two  grains  morphine  twice  a  day,  2  oz.  dose  ni- 
trate of  potass  four  times  a  day,  were  given.  Water  Avas  given 
freely.  He  recovered  in  four  or  five  days.  His  temperature  was 
105°.  As  soon  as  the  fever  commenced  to  abate,  the  aconite  was 
reduced  to  five  drops  about  every  three  hours." 

Prof.  Williams  says  : — 

"  Should  there  be  much  fever,  I  know  of  no  treatment  so  ef- 
fectual as  aconite  in  repeated  doses,  giving  20  drops  of  the  tincture 
of  the  root  every  two  hours  in  water,  until  the  pulse  decidedly  falls. 
If  the  pain  is  very  severe,  I  advise  giving  attention  to  this  fii'st 
by  administei'ing  one  or  two  full  doses  of  opium  or  mor]:)hinc.  For 
local  treatment  to  the  foot,  1  advise  enveloping  in  large  warm 
poultices,  or  wrap  in  numerous  woolen  cloths,  and  keep  them  wet 
Avith  hot  water.  After  the  urgent  symptoms  have  passed  off,  c6ld 
instead  of  hot  appUcations  wilt  prove  most  effectual. 


836 


DISEASES   AND   TllElli   TKEATMBNT. 


A  country  horse  doctor  of  my  acquaintance,  who  is  a  good 
deal  of  a  genius  in  his  way,  treated  laminitis  with  decided  success 
as  follows  : — 

"  First,  put  the  feet  of  the  horse,  up  to  the  knees  or  over,  into  as 
hot  water  as  he  can  bear,  to  which  add  one  pound  of  mustard,  and 
have  a  man  on  each  side  with  a  sponge  apply  the  water  from  the 
tub  to  the  chest  and  shoulders  for  twenty-five  or  thirty  minutes, 
addhig  more  hot  water  as  it  cools.  Next,  take  him  from  the  bath 
to  a  close  stall,  and  cover  with  three  or  four  heavy  blankets,  and 
let  the  men  rub  his  legs  for  half  an  hour,  then  bleed  in  jDlate-vcins 
(the  large  veins  running  down  the  inside  of  the  leg,  above  the  knee), 
taking  from  a  pint  to  a  quart  of  blood  from  each  leg  ;   after  which 


Fig.   744. — A  sectional  view  of  Fig.  741.     An  exact  drawing  of  specimen 
stiowing  grain  of  new  growtli  of  soft,  spongy  horn. 

ap2:)ly  some  moderately  stimulating  liniment  to  the  legs  and  shoul- 
ders to  keep  up  the  circulation,  and  give  a  dose  of  physic.  Eemove 
one  blanket  after  another  as  he  cools  off,  leaving  on  the  last  one, 
and  give  some  soft  feed.  On  the  second  day  exercise  the  horse  a 
little,  and  usually  on  the  fourth  day  he  is  in  a  condition  for  woi"k."''' 

I  have  included  this  variety  of  treatment  the  better  to  give  a 
clear  understanding  to  stablemen  and  others  as  to  what  they  can  do 
in  an  emergency.  The  first  method,  which  I  will  call  Summer- 
ville's,  I  know  to  be  entirely  reliable  ;  at  all  events,  I  have  not 
known  of  a  single  case  out  of  a  large  number  treated  on  this  plan 

*The  horse  on  no  account  should  be  put  to  work  so  soon  itit  can  bo  avoided, 


LAMiNITIS,  OR  FOUNDBE. 


837 


that  did  not  entirely  recover,  without,  so  far  as  I  could  see,  any 
evidence  of  the  sole  dropping.  But  as  few  have  the  conveniences, 
or  know  how  to  bleed, 
it  is  very  important  to  be 
able  to  treat  such  cases 
without  bleeding.  On  this 
account,  I  have  added  the 
details  from  other  leading- 
practitioners,  and,  as  will 
be  seen,  there  is  the  best 
of  assurance  of  other  treat-  \  ^ 
ment  being  equally  relia-  X-^^ 
ble.  In  any  event,  should  ^  ^  T 
the  farmer  or  horse  owner 
find  his  horse  foundered, 
and  no  veterinary  surgeon 
available,  he  can  at  least 
resort  to  the  simplest  meth- 
ods, such  as  putting  the 
feet  in  a  tub  of  hot  wa- 
ter,   in   which  is  a  lot  of   hay  or  straw  ;    bathing  the  forward 

parts  thoroughly,  as  di- 
rected by  Dr.  Meyer  or 
the  country  horse-doctor. 
If  there  is  much  fever, 
and  the  fever  medicine  or 
aconite  is  available,  give 


that.  Give  all  the  water 
the  horse  wants  to  drink, 
which  should  have  the 
chill  taken  off ;  open  the 
bowels  l)y  enemas  and 
back-rakinp'  ;  afive  a  lit- 
tie  saltpetre  in  the  water ; 
feed  bran  mashes  and 
boiled  oats,  in  addition  to 
keeping  the  body  com- 
fortably clothed,  etc.,  or 
cover  the  feet  with  poul- 


FiG.    745. — Posterior   sectional  view  of   pedal 
bone  showing  changed  and  weakened  condition 
from  the  effect  of  inflammation. 


Fig. 


746. — Inferior  view  of  bones  shown  in  Fig. 
745.       Part  to  the  right  diseased. 


838  DISEASES  AND   THEIR  TEEATMENT. 

ticos  as  directed.  The  important  point  is  not  to  lose  time  in 
combatiiig  the  difficulty  from  the  start,  but  resort  to  all  means 
available  that  will  give  relief,  and  thus  a  valuable  horse  may  be 
saved,  which  under  the  ordinary  circumstance  of  delay,  indecis- 
ion, and  ignorant  bad  treatment,  would  be  inevitably  ruined. 

I  have  forgotten  to  mention  in  place,  that  it  is  important, 
when  there  is  extreme  pain,  to  give  relief,  for  it  by  giving  one 
to  two  drachms  of  powdered  opium  or  five  to  ten  grains  of 
morphine,  or,  if  available,  by  injecting  nnder  the  skin  one  to  two 
grains  of  morphine,  as  there  is  nothing  that  tells  upon  the  strength 
of  a  horse  so  quickly  as  severe  pain. 

Chronic  Founder. 

When  the  inflammation  is  very  intense,  and  is  allowed  to  con- 
tinue very  long,  there  is  an  exudate  or  lymph  thrown  out  that 
separates  the  wall  from  the  sensible  laminae  at  the  toe.     In  time 
there  are  immorphus  horn  cells,  grown  from  the  sensitive  laminae, 
or  phodofilous  tissues  of  the  coffin-bone,  -making  a  soft,  spongy 
horn,  which,  pressing  against  the  wall  in  front,  forces  the  anterior 
part  of  the  bone  downward   against  the  sole,  making  it  bulge 
downward,  and  in  some  cases  perforating  it,  with  a  corresponding 
falling  in  of  the  wall   above,  producing  what  is  termed  a  drop 
sole,  which  will  be  more  or  less  marked  according  to  the  amount 
of  disorganization.     I  give  two  very  iateresting  specimens  of  ex- 
treme cases.     The  first  was  obtained  by  me  of  Prof.  Cressy,  of 
Hartford,  Conn. ;   the  second  from  a  specimen  furnished  by  the 
Columbia  Veterinary  College,  N.  Y.     They  are  drawn  half  size, 
and  are  exact  reproductions  of  the  originals.     When  there  is  in- 
flammation in  the  feet  involving  the  bones,  it  is  surprising  to  what 
degree  the  pedal  bone  is  liable  to  become  absorbed,  changed  in  form, 
and  have  its  texture  weakened.    Figs.  745  and  746,  which  were  also 
obtained  from  Dr.  Cressy,  show  the  great  amount  of  change  and 
absorption   that   may  be  produced  from  this  cause.     They  rep- 
resent the  superior  and  inferior  views  of  a  bone  that  had  been 
very  much  absorbed  and  turned  up  at  the  outer  edge,  cut  in  two, 
and  united  to  sections  of  an  ordinarily  healthy  bone,  to  show  the 
extreme    change   produced   in    its  form.     The   part   outside    the 
dotted  lines  was  so  porous  that  it  could   be   looked  through  as 


CHRONIC    FOTJNBEH. 


839 


plainly  as  through  the  texture  of  coarse  cloth,  and  its  fibre  was  so 
weak  that  it  would  crumble  between  the  fingers.  Fig.  747,  also 
obtained  from  Prof.  Cressy,  is  another  interesting  specimen  show- 
ing the  upper  view  of 
another  bone  of  the 
same  character.  Fig. 
748  is  a  side  view  of 
this  bone,  taken  on  an 
exact  scale,  showing  the 
remarkable  bending  up 
of  the  edges,  and  its 
thinness,  it  being  not 
over  three-quarters  of 
an  inch  at  the  pyra- 
midal process  or  front 
of  the  joint.  Fig.  749 
is  a  bottom  view  of  the 
same  kind  of  bone,  and 
was  obtained  of  Dr. 
Walton  of  the  Colum- 
bia Veterinary  College. 

Being  engraved  from  a  photograph,  it  did  not  work  up  so  well. 
Instead  of  being  flat  as  it  appears,  the  outer  edges  were  bent  up- 
ward over  a  quarter  of  an  inch,  with  the  edges  ragged  and  broken, 

I  include  also  a  specimen 
showing  eflfect  of  inflamma- 
tion by  the  pressure  of  the 
toe-calk,  and  excessive  rasp- 
ino-  of  the  wall.  Fig.  750. 
These  remarkable  changes 
of  structure  in  the  foot  gen- 
erally, especially  in  the  ped- 
al-bone, when  compared  with  that  in  a  state  of  health,  we  see  to 
be  very  great,  and  explain  the  destructive  eft'ect  of  inflammation 
when  allowed  to  continue  for  any  length  of  time.  Reference  can 
also  be  made  to  the  many  interesting  specimens  following  the 
chapter  on  Navicular-Joint  Lameness  showing  this.  Many  of 
these  specimens  will  show  not  only  the  navicular  but  the  out>er 
edge  of  the  pedal-bone  to  be  fractured. 


Fig.  747.  — Showing  absorption  aud  change  of  form 
in  pedal-bone, — the  effect  of  inflammation. 


Fig. 


r48. — Side  view  of  the  above,  showing 
bending  up  of  the  edges,  etc. 


840 


DISEASES  AND  TllElR  TKEATMENT. 


In  some  extreme  cases  where  inflammation  runs  liiofli,  and 
is  allowed  to  continue  very  long,  this  separation  of  the  wall 
from  the  internal  structure  may  be  continued  so  far  as  to  cause 
ulceration  of  the  coronet  and  loss  of  the  entire  hoof  ;  but  this  is 
rare. 

Thei-e  is  no  cure  for  chronic  founder.  All  that  can  be  done  is 
to  palliate  it  to  the    best  advantage.      Some  good  practitioners, 

when  they  suspect  any 
exudate  at  the  toe,  and 
a  separation  of  tlie  1am- 
inse,  open  the  toe,  so  as 
to  give  free  vent  to  it. 
This  I  would  regard 
good  practice.  When 
there  is  some  dropping 
of  the  sole,  the  best  way 
to  produce  a  healthy 
condition  of  cii'culation 
and  cell-growth  is  to 
put  on  tips  or  very  thin 
shoes  that  will  allow 
pressure  upon  the  sole. 
(See  Tip's,  page  643)  ; 
better  still  in  addition 
would  be  allowing  the  horse  to  run  on  soft  or  gravelly  ground. 
(See  standing  on  ashes,  etc.,  on  next  page). 

Peditis,  or  Inflammation  of  the  Oh  Pedis. 


Fig.  749, 


-Infeiior  view  of  pedal  bone.     Last 
referred  to  in  text. 


When  there  is  severe  inflammation  of  the  feet  (laminitis)  the 
Periosteum  (membrane  covering  the  bone)  and  the  pedal  bone 
.sometimes  become  involved,  when  it  is  termed  Peditis. 

This  is  indicated  by  the  horse  showing  intense  pain,  getting 
up  and  lying  down  often.  No  local  treatment  seems  to  check  the 
structural  changes  that  go  on  ;  it  will  run  from  one  to  two 
months;  the  horse  has  a  I'a venous  appetite  all  the  time,  and  as  a 
rule  does  not  lose  flesh.  If  temperature  rises,  give  sedative 
treatment, — opium,  aconite  with  nitrate  of  potassa  in  small  doses 


CATAERH. 


^41 


Fig.  750. — Showing  effect  upon  the  bone  of 
pressure  of  toe-calk  and  rasping  hoof. 


(not  over  1  ounce  a  day  divided  into  two  parts  and  given  in 
water).  AVhen  tlie  temperature  gets  down  to  102°,  stop  internal 
treatment,  and  treat  locally 
about  as  follows  :  It  is  nec- 
essary to  have  a  stall  with 
a  soft  bottom  as  saw-dust, 
ashes,  etc.  Occasionally  it 
is  best  to  dampen  the  ashes 
a  little  during  the  day,  and 
rake  them  up  so  as  to  form 
a  yielding  body  to  the  feet. 
Throw  a  little  bedding  over 
it  at  night,  and  also  during 
the  day  to  give  the  horse  a 
chance  to  lie  down. 

Treatment. — Apply  cool- 
ing applications,  such  as 
cold  swabs  ;  that  is,  cover 
the  feet  with  two  or  three  thicknesses  of  blankets,  and  keep  wet 
with  cold  water.  After  the  acute  symptoms  subside,  blister. 
The  point  is  to  lower  the  fever,  and  check  the  flow  of  blood  to 
the  feet. 

Catarrh. 

Catarrh,  or  "cold  in  the  head,"  is  an  affection  of  the  lining 
membrane  of  the  nasal  chambers  and  cavaties  of  the  head.  It 
consists  in  a  congested  or  inflamed  state  of  that  membrane,  giving 
rise  to  a  glairy  discharge  from  one  or  both  nostrils,  and  when  the 
head  of  the  Avindpipe  (larynx)  is  implicated,  accompanied  by  a 
cough. 

Causes  may  be  classed  under  predisposing  and  exciting,  as 
the  majority  of  young  horses  under  five  years  of  age  may  be  said 
to  be  predisposed  to  this  affection.  The  exciting  causes  are  sud- 
den variations  in  the  state  of  the  temperature ;  undue  exposure  to 
cold  when  an  animal  is  in  a  heated  state,  especially  after  a  hard 
day's  work  or  drive  ;  standing  in  stables  badly  ventilated,  or  any 
place  exposed  to  cold  draughts.  Perhaps  the  most  common  cause 
in  young  horses  is  placing  them  in  warm  stables  in  the  fall  of  the 
year  immediately  on  taking  them  off  the  pastures.     A  sudden 


842 


DISEASES  AND  THEIR  TREATMENT. 


Fig.  751 

from  cold 


Suffering 


change  from  a  cold  to  a  hot  temperature  is  more  likely  to  cause 
catarrh  than  a  change  from  a  hot  to  a  cold  one. 

SymptoTYis. — -If  the  horse  is  standing  in 
the  stable  he  will  appear  dull,  and  incline  to 
hang  his  head  in  the  manger  ;  the  mouth  is 
hot,  and  the  pulse  quickened  and  weak  ;  the 
coat  is  staring,  and  the  lining  membrane  of 
the  nose  is  reddened  and  injected.  If  the  lar- 
ynx is  involved,  steady  pressure  on  that  re- 
gion will  cause  coughing.  This  is  the  con- 
gestive stage,  which  speedily  passes  off,  and 
exudation  takes  place  from  the  vessels,  caus- 
ing a  discharge  from  the  nostrils,  at  first 
watery,  gradually  becoming  thicker,  and  of 
a  yellowish  color.  In  some  instances  this 
matter  becomes  pent  up  within  the  sinuses  of  the  head,  and  comes 
away  in  large  quantities  every  three  or  four  hours.  A  watery 
discharge  from  the  eye  is  also  very  often  an 
accompaniment  of  catarrh.  If  these  symp- 
toms become  aggravated,  the  appetite  is  im- 
paired, the  bowels  are  costive,  and  the  foeces 
passed  are  of  a  clayey  nature,  the  legs  and 
ears  are  cold,  and  the  breathing  accelerated. 
Catarrh,  if  improperly  treated,  oir  the  ani- 
mal kept  at  work  and  exposed  to  sudden 
changes  of  temperature,  is  veiy  apt  to  de- 
scend to  the  chest,  and  is  a  prolific  source  of 
other  and  more  serious  diseases,  as  inflamma- 
tion of  the  lungs  {'pneumonia),  or  of  the  cov- 
ering of  the  lungs  (^^leurisy),  or  of  the  bron- 
chial tubes  (bronchitis). 

In  the  majority  of  cases  catarrh  is  but  a  simple  affection  indi- 
cated by  a  little  increase  of  pulse,  a  slight  discharge  from  the  nose 
and  eyes,  the  hair  roughened,  not  much  appetite,  and  some  cough, 
which  is  sometimes  severe,  and  if  the  patient  gets  anything  hke 
proper  usage  or  treatment  no  very  serious  results  generally  follow. 
Treatment. — At  once  place  the  animal  in  a  comfortable, 
well-ventilated,  loose  box,  as  should  be  done  in  all  affections  of 
the  chest;    blanket  warmly,  give   aconite  or  some  of  the  fever 


^^ 


Fig.  752. — Nose-bag. 


IjARYNGITIS,  oil  SORE   THROAT.  843 

medicine  ;  if  the  ease  is  serious,  as  stated,  it  may  run  into  general 
inflammation  of  the  air  passages,  as  bronchitis  or  laryngitis  ;  also 
hand-rub  and  bandage  the  legs  ;  the  clothing  and  bandages  must 
be  removed  twice  a  day,  and  the  body  well  rubbed  over.  Give 
one  or  two  drachms  of  aloes  in  solution  combined  with  half  a 
drachm  of  powdered  ginger.  Steam  the  head  by  means  of  a  nose 
bag  partly  filled  with  scalded  bran,  into  which  put  an  ounce  or 
two  of  turpentine.  Hang  the  bag  on  the  head  same  as  in  cut,  be- 
ing- careful  not  to  have  it  so  tight  around  the  nose  as  to  heat  or 
scald  it,  and  be  oppressive.  Many  cases  have  been  suffocated  by 
having  the  bag  brought  too  tightly  over  the  nose.  A  few  repeti- 
tions of  this  will  cause  the  nose  to  run  freely.  Nurse  by  giving  bran 
mashes,  boiled  oats,  etc.  Rest  and  cafe  will  usually  do  the  rest. 
In  mild  cases  it  is  not  necessary  to  use  the  nose  bag.  A  few 
doses  of  tartai"  emetic  and  nitrate  of  potash  may  be  given  daily  in 
a  bran  mash,  and  the  throat  rubbed  with  a  stimulating  liniment. 
If  there  is  much  inflammation  of  the  throat  and  air  passages,  any 
good  liniment  may  be  applied  on  the  throat  and  around  the  chest 
and  bandaofed  as  shown  in  cut. 


~o' 


Laryngitis,  or  "Sore  Throat," 

Consists  in  inflammation  of  the  mucous  membrane  of  the  head 
of  the  windpipe  (larynx).  It  is  generally  called  "sore  throat," 
and  is  a  very  common  affection  among  horses,  occurring  in  a 
variety  of  forms,  being  some- 
times of  a  very  acute  nature, 
and  running  its  course  with 
great  rapidity  ;  in  other  cases  of 
a  milder  type,  and  assuming 
what  may  be  called  a  sub-acute 
form. 

Causes   are    similar  to  ca- 
tarrh,   as    undue    exposure    to 
cold     and    variations    in    the       Fig.  753.— Simple  method  of  covering 
temperature;    but    in   some  the  throat, 

seasons  it  appears  as  an  epizootic  disease,  large  numbers  of  horses 
becoming  affected  with  it  about  the  same  time.  These  cases  are 
always  of  a  typhoid  nature,  more  especially  when  occurring  in 
stables  insufficiently  ventilated. 


844 


DISEASES  AND  TllElK  TEEATMENT. 


Symptoms  of  "  sore  throat "  are  well  marked.  The  horse 
holds  liis  head  stiff,  with  his  nose  poked  out,  showing  the  muscles 
of  the  neck  prominently;  he  has  considerable  difficulty  in  swal- 
lowing ;    if  he  attempts  to  drink,  part  of  the  water  is  returned 


Fig.  754. — Method  of  covering  the  throat  and  chest  for  laryngitis. — From  Mayhew. 

through  his  nostrils  ;  the  throat  is  painful  to  the  touch,  and  the 
least  pressure  excites  a  violent  fit  of  coughing.  At  the  com- 
mencement of  the  disease  it  is  difficult  to  distinguish  it  from  "  dis- 


FiG.  75.5.—  Good  method  of  covering  the  throat  for  fomenting, 
or  applj'ing  stimulants,  for  laryngitis. 

temper "  (strangles).  By  the  third  or  fourth  day  the  difference 
can  be  easily  seen  ;  the  usual  tumor  of  distemper  does  not  ap- 
pear. The  pulse  varies  ;  in  some  eases  but  little  altered,  in  others 
very  quick  and  weak.  The  coat  is  also  staring,  and  the  function 
of  the  kidneys  partly  arrested.  In  severe  cases  the  breathing  be- 
comes heavy  and  laborious.     By  the  third  or  fourth  day  from  the 


STRAInTGLES,   or  HOESE   DISTEMPEE.  845 

beginning  of  the  attack,  a  greenish  yellow  matter  is  discharged 
from  the  nostrils. 

Treatment. — The  general  and  local  treatment  should  be  very 
much  the  same  as  for  cold  or  catarrh,  with  the  addition  of  a  free 
use  of  counter-irritants  to  the  throat,  as  mustard  well  rubbed  in, 
or  any  good  stimulating  liniment,  or  even  a  light  liquid  blister. 
Aim  to  keep  up  the  strength  by  feeding  soft,  easily  digested  food ; 
bran  mashes  Avith  a  little  boiled  oats  in  it,  carrots,  etc.,  any  food 
that  he  can  eat  easily. 

When  the  bowels  are  constipated,  as  is  often  the  case,  clysters 
of  soap  and  water  must  be  freely  used.  When  the  cough  is  se- 
vere and  hacking,  the  following  ball  may  be  given  once  or  twice 
a  day: — 

1  drachm  camphor. 

1  drachm  powdered  opium. 

2  scruples  extract  belladonna. 

If  the  horse  is  threatened  with  suffocation,  the  windpipe 
should  be  opened,  and  a  tube  inserted.  (See  description  of  opera- 
tion under  head  of  Tracheotomy.) 

One  of  the  leading  practitioners  of  the  country  dicta.ted  to  the 
writer  the  following  as  his  best  treatment: — 

Counter  irritation  of  the  larynx.      The  best  internal  remedy  would  be, 

2  drachms  extract  of  belladonna, 
1  ounce  chlorate  of  potass, 

With  a  sufficient  quantity  of  honey  to  be  made  into  the  form  of  an  elec- 
tuary, and  applied  with  a  spoon  to  the  back  of  the  tongue.  Also  use  one- 
half  ounce  doses  of  chlorate  of  potass  put  into  a  pail  of  water,  and  allowed 
to  remain  in  front  of  the  animal. 

Strangles,  or  Horsj:  Distemper. 

This  is  another  form  of  sore  throat  occurring  mostly  in  young 
horses  from  two  to  five  years  old,  and  which  is  familiar  to  every 
one.  Its  design  seems  to  be  to  throw  some  poisonous  matter  from 
the  system,  and  the  object  should  be  to  keep  tbe  strength  of  the 
animal  up,  and  hasten  suppuration. 

The  exciting  causes  arc  similar  to  catarrh,  transition  from  cold 
to  heat,  as  from  the  pasture  to  the  stable,  change  of  stable  from 
the  country  to  the  citj.  It  occurs  most  commonly  in  spring,  and 
is  usually  seen  in  cold,  damp  weather, 


846 


DISEASES  AND  THEIE  TEEATMENT. 


Fig.  756. — Horse  with  strangles. 


The  general  symptoms  are  very  much  the  same  as  explained 
in  the  previous  difficulties,  the  distinguishing  points  are,  the  horse 

is  out  of  sorts ;  the  neck  be- 
come sore  and  stiff;  an 
enlargements  appears  be- 
tween the  branches  of  the 
jaw,  which  is  hot  and 
tender;  there  is  some  dis- 
charge from  the  nose.  In 
ordinary  cases  the  tumor 
goes  on  to  suppuration ;  a 
copious  discharge  of  thick 
yellow  matter  takes  place  from  the  nostrils ;  in  about  a  week  the 
tumor  has  matured,  becomes  soft,  and  points,  and  either  bursts 
or  should  be  opened ;  continues  to 
discharge  for  some  time,  and 
gradual  recovery  takes  place. 
But  if  the  case  is  very  severe  it 
will  grow  worse,  often  threaten- 
ing to  cause  suffocation.  The 
horse  is  able  to  eat  or  drink  but 
little,  and  strength  is  lost  rapidly. 
Treatment. — Provide  a  com- 
fortable, well-ventilated  stall  ; 
clothe  warmly  ;  rub  and  bandage 
the  legs  ;  nurse  by  giving  bran 
mashes,  boiled  oats,  carrots,  etc. 
Bowels  should  be  opened  by  in- 
jections. Use  freely  a  poultice 
made  of  wheat  bran  and  Avarm 
vinegar,  changing  as  often  as  the  poultice  becomes  dry,  using  the 
eight-tailed  bandage  until  the  enlargement  becomes  soft  and  can 
be  opened,  when  relief  will  be  prompt.  Or  the  following  treat- 
ment may  be  adopted,  which  is  very  good  and  in  some  cases 
may  be  prefei'able  :  Take  spirits  of  turpentine,  two  parts  ; 
spirits  of  camphor,  one  part  ;  laudanum,  one  part.  Put  this  on 
the  neck  with  a  brush,  if  convenient,  or  in  any- way  to  apply  it 
without  exciting  pain,  three  or  four  times  a  day  until  soi-eness 
is  caused.    After  each  application,  have  ready  three  or  four  pieces 


Fig.  757. — Simple  method  of  covering 
the  tumor  when  stimulated. 


STEANGLES,    OE  HOESE   DISTEMPEE. 


847 


of  flannel,  which  should  be  a  good  thick  article  ;  put  these 
over  the  parts,  and  bind  on  with  the  eight-tailed  bandage.  Or 
hot  fomentations  and  poultices  can  be  freely  applied  to  the  tumor 


Fig.  758. — The  eight-tail  bandage. 

so  as  to  encoura2"e  the  formation  of  matter.     When  the   tumor 
points,    open   it   by    cutting  through  the  skin,  and  if  necessary 


Fig.  759. — The  eight-tail  bandage  as  adjusted. 

enlarge  the  orifice  by  pushing  in  the  finger,  also  small  doses  of 
saltpetre  should  be  given  in  the  feed,  or  the  following  pow- 
ders night  and  morning: — 

1^  ounces  nitre. 
6  drachms  tartar  emetic. 

Mix  and  make  into  six 
powders. 

Sometin>es  the  in- 
flammation is  so  deep 
as  to  cause  serious  sore- 
ness and  swelling  of 
the  throat.  In  this 
case  the  horse  must  be 
nursed  carefully  by 
feeding  warm  gruel  ; 
the    drink     should    be  F^«-  760.-Opening  the  abscess  in  strangles. 

warm  ;  grass  or  anything  that  will  tempt  the  appetite  should  be 
given. 


848 


DISEASES   AND   THEIE  TKEAT3IENT. 


Glanders  and  Farcy. 

I  consider  these  difficulties  mainly  to  enable  the  detection  of 
them  to  prevent  their  spreading,  as  they  are  extremely  contagious 

to  both  men  and  horses.  They  are  in- 
curable, and  to  guard  against  the  possibility 
of  danger  when  a  case  is  suspected,  the  only 
safe  way  is  to  at  once  either  isolate  or  de- 
stroy the  animal. 

I  depend  mainly  for  my  explanation  of 

these    diseases    upon    several   old    authors.* 

They    fully    agree   with   the   statements  of 

modern  authors  that  it  is  practically  useless 

to  tamper  with  glanders.     Farcy  in  its  early 

stage  can  be  controlled    without   difficulty, 

l)ut  the  medicine  injures  the  constitution  seri- 

FiG.  761.— All  ordinary  ously,  and  in  addition,  it  is  rarely  that  the 

case  of  farcy.  disease  will  not  soon    break    out    again    or 

develop  glanders. 

"  SynqAoms. — The  distinctive  appearances  which  glanders  pre- 
sent may  be  slow  in  their  development,  and  may  continue  for  years, 
during  Avhich  ho  may  feed  and  work 
well,  constituting  chronic  glandeo's ;  or 
they  may  run  on  i-iipidly,  and  in  two  or 
three  weeks  are  well  marked  and  soon 
come  to  a  fatal  teriniuation,  when  it  is 
called  acute  glanders. 

"  The  coat  is  rough  and  staring  ;  he 
is  usually  hide-bound ;  the  belJy  drawn 
up,  and  constitutional  disturbance  exists, 
the  pulse  being  easily  excited  ;  the  mem- 
brane linintr  the  nostrils  is  of  a  leaden 


hue  ;   the   glands   inside  the  lower  jaAV 


Fig.  7G3. — A  piece  of  farcied 
skin. — From  Jfayhew. 


where  the  pulse  is  felt  become  enlarged, 
hard  and  nodular  like  a  mass  of  peas  or 
beans.,  especially  on  the  side  from  Avhich  the  discharge  takes  place 
— usually  the  loft,  sometimes  the  right,  or  even  from  both ; — the 
discharge  is  clear  and  watery  at  first,  becoming  thicker  and  sticky, 
accumulating  around  the  nostril ;  cough  may  be  ])resent ,  but  it  is  not 
an  invariable  symptom.  As  it  advances,  the  discharge  increases,  be- 
comes purulent,  of  a  greejiish  color,  sometimes  mixed  with  streaks 
of  blood  ;  it  is  of  a  heavy  specific  gravity,  and  if  dropped  into 
water  sinks  to  the  bottom;     it   lias  a  very  oflVnsivo    smell;    the 


*  Turner,  Youatt,  M.  Volpl,  Wbite,  and  others. 


GLANDERS  AND  FARCY. 


849 


gland  on  the  affected  side  becomes  hard  and  adherent  to  the  side 
of  the  jaw  ;  ulcerating  tubercles  form  on  the  nostrils,  which  have  a 
mouse-eaten  appearance,  being  raised  and  irregular  at  the  edges, 
and  depressed  in  the  center ;  they  run  into  patches,  and  spread 
over  the  whole  nasal  se])tum  ;  weakness  and  emaciation  set  in. 
The  ulceration  in  some  cases  extends  to  the  cartilages,  and  even 
the  bones  are  sometimes  implicated,  when  occasional  bleedings  en- 


FiG.  763.- — A  bad  case  of 

farcy.     Photographed 
from  life  by  Prof.  Cressy. 

sue.  Cough  is  troublesome  ;  fai'cy 
buds  appear  in  some  cases  over  the 
body,  and  he  dies  a  disgusting  and 
loathsome  spectacle. 

'■^  Farcy. — Farcy  and  glaiulers  are 
essentially  the  same  disease,  and 
depending  o\\  the  same  specific  poison  in  the  bloo<l,  but  mani- 
festing itself  in  a  different  locality.  It  often  occurs  in  connection 
with  glanders,  but  is  also  seen  independent  of  it,  running  into  glan- 
ders as  it  progresses. 

"  Symiitoms. — It  usually  affects  the  superficial  absorbents  of  the 
hind  limbs  in  the  groin,  extending  downward  on  the  inside  of  the 
thigh,  following  the  line  of  the  lymphatics,  also  along  the  absorb- 
ents of  the  necic  and  shoulders  ;  little  tubercles,  or  farcy  buds,  form, 
which  in  some  cases  become  indurated  and  lie  dormant  for  a  time, 
but  in  most  cases  they  go  on  to  ulceration,  producing  angry,  irregu- 
lar ulcers  similar  to  the  ulceration  in  glanders  ;  the  virus  being  con- 
veyed along  the  absorbents,  the  buds  extend  in  knots  ;  lines  of 
corded  and  inflamed  absorbents  are  felt  extending  from  below  up- 
ward, the  hair  being  rough  and  bristling  along  their  course ;  by 
and    by  swelling   of  the   legs  sets  in  ;    as  it  goes  on  he  becomes 

54 


850  DISEASES  AND  THKIK  TEEATMENT. 

emaciated  ;  (ho  ulceration  attacks  the  nostrils,  and  glanders  and 
farcy  are  combined,  and  death  relieves  him  at  last.*  A  disease 
called  watery  farcy  must  not  be  mistaken  for  genuine  farcy." 

As  there  is  liable  to  be  considerable  difficulty  experienced  in 
dias'nosincf  glanders  from  common  runningr  of  the  nose  from  cold, 
strangles,  or  nasal  gleet,  I  include  the  best  description  I  can  find 
of  the  symptoms  as  they  progress. 

"  The  earliest  symptom  is  an  increased  discharge  from  the  nos- 
tril, small  in  quantity,  constantly  flowing,  of  a  watery  character 
and  a  little  mucus  mingling  Avith  it.  Connected  with  this  is  an 
error  too  general,  and  highly  mischievous  with  regard  to  the  char- 
acter of  this  discharge  in  its  earliest  stage  of  this  disease,  ■when  the 
tnischief from,  rontagioii  is  most  frequently  produced.  The  discharge 
of  glanders  is  not  sticky  when  it  may  be  first  recognized.  It  is  an 
aqueous  or  mucous,  but  small  and  constant,  discharge,  and  is  thus 
distinguished  from  catarrh,  or  nasal  gleet,  or  any  other  defluxion 
from  the  nostril.  It  should  be  impressed  on  the  mind  of  every 
horseman  that  this  small  and  constant  defluxion,  overlooked  b}'  the 
groom  and  by  the  owner,  and  too  often  by  the  veterinar}^  surgeon, 
is  a  most  suspicious  circumstance. 

"Mr.  James  Tuinier  deserves  much  credit  for  having  first  or 
chiefly  directed  the  attention  of  horsemen  to  this  important  but 
disregarded  symptom.  If  a  horse  is  in  the  highest  condition,  yet 
has  this  small  aqueous  constant  discharge,  and  especially  from  one 
nostril,  no  time  should  be  lost  in  separating  him  from  his  com- 
panions.! 

"This  discharge,  in  cases  of  infection,  may  continue,  and  in  so 
slight  a  degi'ee  as  to  be  scarcely  perceptible,  for  many  months,  or 
even  two  or  three  years,  unattended  by  any  other  disease,  even  ul- 
ceration of  the  nostril,  and  yet  the  horse  being  decidedly  glandered 
from  the  beginning,  and  capable  of  propagating  the  malady.  In 
process  of  time,  however,  pus  mingles  with  the  dischai'ge,  and  then 
another  and  a  characteristic  symptom  appears.  Some  of  this  is 
absorbed,  and  the  neighboring  glands  become  aff'ected.     If  there  is 

*  Fig.  762  is  a  very  good  illustration  of  a  bad  case  of  farcy  photographed  from 
life. 

f  Mr.  Turner,  during  his  experimeifts,  refers  to  a  fine  mare  that  had  simply  a 
slight  running  of  mucus  from  one  of  the  nostrils  which  he  pronounced  glanders, 
and  highly  contagious.  Regardless  of  his  advice,  the  mare  was  sold.  Months 
afterward  he  found  a  number  of  Iwrses  in  a  stable  sufEering  from  glanders,  all  hav- 
ing undoubtedly  taken  the  disease  from  this  mare,  she  having  been  worked  and 
stabled  with  them.  A  large  number  of  cases  are  referred  to  by  others,  caused  by 
being  put  into  the  stalls  that  had  been  occupied  by  horses  showing  the  above  symp- 
toms; in  one  case  one  horse  was  the  means  of  inoculating  a  whole  ti-oop  of  army 
horses,  making  it  necessary  to  destroy  them  all.  So  it  is  best  to  be  on  the  safe 
side  by  taking  the  greatest  possible  precaution  when  a  case  is  suspected. 


GLANDERS  AND  P^ARCY.  851 

discharge  from  both  nostrils,  the  glands  within  the  under  jaw 
will  be  on  both  sides  enlarged.  If  the  disehai-go  is  from  one  nostril 
only,  the  swelled  gland  will  be  on  that  side  alone.  Glanders,  how- 
ever, will  frequently  exist  at  an  early  stage  without  these  swelled 
glands,  and  some  other  diseases,  as  catarrh,  will  produce  them. 
Then  Ave  must  look  out  for  some  peculiarity  about  these  glands, 
and  we  shall  readily  find  it.  The  swelling  may  be  at  first  some- 
what large  and  difl^used,  but  the  surrounding  enlargement  soon  goes 
off,  and  one  or  two  small  distinct  glands  remain  ;  and  they  are 
not  in  the  center  of  the  channel,  htit  adhere  closely  to  the  jaw  on 
the  affected  side. 

"  The  meinbi'ane  of  the  nose  should  now  be  examined,  and  will 
materially  guide  our  opinion.  It  will  either  be  of  a  dark  purplish 
hue,  or  almost  of  a  leaden  color,  or  of  any  shade  betM'een  the  two  ; 
or  if  there  is  some  of  the  redness  of  inflammation,  it  will  have  a 
purple  tinge  ;  but  there  will  never  bo  the  faint  pink  blush  of  health, 
or  the  intense  and  vivid  rod  of  usual  inflammation.  Spots  of  ulcer- 
ation will  probably  appear  on  the  membrane  covering  the  cartilage 
of  the  nose — not  mere  sore  places,  or  streaks  of  abrasion,  and  quite 
superficial,  but  small  ulcers,  usually  ap]n-oaching  to  a  circular  form, 
deep,  and  with  the  edges  abrupt  and  prominent.  When  these 
appearances  are  observed  there  can  be  no  doubt  about  the  matter. 

"  When  ulcers  begin  to  appear  on  the  membrane  of  the  nose, 
the  constitution  of  the  hoi'se  is  soon  evidently  affected.  The 
patient  loses  flesh  ;  his  belly  is  tucked  up  ;  his  coat  unthrifty, 
and  readily  comes  oft* ;  the  appetite  is  impaired ;  the  strength 
fails  ;  cough,  more  or  less  urgent,  may  be  heai'd  ;  the  discharge 
from  the  nose  will  increase  in  quantity,  it  will  be  discolored,  bloody, 
offensive  to  the  smell ;  the  ulcers  in  the  nose  will  become  larger 
and  more  numerous,  and  the  air-passages  being  obstructed,  a 
grating,  choking  noise  will  be  heard  at  every  act  of  breathing. 
There  is  now  a  peculiar  tenderness  about  the  forehead.  The  mem- 
brane lining  the  frontal  sinuses  is  inflamed  and  ulcerated,  and  the 
integument  of  the  forehead  becomes  thickened  and  somewhat 
swelled.  Farcy  is  now  superadded  to  glanders,  or  glanders  has  de- 
generated into  farcy  and  more  of  the  absorbents  are  involved. 

"  At  or  before  this  time  little  tumors  appear  about  the  muscles, 
and  face,  and  neck,  following  the  course  of  the  veins  and  the  ab- 
sorbents, for  they  run  side  by  side,  and  these  the  tumors  soon 
ulcerate.  Tumors  or  buds,  still  pursuing  the  path  of  the  absorbents, 
soon  appear  on  the  inside  of  the  thighs.  They  are  connected  to- 
gether by  a  corded  substance.  This  is  the  inflamed  and  enlarged 
lymphatic  ;  and  ulceration  quickly  follows  the  appearance  of  these 
buds.  The  deeper-seated  absorbents  ai'e  next  affected  ;  and  one  or 
Iboth  of  the  hind  legs  swell  to  a  great  size,  and  become  stiff  and  hot, 
■^and  tender.  The  loss  of  flesh  and  strength  is  more  marked  every 
day.  The  membrane  of  the  nose  becomes  of  a  dirty,  livid  color, 
the  membrane  of  the  mouth  is  strangely  pallid.  The  eye  is  infil- 
trated with  a  yellow  fluid  ;  and  the  discharge  from  the  nose 
becomes  more  profuse,  and  insufferably  offensive.  The  animal  pre- 
sents one  raasg  of  putrefaction,  and  at  last  dies  exhausted." 


852  DISEASES  AND  THEIE  TREATMENT. 

As  stated  before,  chronic  catarrli  is  a  dischai'ge  from  the  nose, 
affecting  only  the  lining  membrane  of  the  nose  ;  and  there  may 
be  also  enlargement  of  the  glands,  staring  coat,  and  debility,  so 
that  it  is  sometimes  difficult  to  distinguish  one  fi'om  the  other 
during  the  early  stage  of  glanders.  Then  again,  ulcerated  teeth 
may  produce  the  same  symptoms  of  discharge  from  the  nose  of  a 
very  offensive  character,  which  may  be  taken  for  glanders.  So 
that,  when  there  are  the  characteristic  symptoms  of  glanders,  it  is 
very  important  to  look  closely  to  the  condition  of  the  teeth — is 
there  any  enlargement  or  ulcerous  secretions  in  their  neighborhood, 
which  may  extend  into  the  nasal  cavity  ?  When  the  horse  is  val- 
uable, and  there  is  any  doubt  about  the  case,  the  best  way  is  to  in- 
oculate some  worthless  horse  with  some  of  the  virus  ;  if  glanders, 
it  will  show  itself  very  quickly. 

"  The  usual  method  of  doing  this  is  to  first  cut  off  the  hair  from 
the  side  of  the  neck  or  other  part  of  the  body  about  the  size  of  a 
half  dollar  ;  then  take  a  lancet  and  pass  it  under  the  cuticle,  or 
scarf-skin,  only  deep  enough  to  bring  a  few  drops  of  blood.  The 
matter  is  to  be  introduced  into  this  opening  with  a  thin  slip  of 
wood  of  the  form  of  the  lancet.  If  the  matter  is  glanderous,  the 
part  will  become  sore  in  two  or  three  days,  and  a  scab  will  form  on 
it,  which,  in  a  fcAV  daya  will  be  thrown  off,  leaving  a  peculiar  kind 
of  ulcer,  which  will  often  spread  rapidly,  causing  a  painful  swelling 
of  the  adjacent  pai'ts,  with  corded  lymphatics  and  farcy  buds.  In 
about  a  fortnight  the  glanders  will  appear." 

Prof.  Robert  Jennings,  of  Detroit,  an  old  veterinarian  of  much 
experience,  speaks  in  the  Veterinary  Journal  of  Comparative 
Medicine  of  a  number  of  cases  supposed  to  be  glanders,  which 
proved  to  be  caused  by  ulceration  of  the  teeth,  which  he  cured 
without  difficulty.  Could  refer  to  a  number  of  cases  of  this  char- 
acter if  necessary.  The  test  of  inoculation  would  of  course  be 
conclusive. 

Treatment. — The  following  arc  favored  prescriptions  for 
farcy  : — 

5  grains  arsenic. 

1  drachm  extract  of  nux  vomica. 
For  a  drench  in  a  pint  of  water  twice  a  day.  — Prof.  Williams. 

1  drachm  sulphate  of  copper. 
1  drachm  iodine. 
This  amount  in  a  pint  of  water  twice  daily. — Prof.  Williams. 


GLANDERS  AND   FARCY.  853 

J  drachm  svilphate  of  copper. 
^  drachm  sulphate  of  zinc. 
3  drachms  anise-seed. 
Make  into  a  ball  with  common  mass,  and  give  once  a  day.  — Trof.  Gamgee. 

1  drachm  sulphate  of  copper. 
1  scruple  calomel. 

3  drachms  to  ^  ounce  common  turpentine. 
Liquorice  powder,  enough  to  form  the  ball.  — Prof.    Coleman. 

3  drachms  of  sulphate  of  copper  given  every  night  in  the  food  until  the 
animal  refuses  to  eat.  After  a  few  days  repeat ;  but  if  the  case  is  bad,  give 
the  medicine  in  water  as  a  drench,  if  he  will  ncjt  take  it  iu  his  food. — An 
Old  Practiti(rr.er. 

The  following,  which  was  obtained  Ijy  the  writei^  years  ago  in 
Ohio,  was  regarded  very  valuable  for  the  cure  of  farcy.  It  was 
claimed  to  be  a  great  secret,  and  was  repeatedly  sold  for  fifty  dol- 
lars, as  a  specific  for  farcy  : — 

J  pound  sulphur. 
^  pound  saltpetre. 
1  ounce  black  antimony. 
If  acute,  give  one  tablespoonful  twice  a  day.      If  sub-acute,  once  or  twice 
a  week. 

Two  parties  who  have  used  the  above,  assured  the  writer  that 
they  had  cured  farcy  with  it,  and  regarded  it  a  very  valuable 
prescription. 

The  ulcers  are  to  be  opened  and  dressed  with  disinfectants, 
and  treated  as  for  an  ordinary  ulcer,  great  care  being  taken  not 
to  get  any  on  the  persons,  as,  should  there  be  the  least  abrasion  of 
the  skin,  it  would  inoculate  the  system. 

It  is  proper  in  this  connection  to  state  that  glanders  may  be 
developed  in  consequence  of  being  kept  in  low,  damp,  badly  ven- 
tilated stables,  when  debilitated  by  hard  work  and  insufficient 
nourishment  ;  also  as  a  sequel  of  weakening  complaints,  such  as 
neglected  or  improperly  treated  strangles,  influenza,  etc. 

When  glanders  is  known  to  have  existed  in  a  stable,  or  is  se- 
riously suspected,  it  is  advisable  to  thoroughly  cleanse  the  manger, 
etc.,  so  as  to  prevent  the  possibility  of  contagion.  The  most  care- 
ful experiments  have  proved  that  glanders  can  only  be  communi- 
cated by  the  virus  ;  and  though  it  may  be  dried  and  lay  for  even 
a   year,    it   has   still    sufficient  vitality  to  impregnate  with    the 


854  DISEASES  AND  THEIR  TREATMENT. 

disease.  It  has  been  supposed  that  the  only  way  to  get  rid  of  it 
would  be  to  tear  down  the  stable  and  build  it  anew — an  old  vet- 
erinarian of  much  experience  so  stated  to  the  author  as  his 
opinion. 

But  the  following  precautions  are  now  regarded  to  be  entirely 
sufficient  :  The  manger,  rack,  or  whatever  there  has  been  within 
the  reach  of  the  horse,  upon  which  matter  could  be  thrown  or 
could  touch, — and  this  will  include  partitions  and  every  part  or  ob- 
ject in  the  vicinity, — should  be  scraped,  and  scoured  with  soap  and 
water  and  then  thoroughly  washed  with  a  solution  of  chloride  of 
*lime,  about  a  pint  of  the  chloride  to  a  pailful  of  water  ;  the  walls 
should  be  whitewashed  ;  the  pails  newly  painted,  and  the  iron 
work  exposed  to  a  red  heat  ;  the  halters,  clothing,  etc.,  used  upon 
the  case  should  be  burned.  The  only  means  of  preventing  the 
disease  is  to  keep  the  stable  cool  and  well-ventilated.  Hot,  close, 
badly-ventilated  stables,  it  is  claimed  by  all  authors,  are  strong 
causes  of  the  disease. 

There  are  many  jockeys  who  make  it  a  business  to  trade  for 
horses  of  this  character,  fix  them  up  by  cleansing  the  nostrils,  etc., 
and  trade  them  off.  As  before  stated,  during  the  early  stage  it 
can  only  be  detected  by  slight  running  from  the  nose.  Such  vil- 
lainous practice  cannot  be  too  severely  condemned  as  a  crime, 
which  should  be  promptly  punished  to  the  extent  of  the  law. 

Chronic  Cough 

Is  often  a  sequel  of  sore  throat  (laryngitis),  as  also  of  distemper 
(strangles),  and  is  a  disease  from  which,  when  once  fairly  estab- 
lished, complete  recovery  seldom  occurs.  It  consists  in  a  chronic  in- 
flammation of  the  many  glands  imbedded  within  the  lining  mem- 
brane of  the  larynx,  causing  an  irritation  of  that  highly  sensitive 
organ.  The  cough  is  easily  excited  by  pressure  externally,  and  is 
of  a  deep  hollow  nature,  differing  materially  from  the  loud 
sonorous  sound  of  the  healthy  cough. 

It  is  often  associated  with  other  diseases  of  the  chest,  as  broken 
wind,  thick  wind,  etc.  The  cough  is  generally  most  severe  in  the 
morning  or  after  meals,  and  is  always  aggravated  by  gross  feed- 
ing. In  many  cases  chronic  cough  interferes  but  little  with  a 
horse's  usefulness,  especially  if  he  is  used  for  ordinary  farm  work, 
but  it  must  be  considered  an  unsoundness. 


CHRONIC  COUGH.  855 

Treatment. — If  the  horse  has  been  affected  for  some  time, 
treatment  is  generally  very  unsatisfactory,  and  must  be  more  of 
a  palliative  than  a  remedial  nature.  If  only  recent,  treatment 
may  be  undertaken  with  better  chances  of  success.  Give  the 
cough  ball  as  recommended  for  laryngitis,  and  apply  the  follow- 
ing liquid  blister,  or  any  good  counter-irritant,  externally,  and  in 
some  cases  great  benefit  will  attend  the  use  of  setons. 

Olive  oil. 

Oil  of  turpentine. 

Aqua  ammonia,  equal  parts. 

To  be  shaken  well  and  rubbed  on  with  the  hand. 

If  occurring  from  intestinal  disorder,  the  treatment  of  course 
must  be  directed  to  the  proper  seat.  The  medicinal  treatment  is 
greatly  assisted  by  feeding  the  animal  properly  and  regularly, 
giving  small  quantities  of  food  at  a  time  ;  carrots  in  winter,  and 
green  food  in  summer  should  be  given.  Feeding  nice  clean  corn- 
stalks is  much  better  than  hay  ;  if  hay  is  fed,  it  should  be  bright 
and  clean,  or  the  dust  shaken  out  of  it,  and  dampened  a  little, 
and  of  this  only  a  limited  quantity  should  be  given.  If  a  greedy 
eater,  either  remove  from  his  reach  the  bedding,  which  he  will  be 
likely  to  eat,  or  put  on  a  muzzle.  The  following  are  also  excel- 
lent cough  remedies  : — 

•  1  drachm  camphor. 

1  drachm  powdered  opium. 
1  drachm  powdered  digitalis. 
1  drachm  calomel. 

Make  into  a  ball  and  give  every  second  morning   until   six   doses   are 
given. 

^  pint  tar-water. 
5  pint  lime-water. 

1  drachm  powdered  squills. 

This  drink  every  morning  in  obstinate  coughs.     As  a  sedative  to 
allay  the  violence  of  the  cough, 

4  drachms  nitre. 

2  drachms  powdered  opium. 

1  drachm  prussic  acid  (dilute). 

Mix  in  a  pint  of  mucilage  or  linseed  tea,  and  give  half  a  tumblerful  three 
times  a  day. 


856  DISlilASES  AND  THEIR  TREATMENT 

An  old  Avriter  says,  ''  1  have  known  an  obstinate  cough  cured 
by  drenches  composed  of  a  sirup  made  of  molasses  and  vinegar  ; 
also  by  a  decoction  of  garlic  with  linseed  oil.  Barbadoes  tar  and 
oil  with  balsam  of  sulphur,  have  also  been  employed  as  remedies  for 
a  cough." 

The  following  is  also  an  excellent  remedy  : — 

2  to  3  dr.  gum  ammoniac. 
1  dr.  powdered  squills. 
1  dr.  camphor. 

1  dr.  ginger. 

2  dr.  castile  soap. 

20  drops  oil  of  anise- seed. 
Sirup  and  flour  enough  to  form  a  ball. 

A  favorite  prescription  for  curing  cough  :  Put  into  alcohol  all 
the  tar  it  will  cut ;  add  one-third  in  quantity  of  tincture  belladonna. 
Dose,  from  one  to  two  teaspoonf uls  once  or  twice  a  day. 

A  simple  remedy  which  will  sometimes  work  very  nicely  is, — 

Fluid  extract  belladonna  10  to  15  drops  in  a  tablespoonful  of  water  on  the 
tongue  three  or  four  times  a  day.  If  there  is  swelling  of  the  glands  of  the 
neck,  rub  on  a  sharp  stimulant  or  mild  blister. 

The  writer  has  used  this  very  successfully,  and,  in  fact,  mainly 
depended  upon  it  when  on  the  road  for  allaying  attacks  of 
coughing. 

Heaves,  or  Broken  Wind. 

"  Heaves  are  indicated  by  an  increased  action  of  the  flanks 
The  inspiration  is  natural,  but  the  expiration  requires  two  efforts 
to  expel  the  air.  There  is  at  times  a  short  cough  or  grunt  while  the 
air  is  being  expelled  from  the  lungs.  Heaves  are  never  found  in 
the  racing  stable  where  the  horses  are  properly  fed.  They  are 
always  found  among  cart  or  team  horses  which  are  fed  upon  large 
quantities  of  coarse  food  or  hay.  The  seat  of  the  disease  is  found 
in  the  air  cells  of  the  lungs  in  the  form  of  enlargements  and  some- 
times ruptures  of  the  cells.  The  cause  of  the  disease  is  the  immense 
quantity  of  hay  forced  into  the  stomach,  the  greedy  animal,  perhaps, 
not  being  satisfied  with  his  allowance,  eats  the  bedding.  The 
bowels  and  stomach  press  hard  against  the  diaphragm,  and  tlie 
lungs  not  having  room  to  expand,  the  air  cells  are  enlarged  or  rupt- 
ured, and  the  horse  is  said  to  have  the  heaves.  Much  has  been 
said  by  different  authors  in  relation  to  the  curability  of  the  heaves. 
Some  advo(;ate  one  means,  some  another,  among  which  is  feeding  on 
the  Western  plains,  or  upon  prairie  hay  which  is  said  to  contain  a 
'rosin  weed;'  but  like  many  other  remedies,  it  is  only  palliative. 

"In  1842  Capt.  .Squiers.  of  Buffalo,  N.  Y.,  who  commanded  on 


HEAVES,  OE  BEOKBN  WIND.  857 

the  steamboat  '  Dewitt  Clinton,'  owned  a  valuable  trotting  mare 
called  Caroline.  She  had  the  heaves  badly.  He  took  her,  in  the 
spring  of  that  year,  to  Chicago,  and  turned  her  out  to  pasture  on 
the  prairie,  few.'  the  purpose  of  curing  the  disease.  In  the  fiill  he 
brought  her  back  on  his  boat,  with  a  quantity  of  prairie  hay  to 
keep  her  during  the  winter.  During  the  time  she  ate  the  hay,  she 
had  no  symptoms  of  heaves.  But  upon  returning  again  to  timothy 
hay,  the  heaves  returned  as  bad  as  before  being  sent  West.  (The 
writer  was  personally  acquainted  with  Captain  Squiers,  he  being 
proprietor  of  the  Courter  House  at  that  time,  where  the  writer 
boarded  with  him.) 

"  Prairie  hay  and  grass  is  more  laxative  than  timothy  ha}^,  and 
the  animal  cannot  eat  half  as  much  in  a  given  time  of  the  former 
as  of  the  latter.  Consequently  it  promotes  a  condition  favorable  to 
respiration,  by  stimulating  the  bowels,  and  also  prevents  pressure 
upon  the  lungs.  I  think  there  are  several  other  means  of  treatment 
equally  as  good  as  praiine  grass  or  hay  ;  one  is  corn  stalk  fodder. 
My  reason  is  founded  on  this  basis,  that  it  is  by  saccharine  matter 
that  most  animals  subsist,  and  the  less  compass  occupied  in  the 
bowels  ,the  better.  One  quart  of  oats  is  equal  to  an  armful  of  ha}", 
and  three  pounds  of  corn  leaves  contain  more  sugar  than  six  times 
the  bulk  of  timothy  hay.  It  will  be  seen,  then,  that  the  cause, 
treatment,  and  cure  are  marked  in  these  few  words  ;  that  is,  that 
heaves  are  produced  by  pressure  upon  the  diaphragm  by  too  much 
food  in  the  stomach  and  bowels,  and  is  cured  by  lessening  the 
quantity  of  food  to  occupy  the  same  space.  After  the  horse  is 
turned  out  to  grass  a  few  days,  the  heaves  will  usually  disappear, 
from  the  fact  that  the  bowels  are  generally  relaxed  by  exercise  and 
pure  air.  The  only  treatment  Avhich  will  ])rove  to  any  degree 
effective,  is  to  give  one  of  the  following  remedies  : — 

y^  ounce  powdered  ginger. 
}/i  ounce  capsicum. 

Form  into  a  ball  and  give  three  nights  in  succession ;  then  omit  two  or  three 
nights,  and  give  again  three  nights  in  succession. 

^'Or— 

8  or  10  drops  tincture  of  phosphorus. 

Give  in  the  drink  several  times  a  day  for  eight  or  ten  daj's. 

"  The  horse  should  have  regular  exercise,  and  be  watered  oiten 
with  a  small  quantity  at  a  time,  and  have  straw  instead  of  hay  to 
eat.     LTnder  this  treatment  heaves  will  disappear."  * 

Prof.  Law",  iu  his  Veterinary  Adviser,  says  : — 

"  Overfeeding  on  clover  hay,  sainfoin,  lucern,  and  allied  plants  ; 
on  chaff",  cut  straw,  and  other  bulky  and  innutritions  food,  is  the 
main   cause  for  heaves.     In   Arabia,  in  Spain,  and  in  California, 

*  The  foregoing  is  a  synopsis  of  Dr.  Somerville's  lecture  to  the  writer  on 
"Heaves." 


858  DISEASES  AND  THEIR  TREATMENT. 

where  there  is  no  long  winter  feeding  on  hay,  and  in  our  Territories 
where  clover  is  not  used,  heaves  is  a  disease  that  is  virtually 
unknown  ;  it  has  advanced  westward  just  in  proportion  as  clover 
hay  has  been  introduced  as  a  general  fodder  for  horses,  and  it  has 
disappeared  in  England  and  New  England  in  proportion  as  the  soil 
has  become  clover  sick,  and  as  other  aliment  had  to  be  supjjlied. 
The  worst  conditions  exist  when  a  horse  is  left  in  the  stable  for 
days  and  Aveeks,  eating  clover  hay,  or  even  imperfectly  cured,  dusty 
hay  of  other  kinds,  to  the  extent  of  thirty  pounds  and  upward 
daily,  and  then  is  suddenly  taken  out  and  driven  at  a  rapid  rate. 
Violent  exertions  of  any  kind,  and  diseases  of  the  lungs,  are  also 
potent  causes.  It  is  mainly  a  disease  of  old  horses,  but  may  attack 
a  colt  two  years  old.  Finally,  horses  with  small  chests  are  most 
liable,  and  thus  the  disease  proves  hereditary. 

"  Treatineut. — Tuniing  out  on  natural  pastures,  feeding  cornstalks 
and  other  laxative  food,  will  relieve,  and  even  cure,  mild  and  recent 
cases.  Feeding  on  dry  grain,  with  carrots,  turnips,  beets,  or  pota- 
toes, and  a  very  limited  supply  of  water,  will  enable  many  broken- 
winded  horses  to  do  a  fair  amount  of  work  in  comfort.  Hay  should 
never  be  allowed  except  at  night,  and  then  only  a  handful  clean 
and  sweet. 

"  The  bowels  must  be  kept  easy  by  laxatives,  the  stables  well 
aired,  and  sedatives  (digitalis,  opium,  belladonna,  hyoscynamus, 
stramonium,  lobelia)  used  to  relieve  the  op])ression.  If  a  white 
discharge  from  the  nose  co-exists,  tonics  should  be  given  as  for 
chronic  bronchitis,  to  which  wild  cherry  bark  may  be  added.  Tar 
water  as  an  exclusive  drink  may  be  given,  and  a  course  of  carmina- 
tives (ginger,  caraway,  cardamous,  fennel)  may  be  added  with  ad- 
vantage. But  nerve  tonics,  and  above  all  arsenic  in  five-grain  doses 
dail}^,  and  continued  daily  for  a  month  or  two,  are  especially  valua- 
ble.^ 

"  No  broken-winded  hox'se  should  have  food  or  water  for  from 
one  to  two  hours  befoi'e  going  to  work." 

The  usual  method  of  treatment  adopted  by  "jockeys,"  is  to  feed 
the  horse  on  cut  rye  straw,  to  feed  very  little  hay,  and  to  feed 
all  aliments  dampened.  Rye  straw  is  cut  as  you  would  cut  hay, 
then  mixed  with  bran  or  middlings,  into  which  a  handful  of  salt 
is  added,  and  dampened  with  water.  This  is  fed  every  night. 
Oats  and  other  grain  is  always  dampened.  Draught  horses 
fed  in  this  way  seldom  show  any  sign  of  heaves. 

Prof.  Law  regards  the  following  as  the  best  preparation  for 

heaves: — 

1  ounce  arsenic,^ — Fowler's  solution. 
1  drachm  belladonna  extract. 
^  drachm  tincture  of  ginger. 

Mix  with  a  pint  of  water  for  a  drench  and  give  every  morning  iov  a 
month  or  two. 


ROAEING.  859 

A  favorite  remedy  for  heaves,  used  by  Prof.  Dick,  principal  of 

Edinburgh  College,  and  undoubtedly  of  great  value,  is  : — 

Camphor. 

Digitalis. 

Opium. 

Calomel.     Of  each,  30  grains. 

Make  into  one  powder  or  ball,  and  give  once  a  day  for  a  week.  If  no  improve- 
ment is  noticeable,  omit  the  calomel,  and  give  for  a  week  or  two  longer. 

2  ounces  Spanish  brown. 
2  ounces  tartar  emetic. 
4  ounces  resin. 
2  ounces  ginger. 

Mix  and  give  two  teaspoonfuls  twice  a  day  In  the  feed. 

)4  ounce  vegetable  tar,  in  mass. 
"%,  ounce  gum  camphor. 
1  drachm  tartar  emetic. 

Form  into  a  ball,  one  of  which  is  to  be  given  once  a  day. 

1  ounce  indigo. 
1  ounce  saltpetre. 
1  gallon  rain-water. 

Mix  and  give  a  pint  twice  a  day  in  the  feed. 

Roaring. 

This  is  a  very  annoying  difficulty,  for  which  there  is  no  satis- 
factory treatment.  Like  chronic  cough,  it  often  follows  an  attack 
of  laryngitis  or  of  distemper  (strangles),  and  in  these  cases  we 
believe  it  is  owing  to  a  wasting  (atrophy)  of  the  muscles  of  the 
head  of  the  windpipe  (larynx),  whereby  its  calibre  is  diminished, 
and  when  the  air  rushes  in  during  violent  exertion,  a  roaring 
sound  is  produced.  The  senseless  and  cruel  method  of  tight- 
checking,  in  addition  to  the  throat  latch  being  often  buckled  so 
tightly  as  to  obstruct  the  breathing,  is  also  a  very  common  excit- 
ing cause. 

Syrtiptonis. — When  the  horse  is  not  excited,  and  so  long  as  the 
air  passes  in  a  uniform  rate  through  the  larynx  and  windpipe,  the 
animal  does  not  feel  any  inconvenience  ;  whenever  he  is  excited 
or  galloped,  causing  a  rush  of  air,  the  roaring  noise  is  produced. 
The  sound  in  ordinary  circumstances  is  only  produced  on  inspira- 
tion, but  in  very  severe  cases  the  sound  is  audible  both  on  inspira- 
tion and  expiration. 


860  DISEASES   AND  THETE   TREATMENT. 

In  some  horses,  roaring  is  difficult  of  detection.  There  are 
several  tests  which  can  be  resorted  to  with  the  view  of  detecting 
it.  It  may  often  be  readily  detected  by  taking  the  horse  firmly 
by  the  head  and  striking  him  suddenly  on  the  side,  causing  him  to 
start  forward  ;  if  a  grunting  noise  is  emitted,  it  is  always  a  suspi- 
cious circumstance.  But  the  better  test  would  be  to  gallop  the 
horse  sharply  for  some  distance,  then  pull  him  up  quickly,  and  by 
applying  the  ear  to  the  nostrils  or  to  the  windpipe,  any  abnormal 
sound  will  at  once  be  noticed.  A  good  test  in  the  case  of  draught 
horses  is  to  compel  them  to  draw  a  heavy  load. 

Treatment  must  be  principally  palliative  ;  much  can  be 
done  by  generous  and  regular  feeding,  and  never  allowing  the 
animal  to  overload  his  stomach  and  bowels.  Occasional  doses  of 
laxative  and  sedative  medicines  tend  to  relieve  the  more  distressing 
symptoms. 

In  the  early  stages,  continued  applications  of  tincture  of  iodine 
is  beneficial  when  applied  to  the  throat.  With  this  the  following 
mixture  must  be  used  internally  : — 

»  4  ounces  powdered  prickly  ash  bark. 

3  ounces  powdered  bellaionna  leaves. 
6  ounces  powdered  licorice  root. 

Mix  the  above  with  molasses  into  a  soft  mass,  and  give  a  piece  as  large 
as  a  black  walnut  on  the  back  of  the  tongue,  with  a  flat  stick,  twice  a  day. 
This  must  be  continued  for  at  least  one  week,  after  which  give  the  remedy 
once  a  day  for  two  weeks. 

Have  the  hay  well  dusted,  and  moisten  all  feed  given  the 
patient.  The  above  treatment  will  always  cure,  or  give  relief, 
providing  the  disease  is  not  too  far  advanced. 

Great  relief  is  sometimes  experienced  by  putting  a  seton  on 
each  side  of  the  neck  for  some  time.  Sharp  blistering  ma}^  also 
be  tried,  but  is  not  nearly  so  effective  as  setoning. 

The  following  treatment  for  the  cure  of  roaring,  or  whistling, 
as  it  is  termed,  has  been  used  by  Mr.  E.  D.  Conklin  and  others  in 
Cleveland,  Ohio,  and  they  claim  the  most  satisfactory  results.  Mr. 
Conklin,  who  is  a  large  owner  of  horses,  and  perfectly  reliable, 
states  that  he  cured  one  very  bad  case  ;  could  not  pull  a  load  two 
rods  up  hill  without  blowing  and  choking  down  ;  was  completely 
cured  in  six  weeks.  Has  tried  it  in  a  number  of  ca.ses,  and  always 
with  satisfactory  results.     The  treatment  was  introduced  by  Dr. 


BEONCHOCELE.  861 

Johnson,  of  Cleveland,  who  claims  he  can  cure  any  case.  As  there 
is  no  really  satisfactory  treatment  for  this  difficulty  in  regular 
practice  that  I  know  of,  I  give  this  remedy  and  state  my  author- 
ity.    It  can  be  tried  with  safety. 

1  ounce  Fowler's  solution. 

20  drops  sulphuric  acid. 
Give  the  horse  in  the  evening  30  drops  of  the  mixture  in  about  a  wine- 
glass of  water,  on  the  tongue.  Spongia  Tosta,  first  dilution  (a  homeopathic 
remedy),  10  drops  in  the  morning,  to  be  repeated  alternately  for  from  four  to 
six  weeks,  giving  more  or  less,  and  for  a  longer  or  shorter  time,  according  to 
the  severity  of  the  case,  until  a  cure  is  eflfected. 

Dr.  Johnson  also  found  that  when  the  horse  is  choking  with 
severe  inflanmiation  of  the  throat,  called  distemper,  diphtheria, 
etc.,  that  giving  successively  spongia,  aconite,  and  belladonna, 
after  intervals  of  fifteen  minutes,  and  repeating,  is  very  effective. 
This  prescription  was  given  the  writer  by  Dr.  Johnson.  Since 
then  Mr.  Conklin,  in  conversation  with  the  writer,  stated  that  in 
relieving  heaves  he  found  it  of  decided  value.  Filling  a  sponge 
with  the  spongia  preparation,  and  squeezing  it  into  the  nostrils  and 
mouth  a  few  times  will  give  relief.  He  regarded  it  very  effective 
and  valuable  for  this  purpose. 

Bronchocele. 

Bronchocele,  or  morbid  "enlargement  of  the  thyroid  gland  or 
body."  These  are  two  small  glands  situated  one  on  each  side  of 
the  windpipe  (trachea),  about  three  inches  from  the  head  of  the 
windpipe  (larynx)  ;  they  are  ductless  glands,  having  no  excretory 
duct,  and  they  are  largely  supplied  with  blood-vessels  and  nerves. 

Stallions  seem  to  be  the  most  affected  by  this.  It  is  a  tumor 
usually  on  one  side  of  the  windpipe,  and  the  character  of  the 
swelling  varies  according  to  its  duration.  It  may  be  soft  or  firm, 
and  it  may  affect  the  whole  gland,  or  only  one  .side  of  it  ;  the  tu- 
mor seldom  causes  pain,  and  the  animal  appears  not  inconvenienced 
by  it,  although  very  large.  The  tumor  varies  in  size  from  that  of 
a  hickory  nut  to  as  large  as  a  man's  hand.  It  has  been  regarded 
by  some  as  a  cause  of  roaring,  but  it  is  evident  that  it  has  nothing 
to  do  with  that  difficulty. 

Treatment. — Iodine  and  its  compounds  seem  to  have  the  best 
effect  in  removing  this  enlargement.     One  part  of  iodine  to  six  or 


862  DISEASES  AND  THEIE  TEBATMENT. 

seven  of  lard,  to  be  applied  daily  ;  and  at  the  same  time  administer 
twice  a  day  in  solution  1  drachm  of  iodide  of  potassium. 

m 

Nasal  Gleet 

Is  the  name  applied  to  a  chronic  glairy  discharge  from  one  or  both 
nostrils,  of  a  whitish  muco-purulent  matter,  the  result  usually  of 
neglected  catarrh.  The  general  health  of  the  animal  does  not  seem 
to  suffer  ;  he  looks  well,  feeds  well,  and  works  well. 

Nasal  Sfleet  is  not  an  uncommon  disease,  and  manv  horses 
have  been  destroyed,  supposed  to  be  affected  with  glanders,  when 
in  reality  they  were  only  suffering  from  nasal  gleet.  It  is  on  this 
account  that  I  have  been  so  explicit  in  describing  glanders. 

Causes. — It  is  very  often  the  result  of  catarrh  in  a  chronic 
form,  as  stated,  induced  by  further  exposure  to  cold,  and  want  of 
a  proper  supply  of  nutritive  food.  It  may  also  occur  in  cases 
where  it  cannot  be  traced  to  a  catarrhal  attack  of  the  air  passages  ; 
and  it  occurs  of  tener  in  aged  than  in  young  animals. 

Symptoms. — The  first  noticeable  symptom  is  a  yellowish 
discharge  from  one  or  both  nostrils.  The  lining  membrane  of  the 
nose  (schneiderian)  is  altered  in  color  ;  it  becomes  of  a  pale  leaden 
hue,  but  does  not  exhibit  ulcerative  patches,  as  in  glanders.  The 
discharge  may  vary  both  in  quantity  and  quality.  It  is  often 
retained  for  some  time  within  the  sinuses,  and  comes  away  in 
considerable  quantities.  In  other  cases  the  discharge  is  continuous, 
and  collects  about  the  nostrils  ;  the  sub-maxillary  gland,  in  cases 
of  long  standing,  becomes  tumefied,  but  not  adhering  to  the  bone 
as  in  glanders  ;  the  frontal  and  nasal  bones  are  affected,  and  pre- 
sent an  enlargment  or  bulging  out  over  the  seat  of  the  disease.  If 
tapped  with  the  point  of  the  finger,  a  dull,  heavy  sound  is  pro- 
duced, showing  that  matter  has  collected  within  the  sinus.  In 
ordinary  cases  it  is  a  long  time  before  it  materially  affects  the 
horse  in  his  working  capacity.  When  the  bones  are  greatly  dis- 
eased, and  the  matter  collects  within  the  nasal  sinuses,  it  interferes 
with  respiration,  causing  laborious  breathing. . 

Treatment. — Although  a  formidable  disease,  even  the  worst  of 
cases  may  recover  if  properly  treated.  The  successful  treatment 
in  all  cases  where  this  disorder  has  existed,  has  been  on  the  tonic 
principle.     Bleeding  and  purging  are  positively  injxirious,     Give 


NASAL   GLEET.  863 

good  food  and  moderate  exercise,  sponge  the  nostrils  with  tepid 
water,  or  steam  the  head,  as  described  for  catarrh,  once  or  twice 
a  day,  and  administer  mineral  or  vegetable  tonics,  as — 

3  ounces  sulphate  of  coppei-. 
1  ounce  powdered  gentian. 

Make  into  twelve  powders,  and  give  one  in  the  food  morning  and  night ; 
or,  the  sulphate  of  iron  in  two-drachm  doses  twice  a  day. 

The  nasal  cavities  may  be  injected  with  a  weak  solution  of 
sulphate  of  zmc  or  of  alum  ;  or  of  sulphate  of  copper,  about  five 
grains  to  an  ounce  of  water.  When  the  bone  is  diseased,  and 
matter  collected  within  the  sinuses,  it  is  necessary  to  trephine  the 
bone.  After  operating,  inject  the  sinus  with  tepid  water  twice  or 
thrice  a  day,  followed  by  injecting  any  of  the  astringents  alreadv 
recommended.  The  opened  sinus  sometimes  fills  up  with  a  fungus 
growth,  which  must  either  be  removed  by  the  knife  or  by  means 
of  caustics. 

I  include  here  treatment  reported  in  the  Journal  of  Compar- 
ative Medicine  and  Surgery  for  January,  1883,  by  John  Lindsay, 
D.  V.  S.,  of  Huntington,  Long  Island,  which  has  been  so  effective 
that  I  think  it  worth  while  to  copy  his  report  in  full  : 

"July  5th,  1881,  I  was  called  to  examine  a  horse  at  Clay  Pits 
Long  Island.  This  animal  was  supposed  to  bo  suffering  from  o-lan- 
ders.  As  he  was  a  valuable  work  horse,  the  owner  did  not  Avish  to 
destroy  him  without  my  advice. 

"  The  horse  was  a  bad  case  to  look  at.  He  was  discharging  verv 
offensive  matter  from  both  nostrils,  which  had  the  odor  of  pus  coni- 
mg  from  a  necrosed  bone.  The  horse  was  much  reduced  in  flesh 
and  very  Aveak.  On  examination  I  found  him  to  be  suffering  from 
nasal  catarrh,  and  on  my  stating  this  to  the  owner,  he  Avished  me 
to  try  to  cure  him.  The  disease  was  of  three  years'  standing.  At 
tirst  1  thought  of  trepanning,  but  having  no  instrument,  I  concluded 
to  try  injecting  the  nostrils,  knowing  from  experience  that  if  I  could 
reacii  the  necrosed  bones  Avith  my  solution  I  could  make  a  cure 

"  Mixing  up  one  ounce  of  Calvert's  crystallized  carbolic  acid  No  2 
to  one  pint  of  Avater,  I  injected  Iavo  ounces  mto  each  nostril  twice 
daily.  After  three  days  of  this  treatment,  there  was  a  marked  im- 
provement, Avhich  after  this  Avas  less  pronounced,  but  there  Avas  a 
gradual  and  steady  change  for  the  better.  At  the  end  of  tAvo  weeks 
Ihe  animal  had  improved  much  in  general  health,  and  at  the  end  of 
lour  months  Avas  entirely  cured,  and  there  has  been  no  return  of 
the  trouble  up  to  date. 

"  July  24th,  1882, 1  was  called  to  see  a  horse  suffering  from  a  very 
offensive  discharge  from  his  nostrils  of  one  year's  duration.     At 


864  DISEASES  AND  THEIK  TREATMENT. 

times  there  was  u  marked  subsidence  of  the  discharge,  followed  by 
acute  exacerbations.  When  1  saw  the  case,  it  was  in  one  of  the 
acute  attacks.     Upon  examination,  1  diagnosticated  nasal  catarrh. 

"  I  ordered  the  same  treatment  as  used  in  the  above  case,  and  in 
two  months  a  cure  was  effected,  wnth  no  recurrence. 

"August  10th,  1882, 1  was  called  to  see  a  horse  which  could  not 
breathe  easily,  and  the  owner  feared  the  animal  was  developing 
heaves.  The  breathing  was  labored,  and  there  was  marked  evidence 
of  obsti-uction  in  the  nasal  ])assages.  There  was  not,  however,  the 
double  action  of  the  flanks  commonly  observed  in  horses.  Upon 
inquiring,  1  found  that  two  months  previous  to  my  visit  the  horse 
had  suffered  with  a  severe  discharge  from  the  nostrils,  which  had 
since  ceased.  But  two  weeks  after  the  nasal  discharge  stopped,  he 
had  trouble  in  breathing. 

"  I  came  to  the  conclusion  that  the  horse  had  been  afflicted  with 
chronic  nasal  catarrh,  and  that  the  turbinated  bones  were  plugged 
with  thick  pus.  He  was  placed  under  the  same  treatment  as  the 
other  two  cases,  and  in  three  days  began  sneezing,  and  blew  from 
his  nose  two  large  masses  of  thick  and  cheesy  pus,  followed  by  a 
return  of  the  discharge. 

"  The  continued  use  of  the  injections,  however,  terminated  in  a 
complete  cure  of  the  case  in  one  month." 

Influenza — Epizootic — Catarrhal  Fever,  or  Pink-Eye. 

This  disease  has  been  so  common  since  1871,  and  it  has  caused 
such  serious  losses,  that  it  may  well  be  regarded  with  great  appre- 
hension by  owners.  On  this  account  I  have  been  induced  to  make 
a  special  effort  to  obtain  the  most  i-eliable  and  practical  treatment 
for  its  successful  management.  So  much  depends,  in  the  treat- 
ment of  this  disease,  upon  good  conditions  of  care  and  nursing, 
that  is,  careful  housing,  keeping  up  the  strength,  etc.,  which  in 
the  country  must  be  mainly  dependent  upon  the  owner,  and  it  is 
so  easy  to  cause  the  loss  of  a  case  by  a  little  carelessness  or  bad 
treatment,  that  it  is  especially  important  to  give  such  details  as 
will  enable  a  successful  treatment  of  this  disease.  To  accomplish 
this,  1  not  only  give  the  very  best  explanation  of  the  difficulty 
and  treatment  directed  by  one  of  the  most  prominent  veterinary 
surgeons  of  the  country,  but  the  ti-eatment  practiced  by  Dr. 
Meyer,  who  informed  tjie  writer  that  he  had  ti-eated  thousands  of 
cases  without  losing  a  single  one,  complications  excepted  ;  that  of 
true  pink-eye  he  never  last  a  case,  and  consequently  must  be  ac- 
cepted as  entirely  reliable  and  of  great  value. 

Influenza,  etc.,  belongs  to  the  class  of  diseases  called  epizootic, 
which  are  distinguished  by  extending  over  a  large  tract  of  coun- 


INFLUENZA— EPIZOOTIC.  865 

try,  and  attacking  a  number  of  horses  at  the  same  time.  In  its 
nature  it  resembles  an  epidemic  form  of  catarrh,  but  it  is  essentially 
different,  and  is  easily  distinguished  from  that  complaint  by  its 
epizootic  character,  and  the  marked  prostration,  and  low  typhoid 
form  of  fever  which  ah^^ays  accompanies  it.  It  does  not  affect 
Shorses  alike  in  all  seasons  ;  some  years  it  is  apt  to  involve  the 
lungs  principally,  with  a  marked  tendency  to  di'opsical  effusion, 
whereas  in  others  the  liver  and  digestive  organs  are  chiefly  im- 
plicated. 

Causes. — It  is  usually  supposed  to  arise  from  "  atmospheric 
causes, ' — some  changes  which  ai-e  said  to  exist  in  the  atmosphere 
which  are  not  easily  explained.  It  occurs  mostly  in  spring  or 
autumn,  and  is  most  commonly  seen  in  over-crowded,  badly-ven- 
tilated stables,  situated  in  malarial  districts.  City  horses  are  more 
liable  to  it  than  those  in  the  country,  and  coarser  breeds  are  more 
subject  to  it  than  the  finer  bi'eeds.  Poor  and  over- worked  horses 
are  especially  subject  to  the  fever. 

The  disease  at  times  comes  on  as  an  epizootic.  While  it  is 
considered  decidedly  contagious,  many  veterinarians  claim  no  in- 
fection. Dr.  Mever  informed  the  writer  that  while  the  fever  was 
at  its  height,  in  one  stable  where  the  sanitary  conditions  were  ex- 
cellent, and  containing  one  hundred  and  seventy  horses,  not  an 
animal  was  taken  with  the  fever ;  while  in  badly  ventilated  stables, 
and  under  poor  conditions,  the  disease  was  rampant. 

This  is  not,  however,  fully  in  harmony  with  the  writer's 
experience.  In  1871,  when  the  fever  was  very  prevalent  in  the 
East,  to  avoid  the  disease  he  shipped  his  horses  from  Central  New 
York  to  Mansfield,  Ohio.  Tlie  horses  were  all  in  perfect  health, 
and  the  conditions  of  care  and  stabling  were  the  very  best  possible  ; 
yet  when  the  epizootic  reached  the  town,  the  first  day  there  were 
reported  in  different  parts  of  the  place  fully  fifty  horses  that  were 
taken  with  the  disease.  The  writer's  horses,  five  in  number,  were 
all  taken  the  same  day  ;  one  or  two  of  them  but  slightly,  two  of 
them  veiy  severel}^ 

Country  people,  with  the  hope  of  avoiding  the  disease,  would 
hitch  their  horses  about  a  mile  outside  the  city  limits  ;  but  it  was 
soon  found  this  made  no  difference,  as  horses  running  in  the  fields 
seemed  to  be  equally  subject  to  it,  though  not,  as  a  rule,  very 
severely.     One  farmer  who  left  his  horse  as  stated,  far  beyond  the 

55 


866  DISEASES  AND  TIIEIK  TEEATMENT. 

city  limits,  when  he  returned  home  found  three  of  his  horses  tliat 
were  running  in  the  pasture,  taken  with  the  fever  ;  but  experience 
proved  that  animals  subjected  to  good  conditions  and  care,  had  it 
most  lightly  and  made  the  best  recovery. 

Si/TJiptoms. — It  is  early  characterized  by  weakness,  a  quick, 
weak  pulse,  hot  mouth,  shivering,  dullness,  watery  eyes.  The . 
lining  membrane  of  the  nose  is  reddened,  accompanied  by  a 
watery  discharge  which  soon  becomes  thick  and  purulent,  accom- 
panied by  sore  throat  and  difficulty  of  swallowing  ;  the  appetite 
is  impaired,  and  the  bowels  costive.  These  symptoms,  instead  of 
abating,  as  in  catarrh,  increase,  the  breathing  becomes  hurried, 
and  there  is  lifting  of  the  flanks.  The  low  form  of  fever  is  char- 
acteristic, as  also  its  occurring  in  spring  or  fall,  and  attacking  a 
number  of  animals  in  the  same  way,  distinguish  it  from  common 
catarrh. 

In  some  seasons  the  lungs  are  primarily  affected,  and  there  is 
great  weakness,  with  a  tendency  to  dropsical  effusion  ;  water 
accumulates  in  the  chest  ;  the  heart  and  its  coverings  are  seriously 
involved  ;  often  the  eyelids,  lips,  and  whole  head  are  greatly  dis- 
tended with  fluid.  In  other  cases  the  liver  and  bowels  seem  to 
suffer  most,  causing  great  thirst,  general  uneasiness,  costive  bowels^ 
and  light-colored  feces,  sometimes  covered  by  slimy  mucus,  and 
rapid  prostration.  "  When  unfavorable  termination  occurs,  the 
dullness  increases  to  stupor,  the  extremities  get  colder,  the  breath- 
ing more  difficult  and  abdominal,  the  pulse  quicker,  weaker,  and 
more  irregular,  until  death  supervenes." 

Pink-Eye. 

Symptoms  as  given  by  Dr.  Meyer. — "  The  symptoms  are  shown 
in  a  stiiggoring  gait,  hanging  head,  trembling,  shivering  as  from 
cold,  loss  of  appetite  ;  watery  (Uscharge  from  the  eyes,  one  eye 
closed,  especially  the  left  one.  The  pulse  is  quickened  and  weak, 
from  50  to  60  in  the  minute,  and  the  breathing  is  hurried,  tempera- 
ture 104^  to  10G°.  The  bowels  are  bound  and  the  urine  scanty.  The 
disease  is  often  complicated  with  bronchitis,  pneumonia,  pleurisy, 
etc.,  etc.  A  pinkish  color  of  the  mucous  membrane  of  the  eye-lids 
is  always  present  in  this  disease.  There  is  a  discharge  fi'om  the  nos- 
trils, swelling  oft.he  limbs,  which  ax'e  tender  to  the  touch.  The  ani- 
mal is  Avcak,  lying  down  most  of  the  time.  The  body  seems  to  be 
hot  all  over.  The  head  hangs  low,  and  in  fact  seems  to  be  suffering 
from  pneumonia.  The  only  difference  betAveen  pink-eye  and  pneu- 
monia is,  that  in  the  foi'mcr  the  pink  eye  is  noticeable,  and  the 
horse  lies  down,  while  in  the  latter  he  does  not." 


PINK-EYE.  867 

Treatment. — The  general  principles  laid  down  for  the  treat- 
ment of  common  catarrh,  are  applicable  to  the  treatment  of  influ- 
enza ;  bleeding,  purging,  or  any  method  of  treatment  that  would 
tend  to  diminish  the  strength,  must  be  avoided,  as  the  debilitating 
tendency  is  great  from  the  first.  He  should  be  placed  in  a  loose- 
box,  the  body  clothed,  and  the  legs  bandaged.  If  noticed  while 
the  shivering  fit  lasts,  one  or  two  ounces  of  acetate  of  ammonia 
may  be  given  with  advantage.  The  bowels  should  be  gently 
opened  by  a  pint  of  castor  oil  and  one  or  two  drachms  of  calomel, 
supplemented  by  injections  of  soap  and  water.  When  the  rigor 
has  passed  off,  and  the  fever  runs  high,  the  fever  medicine  should 
be  given  in  doses  of  fifteen  to  thirty  drops,  every  hour  and  a  half, 
or  tin<3ture  of  aconite  in  doses  of  about  ten  or  twelve  drops,  may 
be  given.  He  should  be  encouraged  to  drink  water  holding  small 
doses  of  nitre  in  solution ;  should  he  not  drink  it,  he  may  have  a 
few  mouthfuls  of  water  every  hour  or  two,  which  of  itself  is  ex- 
cellent for  reducing  fever.  He  should  have  green  food  when  pro- 
curable, or  a  little  boiled  oats,  and  bran  mash,  or  anything  else  he 
will  eat.  When  the  throat  is  very  sore,  and  the  cough  troublesome^ 
rub  on  the  throat  a  counter-irritant  as  directed  for  sore  throat,  and 
give  the  following  ball  night  and  morning  : — 

1  drachm  camphor, 

1  drachm,  opium, 

2  drachms  nitrate  of  jiotash. 

Make  into  a  ball  with  linseed  meal  and  molasses. 

Should  the  lungs  or  bronchial  tubes  become  involved,  indicated 
by  the  heaving  flanks  and  careful  breathing,  use  counter-irritants 
of  mustard  or  good  strong  liniment,  or  hot  fomentations  to  the 
sides  until  there  is  relief,  as  directed  for  pneumonia.  From  the 
first,  tonic  treatment  will  be  found  beneficial  in  counteracting  the 
debilitating  tendency  of  the  disease. 

When  all  inflammatory  symptoms  have,  disappeared,  tonics 
will  greatly  aid  the  recovery. 

Dr.  Meyer's  Treatment. — "  Good  nursing  is  indispensable ;  should 
bo  well  blanketed,  and  fed  on  anything  the  patient  chooses  to  eat ; 
good  air,  and  the  stable  should  be  purified  by  throwing  air-slacked 
lime  in  the  stalls,  etc.;  and  from  the  first,  begin  by  giving  the  fol- 
lowing remedies  every  ei^rht  hours  : — 


868  DISEASES  AND  THEIE  TREATMENT. 

1  ounce  carbonate  of  ammonia, 

2  ounces  cinchona  bark,  j)o\vdered, 
h  ounce  nux  vomica,  " 

2  draclims  digitalis  leaves,        " 

3  ounces  gentian  root,  " 

Mix  and  make  into  eight  balls. 

"  Give  as  much  Avuter  as  the  patient  chooses  to  drink,  to  which 
add  some  saltpetre.  About  two  ounces  a  day  should  be  used.  The 
above  balls  should  be  used  after  the  second  day  by  giving  one 
morning  and  night  ;  when  feeding  is  resumed,  discontinue  the  rem- 
edies, and  continue  with  good  nursing.  Cure  in  six  to  eight  days. 
Eathe  with  hot  salt  and  water." 

It  is  also  necessary  to  exercise  quite  slowly  at  first,  as  a  veiy 
little  over-doing  or  exposure  is  liable  to  bring  on  a  relapse,  which 
is  almost  sure  to  be  fatal. 

Congestion  of  the  Lungs,  Pleurisy,  Inflammation 

OF  the  Lungs. 

It  is  explained  in  the  article  on  Circulation  (page  732),  that 
when  a  horse  is  exposed  to  cold,  or  to  conditions  which  derange 
the  circulation,  such  as  changes  of  temperature,  especially  after 
severe  exertion  or  exhaustion,  standing  in  a  current  of  cold  air, 
etc.,  by  forcing  the  blood  from  the  surface  of  the  body  to  ttc 
internal  organs,  it  will  in  most  cases  go  to  the  lungs  and  surround- 
ing parts,  when  it  would  be  termed  pleurisy,  pneumonia,  or  con- 
gestion of  the  lungs,  with  possible  complications  with  other  parts. 

This  is  so  common  and  fatal  in  its  effect,  if  neglected  or  not 
treated  properly,  that  it  is  very  important  to  have  the  nature  and 
treatment  made  so  simple  and  plain  to  owners  and  stable-keepers 
that,  in  the  absence  of  competent  professional  aid,  they  may  easily 
understand  and  combat  it  successfully  during  its  insipiency,  when 
it  can  as  a  general  thing  be  easily  managed. 

"We  will  first  briefly  consider  the  structures  involved  in  pul- 
monary affections.  The  windpipe  (trachea),  after  entering  the 
chest,  divides  into  the  bronchia  or  bronchial  tubes.  These  divide 
and  subdivide  into  smaller  tubes,  finally  terminating  in  the  air 
cells.  The  lungs  are  made  up  of  clusters  of  those  cells  ;  of  a  large 
mass  of  pulmonary  texture  called  the  parenchymatous  structure 
or  substance  of  the  lungs  ;  of  blood-vessels,  both  functional  and 
for  the  nutrition  of  the  organ  ;  of  nerves  and  lymphatics  ;  and 


CONGESTION   OF   THE   LUNGS. 


869 


the  whole  inclosed  in  a  serous  membrane  called  the  pleura,  which 
is  made  up  of  two  portions,  one  portion  being  reflected  over  the 
lungs  (pleura  pulmonalis),  while  the  other  lines  the  inside  of  the 
ribs  and  diaphragm  (pleura  costalis).  The  lungs  are  exceedingly 
light  ia  proportion  to  their  size,  and  are  very  vascular  organs  ; 
consequently  they  are  very  liable  to  diseases  of  an  inflammatory 
character,  and  the  precursor  of  inflammation  is  congestion.  A 
good  idea  of  the  circulation  in  these  parts  ca.n  be  obtained  by  a 


Fig.  764. — Showing  the  respiratory  organs. 

S.  Trachea;  9.  Esophagus;  10.  Section  of  left  bronchus;  11.  Ramifications 
of  right  bronchus ;  12.  Right  lung;  13.  Left  lung  seen  from  above;  14.  Sternum: 
16.  Heart;   IT.  Posterior  aorta;   18.   Anterior  aorta. 

study  of  Figs.  622-627  in  Circulation,  on  pages  733-737,  and  the 
other  cuts  included  there. 

Bronchitis  is  inflammation  of  the  lining  membrane  of  the  tubes 
of  the  lungs  .and  lung  cells,  which  is  considered  in  another  part  of 
this  woi-k  ;  but  as  it  is  frequently  connected  with  lung  difficulties, 
I  refer  to  it  again  in  this  connection. 

Pleurisy  is  inflammation  of  the  pleura,  before  referred  to  {or 
serous  membrane  which  covers  the  lungs  and  thoracic  cavity). 

Pneumonia  is  an  inflammation  of  the  lung  tissues,  or  paren- 
chyma of  the  lungs.  If  we  had  bronchial-pneumonia,  we  would 
have  an  inflammation  of  the  lininof  membrane  of  the  tubes  and 


870 


DISEASES  AND  THEIR  TREATMENT. 


Fig.  765. — Trachia  and  bronchial  tubes. 


H,  Trachia;    I,   Ramifications   of   bronchial 
tubes  I  L,  Chobaic  artery. 


the  parenchyma  of  the  lungs; 
if  we  had  pleuro-pneumonia, 
we  would  have  an  inflamma- 
tion of  the  pleura,  or  mem- 
brane, and  the  parenchyma 
or  tissues  of  the  lungs. 

Congestion  of  the  lungs  con- 
sists in  an  increased  determi- 
nation of  blood  to  the  capilla- 
ries of  the  air-cells.  When 
one  or  the  other  (right  or  left) 
lobe  of  the  lungs  is  so  en- 
gorged with  blood  forced  into 
them,  that  they  are  unable 
to  either  receive  or  discharge 
blood  in  proper  quantities, 
thereby  interfering  materially 
with  the  process  of  respiration ; 
and  consequently,  if  allowed 
to  go  too  far,  it  will  cause  di- 
rect suffocation  and  death.  It 
may  exist  as  an  independent 
disease,  or  accompany  other 
affections  of  the  chest.  The 
distinguishing  symptoms  of 
each,  with  treatment,  Avill  be 
given  farther  on.  In  order  to 
eimplify  the  treatment,  I  refer 
next  to  the  nature  and  effect  of 
inflammation. 

It  is  first  an  increased  ac- 
tion of  the  blood-vessels.  The 
consequence  is  an  increased 
amount  of  blood  to  the  part. 
The  next  change  to  take  place 
is  a  collapsed  condition  of  the 
walls  of  the  vessels.  Now 
there  follows  an  enlargement 
of  the  blood-vessels  ;  then  the 


CONGESTION    OF   THE   IjUNGS. 


871 


blood  passes  the  walls  of  the  vessels  through  the  tissues  outside  of 
the  vessels.  The  next  change  is  the  breaking  down  of  the  cellular 
tissues— normal  cells  ;  next  a  rapid  growth  or  proliferation  of  ab- 
normal cells.  To  go  through  symptoms  :  If  an  external  injury, 
for  example,  there  would  be,  first,  pain  caused  by  the  pressure 
upon  the  nerves.  The  heat  following  would  be  caused  by  the 
chemical  changes  that  are  going  on  within  the  part.      The  redness 

4$^ 


Fig.  766.— Bronchial  tube,  with  its  bronchules,  and  ultimate 
ramifications  (natural  size). 

is  due  to  the  passing  of  the  blood  from  the  vessels  into  the  tissues; 
the  swelling  is  due  to  the  breaking  down  of  normal  cells  and  the 
rapid  formation  of  abnormal  cells.  The  object  in  all  cases,  whether 
internally  or  externally,  is  to  equalize  the  circulation  as  quickly 
as  possible. 

There  are  two  methods  of  treatment  :  If  we  know  the  cause, 
as,  for  example,  the  animal  having  stood  in  a  draught  of  air  or 
been  exposed  to  cold,  chilling  weather,  alcoholic  stim.ulants  would 
be  the  best  treatment,  not  only  giving  alcohol  internally,  but  rub- 
bing it  on  the  legs,  and  cover  the  body  with  warm  blankets.  Rub 
elbows  and  hocks  to  feet,  by  hand-rubbing  or  brushes,  rubbing 
quickly,  and  cover  with  warm  flannels.     If  not  successful,  or  if 


872 


DISEASES   AND   THEIK  TREATMENT. 


inflainmation,  before,  explained,  sets  in,  there  Avill  now  be  a  rapid 
rise  in  temperatui'e,  wlien  there  may  be  a  strong  stanic  pulse  ;  in 
that  case  sedatives  would  be  required.  Tincture  of  aconite  has 
stood  the  test  for  years.  About  ten  drops  Fleming's  tincture  four 
or  five  times  a  day,  witli  from  an  ounce  to  an  ounce  and  a  half  of 
nitrate  of  potass  divided  into  two  powders  and  given  one  in  the 

morning  and  one 
at  night,  or  the  fe- 
ver medicine, 
hereafter  given, 
can  l^e  used. 

In  the  early 
stage,  external 
means  of  irrita- 
tion can  be  freely 
used  with  good 
results,  but  are 
not  admissible 
when  the  disease 
has  thoroughly  set 
in,  as  they  onl}^ 
aggravate  the 
trouble.  If  the 
pulse  is  weak, 
stimidants  arc  re- 
quired, such  as 
cai"bonate  of  am- 
monia, 2  dvaclims  ;  c*anqjl)or,  pvdverized,  1  drachm  ;  and  nitrate 
of  potass  (as  before).  Give  in  one  dose  three  times  a  day — the 
potass  to  bo  given  in  water  separately. — Walton.  (See  also  arti- 
cle on  Pulse.) 

The  termination  of  inflannnation  will  1x3  either  in  i-esolution — 
that  is,  a  clearing  of  the  lungs,  what  is  known  as  a  gray  heppa- 
tized  state — or  in  a  lireaking  down  of  lung  tissue,  which  may 
develop  into  an  abcess,  or  tubercles,  or  gangrene,  or  death  of  the 
lung  tissues. 

If  the  horse  is  young,  and  strong,  and  vigorous,  not  as  much 
stimulant  should  be  used  as  for  an  old  horse. 

If  ammonia  arises  from  bedding  in  stable,  it  should  be  neutral - 


Fig.  767. — Air-cells  of  lung,  with  intervening  tissue. 

'.',  Epithelium;  h,  elastic  trabeeuhie ;  <•,  membranous  ■wall 
with  fine  elastic  fibers.     • 


congestiotnt  of  the  lungs. 


873 


ized  by  sprinkling   on   a   little  chloride   of   lime  ;  too   much  of  it 
ViTOiilcl  have  an  aggravating  effect  upon  the  mucous  membrane. 

Congestion  of  the  Lungs. 

Symptoms. — It  is  first  noticeable  by  the  horse  having  a  severe 
chill  or  shivering  fit.  He  refuses  his  food,  hangs  his  head  between 
the  fore  legs  or  upon  the  manger,  will  not  move  or  lie  down, 
breathing  quick,  panting  like.  The  nostrils  arc  expanded,  the 
head  thrown  forward  ;  the  countenance  expresses  pain  and  great 
prostration.      (See  cut."^     The  pulse  is  sometimes  full  and  quick, 


Fig.  768. — Horse  with  congestion  of  the  lungs. 

but  generally  quick  and  weak,  scarcely  perceptible  ;  the  membrane 
of  the  nose  and  eyes  bright  red,  tending  to  purple  ;  ears  and  legs 
are  very  cold,  with  a  cold,  clammy  sweat  at  the  extremities. 

When  occurring  after  a  hard  ride  or  drive,  the  horse  will 
become  tired  and  sluggish  in  his  action  ;  he  will  perspire  profusely, 
and  almost  refuse  to  proceed,  except  with  the  greatest  difficulty  ; 
he  will  stand  with  his  elbows  turned  outward,  heaving  violently 
at  the  flanks  ;  as  before  explained,  the  nostrils  are  dilated,  and 
the  ears  and  extremities  cold  ;  the  pulse  is  oppressed,  or  almost 
imperceptible  at  the  jaw  ;  the  mucous  membranes  of  the  nose  and 
eyes  are  reddened.  When  of  a  milder  nature,  as  often  occurs  in 
horses  suffering  from  catarrh  which  have  been  subjected  to  a  fast 
drive  and  exposed  to  cold  draughts,  he  is  seized  with  a  trembling 


874 


DISEASES  AND  THEIR  TREATMENT. 


Fig.  769. — Arrangement  of  the  capillaries 
around  the  air-cells. 


lit  ;  the  ears  are  cold,  and  the  respiration  hurried,  when  the  ear 
applied  to  the  chest  can  plainly  detect  the  imperfect  breathing. 

The  inability  of  the  horse  to  take  sufficient  air  into  the  lungs, 
causes  great  and  rapid  prostration,  and  the  horse  will  often,  from 
extreme  pain,  lie  down  and  get  up,  resembling  colic  (Somerville) ; 
but  the  coldness  of  extremities,  prostration,  and  condition  of  pulse, 

will,  if  carefully  exam- 
ined, enable  an  under- 
standing of  the  real  cause. 
A  choking  noise  is  some- 
times heard  cominof  from 
the  throat.  In  some  cases 
a  little  blood  may  be 
thrown  from  one  or  both 
nostrils.  Extreme  pros- 
tration and  laborious 
breathing,  and  bleeding 
from  the  nostrils,  show  a 
condition  of  severe  con- 
gestion. 

Causes. — The  most  common  cause  is  violent  exertion  when  the 
horse  is  in  an  unfit  state  for  severe  work  ;  as,  for  instance,  a  horse 
in  high  condition  is  taken  out  of  his  stable  and  driven  rapidly  for 
five  or  six  miles  ;  this  induces  an  increased  quantity  of  blood  to 
the  lungs,  more  than  they  can  dispose  of  in  their  weakened  condi- 
tion from  the  want  of  regular  exercise.  It  is  also  caused  by 
impure  air,  in  horses  standing  in  crowded  stables,  and  is  often  a 
sequel,  of  catarrh. 

Treatment. — In  acute  cases  it  must  be  energetic.  Clothe  the 
body  well,  and  administer  stimulants,  as — 

2  ounces  sulphuric  ether, 
1  ounce  laudanum. 

To  be  given  in  half  a  pint  of  cold  water ;  or  nitrous  ether  may  be  given 
in  place  of  the  sulphuric. 

If  no  medicinal  agents  can  be  conveniently  procured,  give  a 
quart  of  warm  ale,  or  a  tumblerful  of  gin,  whisky,  or  brandy, 
mixed  up  with  hot  water  or  sugar.  Have  him  put  into  a  warm 
place,  with  plenty  of  ventilation,  as  pure  air  is  an  indispensable 
adjunct  in  the  treatment  of  all  pulmonary  diseases.     If  no  relief 


PNEUMONIA.  875 

follows,  and  there  is  danger  of  suftbcation,  take  from  four  to  six 
quarts  of  blood  from  the  neck  vein,  rub  alcohol  or  other  stim- 
ulant on  the  legs,  rubbing  well  with  the  hand,  and  apply  hot 
cloths  to  the  sides  and  loins,  and  cover  up  with  dry  blankets,  so 
as  to  induce  a  free  perspiration,  and  thereby  assist  in  relievino-  the 
lungs. 

There  is  some  difference  of  opinion  among  practitioners  in 
relation  to  bleeding  for  congestion.  Dr.  Summerville,  who  is  a 
very  able  and  successful  practitioner,  instructed  the  writer  as  fol- 
lows :  "  If  there  is  much  congestion,  it  is  necessary  to  give  prompt 
relief,  which  can  be  done  best  by  taking  four  to  six  quarts  of 
blood  quickly  from  the  neck  vein,  stimulate  the  sides  and  leo-s, 
and  give  fever  medicine  as  for  pleurisy."  While  he  condemns 
bleeding  for  pleurisy  or  inflammation  of  the  lungs,  he  says,  "In 
a  severe  attack  of  congestion,  bleeding  cannot  only  be  resorted  to 
with  safety,  but,  as  above  stated,  is  indispensable  ;  but  must  not 
be  carried  too  far,  merely  to  assist  the  lungs  to  throw  off"  the  load 
of  blood  forced  upon  them,  and  to  give  the  medicine  prescribed  a 
chance  to  operate."  Prof.  Williams  also  advises  the  same  treat- 
ment. While  he  condemns  bleeding  as  a  general  rule,  he  advises, 
where  congestion  is  so  great  as  to  endanger  asphyxia,  bleeding  a 
little  (from  four  to  six  quarts),  promptly. 

Pneumonia — Inflammation  of  the  Lungs, 

As  before  explained,  is  inflammation  of  the  substance  of  the  lungs. 
Causes. — It  is  often  a  sequel  of  neglected  or  improperly  treated 
catarrh.  It  may  also,  as  stated,  be  accompanied  by  pleurisy.  A 
frequent  and  we  may  say  the  most  common  cause,  is  exposing  the 
horse  while  warm  to  a  sudden  change  of  temperature,  by  allowing 
him  to  stand  in  a  cold  draught  of  air,  etc. ;  getting  chilled  or  wet; 
washing  the  belly  and  legs  immediately  after  exercise  and  allow- 
ing the  horse  to  get  chilled;  removing  from  a  warm  to  a  cold  or 
from  a  cold  to  a  warm  stable,  or  cold  applied  to  ihe  surface  of  a 
heated  animal,  by  which  the  blood  is  driven  from  the  skin  and 
extremities  to  the  internal  organs.  Any  slight  cold  or  sore  throat 
may  run  into  pneumonia.  Driving  rapidly  against  a  cold  wind, 
especially  after  being  confined  to  the  stable  for  some  time,  is  a 
common  cause,  and  a  horse  should  be  watched  carefully  after  such 


876 


DISEASES   AND   THEIR  TEEATMENT. 


an  exposure ;  also  breathing  impure  air  in    overcrowded,    badly 
ventilated  stables,  or  standing  in  an  open,  draughty  stable. 

"Any  exposure  to  cold  and  wet,  sudden  chills,  housing  in  very 
cold,  draughty  stables.  Horses  kept  in  ill-ventilated  stables  are 
imdoubtedly  rendered  susceptible  to  many  diseases,  and  to  pneu- 
jnonia  among  the  rest;  but  they  will  bear  impure  air  even  better 
than  cold  draughts  blowing  directly  upon  them.  I  have  repeatedly 
observed  that  the  slightest  cold  contracted  by  a  horse  kept  in  a 
draughty  stable  has  almost  invariably  been  succeeded  by  pneu- 
monia, and  that  if  the  animal  was  not  removed  to  a  more  comfort- 
able situation,  the  disease  tended  to  a  fatal  termination." — Williams 

Si/mptoms. — Pneumonia  is  almost  invariably   ushered  in  by 
shivering,  and  coldness  of  the  surface  of  the  body.     The  breathing 

becomes  hard  and  full,  pant- 
ing like.  The  pulse  is  full 
and  oppressed,  running  up  to 
from  sixty  to  eighty  beats  per 
minute,  differing  in  its  char- 
acter from  the  pulse  of  pleu- 
risy, which  is  hard  and  wiry. 


The  ears  and  legs  are  cold  ; 
the  membranes  of  the  eyes 
and  nose  are  reddened  ;  the 
animal  stands  persistently 
with  his  elbows  turned  out, 
He  stands  with  his  nose  to- 


FlG.  770. — As  the  horse  usually  stands 

when  suffering  from  inflammation 

of  the  lungs. — From  Mayhew. 


to  give  more  freedom  to  the  lungs. 

ward  the  window  or  door,  where  he  can  get  fresh  aii-. 

A  healthy  horse  breathes  at  an  average  of  ten  times  in  a  min- 
ute, viz.,  ten  inspirations  and  ten  expirations  ;  and  the  time  occu- 
pied by  the  inspiratory  movement  is  longer  than  the  expiratory. 
In  pneumonia  the  expiration  is  as  long,  if  not  longer,  than  the  in- 
spiration, and  these  movements  are  very  much  quickened,  being 
an  effort  of  nature  to  compensate  for  the  impaired  action  of  the 
lungs.  When  a  cough  is  present,  it  is  freer  and  less  painful  than 
the  cough  of  pleurisy.  By  applying  the  ear  to  the  sides  of  the 
chest,  in  the  early  stage  a  crepitating  sound  is  heard,  which 
becomes  altered  as  the  disease  progresses  ;  but  in  a  general  sense  it 
is  easily  distinguished  by  the  horse  standing  with  the  legs  spread, 
the  head  thrown  forward,  breathing  quick  and  hard,  and  ears  and 
legs  cold. 


PNEUMONIA.  877 

Treatment. — Blanket  warmly  and  put  in  a  comfortable  stall 
where  there  will  be  pure  air,  and  give  the  following  fever  medi- 
cine : — 

1  ounce  tincture  of  aconite, 

2  drachms  tincture  of  belladonna, 

3  ounces  water. 

Of  this  give  from  16  to  30  drops  on  the  tongue  every  20  or  30  minutes 
or  about  10  drops  tincture  of  aconite  every  two  hours,  more  or  less  accord- 
ing to  the  severity  of  the  case.  If  the  case  is  severe,  apply  strong  stimu- 
lants to  the  legs,  breast,  and  sides  of  the  chest,  as  before  explained,  such 
as  mustard  made  into  a  paste  and  rubbed,  in  thoroughly,  or  a  liniment  com- 
posed of  aqua  ammonia  reduced  one-half  with  water,  and  rubbed  in  well  so 
as  to  invite  circulation  to  surface  and  extremities. 

Blankets  wrung  out  of  hot  water  applied  to  the  sides  in  the 

* 

early  stage  (for  details  see 
Fomentations),  is  preferred 
by  many.  If  this  is  done  at 
the  time  the  fever  sets  in, 
either  in  pneumonia  or  pleu- 
risy (the  treatment  for  which 
is  practically  the  same),  with 
a  few  doses  of  the  fever  medi- 
cine, it  is  rarely  the  horse  will 
not  be  relieved  next  day  ;  but  ^'^  771.— Horse  ia  last  stages  of  inflam- 
if  not,  recovery  will  not  com-  °'^"^''  ^^  *^'  Inug^.-Mayhew. 

monly  take  place  before  the  fifth  or  sixth  day.  Give  from  2  to  3 
drachms  nitrate  of  potass  two  or  three  times  a  day.  When  there 
is  improvement,  which  will  be  denoted  by  the  pulse  becoming  full 
and  regular  and  the  expression  and  actions  being  lively,  give  less 
fever  medicine  and  at  longer  intervals.  Should  too  much  be 
given,  it  will  be  noticed  by  falling  of  the  pulse,  sweating,  trem- 
bling, and  anxious  eye,  when  it  should  be  discontinued,  and  stim- 
ulants would  be  indicated. 

Nurse  by  giving  simple  food,  such  as  a  little  bran  with  boiled 
oats,  linseed  meal,  cooked  carrots,  with  a  little  good  hay.  If  there 
is  much  weakness,  give  moderate  doses  of  whisky  or  brandy, 
from  4  to  6  ounces  two  or  three  times  a  day,  being  governed  by  its 
effects.  If  the  bowels  are  bound,  move  them  by  enemas.  Re- 
covery will  be  greatly  aided  by  the  use  of  stimulants  and  tonics ; 


878  DISEASES  AND  THEIE  TKEATMENT. 

liquor  acetate  of  ammonia  in  2  ounce  doses  three  or  four  times  a 
day,  may  be  used. 

The  best  veterinary  surgeons  now  all  agree  that  bleeding  is 
not  only  unnecessary  but  injurious  in  treating  pneumonia  and 
pleurisy. 

Pleurisy. 

As  before  stated,  pleurisy  is  inflammation  of  the  pleura. 
Symptoms. — It  may  be  sudden  or  gradual  in  its  attack,  the 

horse  showing  indispo- 
sition, sometimes  for 
days  previous.  He  will 
be  dull  and  heavy  in  ac- 
tion for  a  day  or  two, 
unwilling  to  lie  down, 
pulse  not  much  dis- 
3  turbed,  or  there  is  a  chill, 
-^^-p^-s^^ssi^^^  /  '"'•■•-^,.^     or  shivering  fit,    which 

Fig.  772.— Usual  appearance  of  a  horse  suffering     J^sts   from   one   to   three 
from  pleurisy. — From,  Mayhew.  -,  ^  c  j. 

hours,  when  lever  sets 
in ;  breathing  at  flanks  a  little  accelerated,  countenance  is  anxious, 
the  head  is  sometimes  turned  toward  the  side,  does  not  lie  down. 
As  the  disease  advances,  the  symptoms  become  more  marked. 
The  ears  and  legs  become  cold  ;  the  pulse,  from  being  a  little 
accelerated,  grows  quicker,  hard,  and  full ;  the  head  is  hung  for- 
ward ;  stands  up  persistently  ;  breathing  hurried  ;  the  membrane 
of  the  nose  and  eyes  red. 

Turning  the  horse  round,  or  hitting  against  the  chest,  back  of 
the  shoulder,  will  cause  a  kind  of  grunt. 

The  ear  applied  to  the  chest  will  detect  a  rough,  i-asping  noise, 
and  there  is  generally  present  a  short,  painful,  suppressed  cough, 
easily  excited  by  pressure  on  the  larynx. 

»  Causes. — Are  similar  to  those  of  pneumonia,  such  as  variations 
in  temperature,  exposure  to  cold  while  warm,  standing  in  draught 
of  cold  air,  impure  air,  etc.  Pleurisy  occurs  as  an  independent 
disease,  or,  as  before  stated,  may  be  accompanied  by  inflammation 
of  the  lungs.  If  neglected  or  not  treated  properly,  is  a  very  dan- 
gerous disease. 


PLEUEISY. 


879 


Treatment  is  practically  the  same  as  for  pneumonia.  Put 
in  a  cool,  well-ventilated  stall  ;  give  fever  medicine  ;  blanket 
the  body,  neck,  and  legs  warmly ; 


if  at  all  serious,  using  stimulants 
on  the  extremities,  and  hand- 
rubbing  thoroughly,  with  hot  fo- 
mentations to  the  sides ;  the  gen- 
eral treatment,  in  a  word,  is  the 
same  as  for  pneumonia.  Should 
there  be  cough,  or  soreness  of 
the  throat,  it  is  to  be  treated  in 
connection,  as  directed  for  lar- 
yngitis. 

I  wish  now  to  call  attention  to 
what  must  not  be  done.     First, 


Fig.  773. — The  pleura  as  it  appears  when 
inflamed,  magnified. 


Fig.  774. — Section  of  pleura 

showing  blood-vessels 
greatly  injected  with  blood. 


give  no  physic  nor  oil  for  any  form  of 
inflammation  of  the  lungs.  Cathartic 
medicine  is  poisonous,  such  as  aloes,  oils, 
or  tartar  emetic.  There  is  so  much  nau- 
sea during  the  operation  of  these  medi- 
?v  cines,  and  debility  from  their  effect, 
that  they  do  harm.  There  is  such  gi-eat 
sympathy  between  the  bowels  and  the 
lungs,  that  they  hasten  the  cause  of  in- 
flammation of  the  lungs,  often  caus- 
ing death  within  a  few  hours  after  ad- 
ministering them.     Next,  do  not  bleed 


for  pleurisy,  as  so  doing  will 
cause  debility  of  the  capil- 
laries of  the  part,  Avhich 
would  induce  hydrothorax, 
or  dropsy  of  the  chest. 

This  will  be  somewhat 
puzzling  to  owners  and  sta- 
ble-keepers, and  especially 
to  those  who  may  be  guided 
by  Youatt  and  other  good 
old  authorities  who  invaria- 
bly advised  this  treatment. 


•"^Si^i 


Fig.  775. — Showing  adhesive  inflammation 
of  the  pleura. 


The  better  to  aid  my  readers,  I  include  also  the  directions 


880  DISEASES  AND  TIIEJ  li  THEATMENT. 

given  by  Prof.  W.  W.  Williams,  president  of  the  new  Veterinary 
College  of  Edinburgh,  Scotland,  who  is  now  recognized  as  being  at 
the  veiy  head  of  the  veterinary  profession,  and  the  most  reliable 
authority : — 

"  1.  Place  the  animal  in  a  Avell- ventilated  loose-box,  but  whei'e 
the  air  is  not  too  cold. 

''  2.  Clothe  and  wraj)  the  body,  extremities,  and  head  in  suitable 
but  not  too  heavy  cloths. 

"  3.  Give  it  as  much  water  as  it  will  drink,  addhig  to  the  water, 
if  there  is  much  fever,  about  an  ounce  of  nitre,  or  20  to  30  drops  of 
tincture  of  aconite,  to  the  bucket  full. 

"4.  If  the  bowels  are  bound,  loosen  them  by  injections  of  oil  or 
warm  water.  ^ 

"5.  If  there  is  much  weakness,  give  two  drachms  each  of  car- 
bonate of  ammonia  and  camphor,  in  the  form  of  a  ball,  twice  dail}'. 

"  6.  Let  the  food  bo  simple,  laxative,  cooling,  and  nutritious,  as 
bran,  boiled  linseed  meal,  good  hay,  or  cooked  carrots  or  turnips. 

"  7.  II  moderate  diarrhea  or  profuse  staleing  come  on,  they  are 
on  no  account  to  be  checked,  as  this  is  an  effort  of  nature  to  throw 
off  the  disease. 

"  8.  If  there  is  great  exhaustion,  moderate  doses  of  whisky  may 
bo  given,  but  there  is  no  use  of  pushing  them,  unless  their  good 
effects  are  soon  seen." 

The  attention  of  the  writer  has  been  particularly  directed  to 
the  value  of  the  fever  medicine  before  recommended  in  the  treat- 
ment of  pleurisy  and  pneumonia.  During  the  year  of  his  stay  in 
Buffalo  with  Dr.  Somerville,  it  was  invariably  used  for  all  eases 
of  chills  and  fever  with  remarkable  success.  Indeed,  the  writer 
does  not  remember  a  single  fatal  case,  even  of  those  that  had  been 
caused  by  exposure,  or  from  badly-ventilated  stables,  or  of  an 
epizootic  character,  when  treated  within  a  reasonable  length  of 
time.  Th'-  usual  course  was  blanketing  the  horse  comfortably 
warm  and  giving  this  medicine,  in  about  the  proportion  and  at 
intervals  stated  ;  the  size  and  the  condition  of  the  case  determining 
how  much  to  give.  A  great  many  times  while  on  the  road  the 
writer  has  had  occasion  to  use  this  medicine  for  chills  and  fever, 
and  always  with  success.  Indeed,  if  this  is  given  promptly,  with 
anything  like  ordinary  care,  aided  by  other  means  as  dii-ected, 
thei'e  need  be  but  little  danger  of  failure.  The  point  is,  as  r(^peat- 
edly  statcil,  to  take  the  case  in  hand  promjjtly  at  the  start ;  watch 
closely  the  condition  of  the  animal  that  has  been  exhausted,  or 
hard-driven,  and  exposed  to  cold,  especially  during  chilly,  rainy 
weather,  and  if  any  indication  of  chill  is  noticeable,  give  a  little  of 


TIJEATMEXT    FOR   J^NEUMOXIA.  881 

the  fever  medicine  once  or  twice,  and  blanket  Avarnil\-,  and  it  is 
rarely  any  serious  trouble  will  follow. 

The  medicine  is  put  up  by  Dr.  Somerville,  as  a  specialty,  fur 
the  use  of  stable-keepers,  and  is  regarded  of  great  value.  The 
real  point  of  its  value,  I  believe,  is  in  its  dilution.  Simple  tincture 
of  aconite  reduced,  so  far  as  the  writer  is  able  U)  understand,  ha^- 
ing  all  the  beneficial  effects  claimed  for  the  combination  with  bel- 
ladonna or  veratrum.  Dr.  Somerville  is  a  thoroughly  educated 
practitioner  of  the  old  school,  of  great  experience,  and  his  success 
in  the  treatment  of  chest  difficulties  (pneumonia)  has  been  remark- 
able ;  and  he  has  depended  mainly  upon  this  preparation,  anti- 
fever  medicine,  for  his  success.  The  method  of  his  putting  it  up 
now  may  be  somewhat  different  from  the  formula  given  ;  but  it 
will  be  found  in  every  essential  all  that  is  required,  by  givin^  in 
addition,  in  cases  of  intermittent  chills,  quinine  or  other  tonic 
medicine. 

The  writer  would  in  all  cases,  if  available,  prefer  using  that 
pi-epared  by  Dr.  Somerville,*  as  he  is  very  careful  to  have  the  qual- 
ity of  the  medicine  reliable.  It  is  put  up  in  convenient  form, 
and  the  extra  expense  is.  merely  nominal,  and  he  would  advise  his 
friends  to  obtain  it  of  him  or  his  agents,  when  available. 

Dk.    Chas.  a.  Mykh's  Treatment. 

In  conversati(jn  with  Dr.  Myer  on  the  treatment  of  pneumonia 
and  pleurisy,  he  stated  that  he  treated  them  with  decided  success 
without  using  aconite,  which  is  recognized  as  the  best  sedative  for 
fever.  I  requested  the  details  of  his  method  of  treatment,  which 
I  here  include  as  an  important  addition  to  what  I  have  already 
given  on  the  subject : — 

Have  the  animal  well  blanketed  and  cared  for  in  a  roomy 
stall,  where  there  is  plenty  of  circvilating  air,  and  give  one  of  the 
following  balls  every  eight  hours: — 

1  ounce  carbonate  of  ammonia, 
2h  oimces  i^iilv.  chincona  bark, 
5  ovuice  pnlv.  mix  vomica, 

3  drachms  imlv.  digitalis  leaves,  .' 

2  ounces  pulv.  gentian. 

Make  into  eight  balls. 


*Dr.  Wm.  Somerville    137  Erie  street,  Builalo,  N.  Y, 

56 


882  DISEASES   AND   THEIR   TREATMENT. 

Also  give  the  following  in  water  twice  a  day: — 

G  ounces  nitrate  of  potash. 
1  ounce  bicarbonate  of  soda. 
Make  into  six  powders. 

Have  the  animal's  chest  rubbed  with  alcohol  two  or  three 
times  a  day  for  the  first  two  days.  Feed  nutritious  food,  or  any- 
thing that  may  tempt  the  animal  to  eat.  The  medicine  must  be 
continued  until  the  animal  commences  to  lie  down,  which  will  be 
from  the  sixth  to  the  eighth  day. 

Pleurisy. 

Sym^Jtoms  rather  obscure.  Animal  dull,  dejected,  oft' his  food, 
sweats  easily,  pulsation  from  60  to  80,  small  and  weak,  tempera- 
ture 1021°  to  104°;  above  this  is  sure  death.  Sometimes  there  is  a 
cough  from  commencement,  but  often  or  in  about  half  the  cases 
there  is  no  cough.  During  the  first  three  or  four  days  the  extrem- 
ities and  ears  are  alternately  hot  and  cold,  appetite  almost  wholly 
lost.  The  fecal  and  urinary  secretions  are  considerably  lessened. 
The  membrane  of  nose  and  eyes  are  injected.  Tongue  is  generally 
foul,  belly  tucked  up,  does  not  lie  down.  The  thoracic  walls  are 
fixed,  breathing  almost  wholly  abdominal,  and  elbows  turned.  If 
made  to  move  suddenly,  especially  turning  short  around,  there  is 
a  groan  or  growl.  Breathing  quick  or  catching-like  and  short. 
Often  the  right  side  only  is  aftected. 

Treatment. — Hot  applications  to  the  chest.  This  can  be  done 
best  by  wringing  blankets  out  of  hot  water  and  applying  them  to 
the  chest, — two  or  three  blankets,  one  over  another,  and  all  cov- 
ered with  oil  cloth  or  other  blankets  so  as  to  keep  in  the  heat. 
Rub  limbs  with  alcohol  ;  they  may  also  be  loosely  bandaged.  One 
of  the  following  balls  should  be  given  every  eight  hours  : — 

^  ounce  powdered  opium. 

1^  ounces  muriate  ammonia. 

3  ounces  j^owdered  chincona  bark. 

Mix,  and  make  into  six  balls. 

Give  the  animal  anything  he  will  eat  or  drink.  If  the  horse 
is  taken  during  the  early  stages,  this  will  cut  it  short  in  from  48 
to  00  houi's. 

If  in  an  after  stage  swelling  begins  to  shoAV  itself  below  the 
chest  walls,  that  is,  between  the  fore  legs,  and  extending  back- 
ward, shows  the  least  symptom  of  the  trouble  known  as  Hydro- 
thorax,  give  the  following  reinetly :  Fluid  extract  digitalis,  from 
twenty  to  twenty -five  drops,  more  or  less  according  to  the  size  of 
tlie  horse,  every  four  hours,  and  continue  until  the  swelling  begins 
to  lessen,  then  the  intervals  of  giving  the  drops  should  be  length- 


IIYDEOTHORAX.  883 

ened  to  eight  hours.  If  the  swelling  is  very  large,  the  skin  should 
be  punctured  in  from  twenty  to  thirty  places,  and  the  parts 
bathed  with  hot  water  three  to  four  times  a  day. 

Hydeothorax,  or   Water   in   the   Chest. 

This  is  a  sequel  of  pleurisy  when  neglected  or  not  treated 
properly,  and  which  can  scarcely  be  said  to  be  curable.  When 
pleurisy  is  runnmg  into  this  difficulty,  there  may  be  some  appear- 
ance of  recovery  ;  the  breathing  and  fever  are  not  so  intense  ;  the 
horse  will  pei-haps  eat  a  little  ;  the  skin  looks  sleek  and  glossy  ; 
these  signs  of  improvement  may  continue  for  several  days,  but  if 
the  pulse  is  gradually  increasing  in  frequency,  and  its  strength 
diminishing,  there  is  undoubtedly  water  forming  in  the  chest. 

When  this  has  taken  place  to  any  gi-eat  extent,  there  is  diffi- 
culty in  breathing,  and  a  flapping  of  the  nostrils  ;  the  eyes  are 
clear  and  unnaturally  prominent  ;  the  intercostal  spaces  bulge 
out,  and  the  ear  applied  to  the  chest  can  only  detect  the  respira- 
tory murmur  above  the  surface  of  the  fluid  ;  the  legs  and  breast 
will  swell  ;  the  circulation  becomes  more  and  more  impaired,  the 
pulse  getting  weak  and  indistinct. 

Prof.  Williams  states,  in  relation  to  the  cause  of  hydrothorax  : 
"  Of  the  termination  of  pleuro-pneumonia  in  hydrothorax,  I  have 
only  to  say  that  since  I  have  abandoned  the  heroic  or  counter- 
irritating  treatment  [he  advises  hot  fomentations  to  the  chest  ; 
discards  all  blisters  and  irritants],  hydrothorax  has  been  almost 
unknown  to  me.  For  this  the  principle  of  treatment  is  stimulants, 
tonics,  and  diuretics."  I  give  the  treatment  of  a  leading  author- 
ity, who  advises  as  follows  : — 

"Give  a  pint  of  warm  ale  combined  with  one  ounce  of  nitrous 
ether  three  times  a  day  ;  blisters  applied  to  the  sides,  and  iodide  of 
potassium  in  1  di'achm  doses  twice  a  day  ;  feed  the  animal  on 
nutritious  and  easily  digested  food. 

"When  a  large  accumulation  of  fluid  takes  place,  it  must  be  re- 
moved by  tapping.  The  puncture  is  usually  made  in  the  intercostal 
space  between  the  seventh  and  eleventh  ribs,  near  their  junction 
with  the  cartilages.  The  space  between  the  eighth  and  ninth  is 
usually  recommended.  An  incision  is  first  made  with  a  lance 
through  the  skin,  the  trochar  and  canula  is  carefully  pushed  through 
the  muscles  and  pleura,  directed  slightly  upward  and  backward, 
keeping  it  close  to  the  antei'ior  border  of  iho  ninth  rib,  so  as  to 
avoid  Avounding  the  intei'costal  artery  ;  when  the  trochar  is  with- 


884  DISEASES   AND    TIIEIK   TEEATMENT. 

drawn,  the  fluid  flows  freely  through  the  tube  ;  sometimes  it  gets 
obstructed  by  eoagula  of  lymph,  which  should  be  cleared  by  insert- 
ing a  small  Avhalebone  staff.  Care  must  be  taken  not  to  allow  air 
to  enter  the  cavity,  as  death  has  often  occmTcd  from  this  cause 
during  the  operation.  It  is  advised  before  making  the  incision  to 
di'aw  the  skin  aside  so  as  to  form  a  valvular  wound,  at  the  same 
time  taking  care  to  prevent  the  entrance  of  any  air.  The  operation 
may  be  repeated  in  a  day  or  two  on  the  other  side  ;  but  in  most 
cases  the  relief  is  but  temporary.  In  any  event  tonic  treatment, 
such  as  sulphate  of  iron,  tincture  of  gentian,  stimulants  and  diuretics, 
iodide  of  potassium,  are  to  be  depended  upon  if  successful." 

Hydrothorax  was  a  very  common  result  of  pleui'iey,  when 
treated  by  bleeding,  blistering,  etc.  The  congestion  or  inflamma- 
tion in  the  first  place  is  due  to  debility,  and  bleeding  only  increases 
it  ;  and  especially  when  the  bleeding  is  repeated,  though  for  a 
time  there  was  apparent  relief,  fever  and  increased  debility  fol- 
lowed, resulting  usually  unfavorably. 

The  treatment  advised  for  pleurisy,  if  the  case  is  attended  to 
promptly,  even  though  very  severe,  will  be  found  so  effective  as 
to  leave  but  little  probability  of  any  serious  eflfusion  taking  place. 

Typhoid  Pneumonia. 

Cause  is  mainly  attributed  to  those  influences  which  inter- 
fere with  the  general  health  and  vigor  of  the  animal,  among 
which  stand  pre-eminently  overcrowding,  improper  ventilation, 
confinement  in  damp,  filthy  stables,  drinking  bad  water,  holding 
in  solution  decomposing  organic  matters,  insufficient  nourishment, 
and  undue  exposure,  together  with  what  may  be  term-ed,  generally, 
atmospheric  causes. 

Symptoms. — The  horse  is  off  his  feed,  disinclination  to  move, 
appetite  gone,  pulse  weak  and  low  ;  will  sometimes  eat  a  little, 
will  not  lie  down,  stands  hanging  his  head,  is  listless  and  stupid, 
not  much  cough,  rarely  any  discoloration  of  the  membrane  of  the 
nose  or  eyes  ;  urine  scanty  and  high  colored  ;  feces  hard  and 
coated.  After  two  or  three  days  the  membrane  of  the  nose  and 
eyes  is  a  little  discolored  or  red,  pulse  quicker,  65  or  70,  breathes 
quicker.  About  the  fourth  or  fifth  day  there  is  usually  a  discharge 
from  the  nostrils,  of  a  blackish  brandy  colored  cerum. 

Treatment. — As  the  word  typhoid  means  low,  it  is  necessary 
to  watch  it  carefully  in  that  stage,  which  will  last  as  described  in 


BEONCHITIS.  885 

the  symptoms,  the  first  four  or  five  days,  when  in  many  cases  the 
pulse  may  run  down  to  thirty.  Stimulants  should  be  used  at  this 
stage,  such  as  a  little  brandy  and  water  or  whisky  and  water.  A 
gill  or  two  of  liquor  to  be  given  as  a  drench,  or  what  is  much  bet- 
ter, is,  take  carbonate  of  ammonia,  from  one  to  two  drachms  ; 
powdered ,  ginger  root,  one  to  two  drachms,  made  into  a  ball  with 
honey  or  molasses,  and  given  twice  a  day.  It  should  be  remem- 
bered that  this  treatment  alone  is  intended  only  for  the  low  stage 
of  the  disease.  When  the  pulse  seems  to  rise  to  fifty  or  sixty  about 
the  fifth  or  sixth  day,  the  patient  should  then  be  treated  as  for 
pleurisy,  with  fever  medicine.  Under  the  influence  of  the  latter 
treatment,  the  pulse  will  recede  and  resume  its  natural  number  of 
beats  (forty).  In  this  form  of  disease  the  horse  is  extremely  pros- 
trated at  first,  the  whole  system  being  inactive.  The  pulse  may 
run  up  in  time  to  seventy,  or  even  eighty. 

The  horse  should  be  kept  moderately  warm,  clothing  thoroughly 
the  head,  neck,  and  extremities  ;  he  should  have  a  comfortable, 
well-ventilated  stall  ;  open  the  bowels  by  enemas  ;  give  tepid 
water  to  drink  in  which  is  a  little  nitrate  of  potash,  as  advised  for 
pneumonia.  Nurse  the  horse  with  anything  he  will  eat,— a  hand- 
ful of  wet  hay,  a  carrot  or  two,  an  apple  or  a  potato,  or  anything 
of  an  alterative  nature. 

Be  careful  not  to  exercise  too  soon. 

Bronchitis. 

Bronchitis,  or  inflammation  of  the  mucous  membrane  of  the 
bronchial  tubes,  is  often  associated  with  inflammation  of  the  lungs, 
but  also  occurs  as  a  separate  aflfection. 

Causes  are  similar  to  other  pulmonary  diseases.  It  is  a  result 
of  laryngitis,  or  catarrh;  or  it  may  depend  on  atmospheric  influ- 
ences, and  in  these  cases  it  is  always  accompanied  with  great  weak- 
ness and  prostration. 

Symptoms. — There  is  a  short,  dry,  and  husky  cough,  speedily 
becoming  more  prolonged.  When  a  horse  gives  a  natural  cough, 
he  opens  his  mouth  a  little;  but  when  laboring  under  this  disease, 
he  keeps  his  mouth  closed,  trying  to  suppress  the  cough.  As  the 
disease  advances,  the  mouth  becomes  hot  and  dry,  the  ears  and 
extremities  alternately  hot  and  cold,  the  pulse  not  hard  and  wiry 


886  DISEASES  AND   THEIR   TREATMENT. 

as  in  pleurisy,  but  soft  and  compressible,  and  the  respirations  are 
quick  and  hollow.  If  the  ear  be  applied  to  the  breast,  a  i-attling 
sound  can  easily  be  detected;  the  bowels  are  inactive,  and  the  ap- 
petite is  gone.     Death  may  occur  in  from  three  to  five  days. 

Treatment  the  same  as  for  laryngitis,  explained  on  page  845 ; 
counter-irritation  to  the  throat,  and  if  there  is  fever,  give  fever 
medicine  or  aconite,  as  for  pneumonia.  If  the  cough  is  very  dis- 
tressing, give  the  following  every  night  and  morning: — 

1  drachm  extract  of  bellacU)nna. 

2  scruples  powdered  digitalis. 
1  drachm  camphor. 

1  scruple  powdered  opiunu 

Colic. 

Colic  is  so  common  as  well  as  dangerous  a  difficulty,  often 
proving  fatal  in  a  few  hours,  that  it  is  of  the  greatest  importance 
to  know  what  to  do,  and  to  be  able  to  do  it  promptly  when  it  oc- 
curs; since,  if  treated  properly,  it  is  rare  that  it  cannot  be  re- 
lieved without  difficulty;  whereas,  if  neglected,  or  not  treated 
properly,  as  stated,  it  frequently  results  in  the  death  of  a  valuably 
horse. 

There  is  no  disease  about  which  there  seems  to  be  so  much 
difference  of  opinion  among  horse-men.  When  the  horse  is  taken 
sick  suddenly,  showing  the  symptoms  of  colic,  the  owner,  or  some 
neighbor  called  in  who  is  presumed  to  know,  assumes  at  once  it  is 
caused  by  bots;  another  supposes  it  is  belly-ache;  while  a  num- 
ber of  others  who  may  be  present,  are  equally  positive  in  stating 
what  they  believe  to  be  the  cause  of  the  trouble.  The  treatment,  too, 
is  on  the  same  principle,  equally  doubtful,  if  not  ridiculous.  The 
first  and  most  common  remedy  is  plunging  a  knife  into  the  roof 
of  the  horse's  mouth  to  bleed,  so  as  to  give  blood  to  the  bots,  or 
relieve  the  colic,  or  "whatever  it  is" ;  this hap-hazard  cutting  is  lia- 
ble to  sever  the  pallet  artery,  and  endanger  the  horse's  bleeding  to 
death.  I  have  several  times,  when  traveling,  been  called  to  treat 
cases  so  cashed  in  the  mouth  that  thev  would  have  bled  to  death 
if  "not  stopped  promptly.  (See  Bleeding  further  on.)  The  next 
resource  is,  running  the  horse  up  and  down  the  street,  or  kicking 
him  in  the  belly,  giving  sweet  milk  and  molasses,  including  a 
variety  of  other  remedies  advised  by  friends.     No  one  would  pre- 


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888  DISEASES  ATs^])  TIIETP.  Tl^EATMENT. 

tend  to  be  able  to  explain  deiiuitt^ly  the  nature  of  the  trouble;  but 
tliey  believed  it  was  this,  that,  or  somethinj^^,  else,  and  the  conse- 
qu(!nce  was  that  the  poor  horse  was  liable  to  be  tortured  for  hours, 
often  killed,  by  cruelty  or  repeated  dosing  with  remedies  that  were 
not  applicable  to  the  case.  WliiU;  it  is  true  a  horse  may  show  the 
symptoms  of  colic,  from  a  variety  of  causes,  which  would  mislead 
thi>  judgment  of  even  good  practitioners,  it  is  so  exceptional  as  to 
be  scarcely  worth  referring  to  here. 

Tt  was  stated  in  another  part,  by  the  writer,  that  he  employed 
a  \-eterinary  surgeon  of  unusual  skill  and  experience,  to  instruct 
lii)ii  ill  his  method  of  treatment  for  the  cure  of  such  diseases  as 
are  most  commoji  an«1  dangerous  to  borses  in  this  country,  includ- 
ing the  prescriptions  used  by  him  for  the  same. 

The  first  morning,  while  waiting  in  the  office  for  the  com- 
mencement of  this  instruction,  the  doctor  came  in  hurriedly,  say- 
ing, "There  is  a  horse  here  that  has  colic;  I  wish  you  to  observe 
his  condition  carefully;  notice  what  will  be  done  for  him;  in  the 
meantime  read  every  authority  in  tlie  libraiy  on  the  causes  and 
symptoms  of  colic,  but  do  not  read  the  treatment,  as  the  treatment 
given  in  books  is  not  reliable,  and  would  onlj^  mislead  you." 

As  directed,  I  noticed  carefully  the  condition  of  the  case  and 
the  effect  of  the  treatment,  which  was  favorable.  In  the  mean- 
time I  read  up  on  the  subject,  and  that  evening  I  was  given  a 
lecture  on  colic,  when  the  doctor  informed  the  writer  that  he  had 
killed  hundreds  of  horses  before  he  knew  how  to  treat  it  success- 
fully; and  that  the  treatment  given  in  books,  and  generally  ad- 
vised, could  not  be  depended  upon  to  cure  colic  with  anything  like 
certainty;  that  even  veterinary  surgeons  of  A^ery  high  stand- 
ing could  not  feel  any  C(irtainty  of  being  able  to  cure  colic  ;  that 
it  was  found  especially  difficult  to  ciire  flatulent  colic,  or  tympan- 
ites. "Now,"  said  he,  "we  can  cure  every  case  that  comes  into 
this  stable,  if  we  can  have  an  opportunity  of  ti-eating  them  within 
a  reasonable  length  of  time,  or  before  there  is  a  colapsed  condition 
of  the  circulation." 

The  opporUmities  for  treating  colic  in  the  Infirmary  wei-e  ver-y 
many.  The  Erie  Canal  hea.ds  at  that  place,  which  necessarily  con- 
centrated a  large  number  of  canal  horses  in  the  vicinity,  which, 
with  those  of  the  city,  broiight  to  the  Infirmaiy  almost  ever}^  day 
a  number  of  horses  s\ifFering  with  colic;    and  during  my  oxperi- 


COLIC. 


889 


ence  there  of  a  year,  there  was  not  a  single  death  from  this  cause ; 
and  since  then,  extending  over  a  period  of  twelve  years,  I  have 
used  the  same  treatment  in  the  cure  of  a  great  many  cases,  and 
had  it  used  under  my  supervision,  without  the  loss  of  a  single 
case ;  this  treatment  I  give  first,  having  the  utmost  confidence  in 
its  great  value. 

There  are  two  forms  of  this  disease,  namely,  spasmodic  and 
flatulent  colic.  The  first  is  wholly  of  a  spasmodic  nature,  and  if 
not  promptly  reheved,  will,  in  severe  cases,  run  into  inflammation 
of  the  bowels,  causing  speedy  death.  The  second,  while  exhibit- 
ing the  same  general  symptoms, 
shows  marked  enlargement  of 
the  belly,  from  generation  of  gas, 
which,  if  not  checked  and  neu- 
tralized, results  fatally  by  rupt- 
uring the  diaphragm,  causing 
suffocation  and  death.  The  ad- 
vantage of  this  treatment  for 
colic  was  first,  in  making  a  fair 
trial  of  the  best  anti-spasmodic, 
laudanum;  then,  if  it  failed  to 
give  relief,  or  if  there  was  re- 
lapse, bleeding  promptly,  which 
not  only  gave  relief  with  more  certainty,  but  prevented  a  tendency 
to  inflammation,  thereby  making  a  cure  when  medicine  proved 
unavailing.  Secondly,  in  giving  peppermint  for  flatulent  colic. 
He  found  by  expei'imenting  that  peppermint  was  the  only  remedy 
he  could  depend  upon  for  neutralizing  the  distending  gas ;  and  its 
combination  with  ether,  as  the  best  for  giving  relief. 

Causes. — The  common  causes  of  colic  are  a  sudden  change  in 
the  feed ;  very  often  during  the  summer  when  running  at  pasture 
if  taken  \ip  for  a  day,  and  a  feed  of  oats  or  dry  food  given,  it  is  apt 
to  cause  gripes;  feeding  new  oats  or  new  corn  is  a  common  cause; 
applications  of  cold  water  to  the  body;  drinking  freely  of  cold 
water  when  heated,  especially  if  hard  well-water,  often  gives  rise 
to  a  severe  attack;  worms  and  other  intestinal  irritants  may  in- 
duce it;  costiveness  and  im wholesome  food  often  cause  it;  OA'"er- 
loading  the  stomach,  or  being  put  to  work  on  a  full  stomach,  will 
give  rise  to  it. 


¥ui.  ?■(  r. — First  stage  of  Spasmodic  Colic 
somewhat  exaggerated.  — Mayhme. 


890 


DISEASES  AND  THEIK  TEEATMENT. 


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COLIC. 


891 


Symptoms. — The  animal  is  suddenly  seized  Avith  pain  in  the 
bowels,  becoming  restless  and  uneasy,  crouching,  sometimes  strik- 
ing up  towards  the  belly  with  the  hind  foot,  looking  round  to  his 
flanks,  evincing  great  distress;  he  gets  down  after  several  appar- 
ent eflbrts,  rolls  about,  sometimes  on  his  back,  sometimes  quite 
over.*  (These  symptoms  I  try  to  illustrate  by  Figs.  780  and  781, 
which  of  course  are  ideal,  but  w-ill  serve  to  give  a  good  idea  of  the 
main  symptoms.     Fig.  777,  which  I  copy  from  Mayhew,  is  con- 


FiG.  779. — First  stage  of  Spasmodic  Colic. 

siderably  exaggerated,  head  being  held  too  high,  showing  too  ex- 
cited and  nervous  an  expression,  and  the  hind  leg  brought  too 
near  the  body.  Fig.  779  shows  a  common  symptom  of  the  early 
stage,  drawn  under  my  own  supervision,  and  is  more  natural.) 
Profuse  perspiration  breaks  out  over  him.      The  paroxysm   soon 

*  He  may  also  act  as  if  he  wanted  to  make  water,  which  he  cannot  do,  there  be- 
ing a  spasmodic  contraction  of  the  urethra.  Hence  the  desire  to  give  diuretic 
medicine.  Straining  in  this  way  is  usually  prompted  by  a  desire  to  relieve  the  mus- 
cles of  the  belly.  No  diuretic  medicine  should  be  given,  as  the  horse  cannot  pass 
urine  until  the  attack  of  colic  ceases,  or  it  is  taken  from  him  with  a  catheter.  It  is 
very  seldom  necessary  to  use  a  catheter.  In  fact,  it  is  not  necessary  to  pay  an}'  at- 
tcntio!!  to  this  symptom.  As  soon  as  relieved  of  the  colic,  the  horse  will  pass  water 
freely. 


892 


DISEASES   AND   THEIli   TREATMENT. 


passes  off,  and  he  gets  up,  shakes  himself,  and  begins  feeding ;  dur- 
ing the  interval  the  pulse  is  unaltered ;  the  legs  and  ears  are  natural 
in  temperature.     After  an  interval  of  longer  or  shorter  duration. 


Fig.   7'80. — Second  stage  of  Spaamodic' Colic. 

the  attack  returns,  pei-naps  with  increased  violence,  when  he  gathers 
himself,  falls  down  and  rolls  about  as  before.  As  the  disease  ad- 
vances, the  symptoms  become  more  severe. 


Fig.  7S1. — Third  stage  of  Spasmodic  Colic. 

Youatt,  in  his  description  of  colic,  contrasts  its  symptoms  with 
those  of  inflammation  of  the  bowels,  and  though  not  exactly  ac- 
cording to  modern  authorities,  it  will  mat'erially  aid  the  reader  in 
determining  the  difference ;  so  I  include  it.     I  would  also  refer  the 


COLIC.  893 

reader  to  the  description  of  each  by  Dr.  Meyer,  which  follows  on 
page  895. 

COLIC.  INFLAMMATION. 

Sudden  in  its  attack.  Gradual  in  its  approach,  with 

previous  indications  of  fever. 

Pulse  rarely  much  quickened  Pulse  very  much  quickened, 

in  the  early  stage  of  the  disease  hut  small,  and  often  scarcely  to 

and  during  the  intervals  of  ease,  be  felt, 
but  evidently  fuller. 

Legs  and  ears  of  natural  tem-  Legs  and  ears  cold, 
perature. 

Eelief  obtained  from  rubbing  Belly  exceedingly  tender,  and 

the  belly.  painful  to  the  touch. 

Eelief  obtained  from  motion.  Motion  evidently  increasing 

the  pain. 

Intervals  of  rest.  Constant  pain. 

Strength  scarcely  affected.  liapid  and  great  weakness. 

If  not  checked,  or  there  is  not  relief,  it  runs  into  inflammation 
of  the  bowels,  which  is  very  fatal,  and  the  point  is  to  combat  and 
overcome  it  before  running  so  far  as  to  resist  treatment. 

This  disease  being  wholly  of  a  spasmodic  character,  it  must 
be  counteracted  by  anti-spasmodic  treatment;  and  laudanum  be- 
ing the  most  powerful  and  reliable  anti-spasmodic,  it  is  indicated. 

Treatment. — Give  from  two  to  three  ounces  of  laudanum  and 
a  pint  of  raw  linseed  oil.*  If  not  better  in  an  hour,  give  two 
ounces  of  laudanum  and  the  same  quantity  of  oil.  If  there  is  not 
relief  in  a  reasonable  time  after  the  second  dose  is  given,  take 
from  six  to  twelve  quarts  of  blood  from  the  neck  vein,  according 
to  the  size  of  the  horse  and  the  severity  of  the  attack. -f  Always  in 
bleeding  make  the  orifice  large,  and  extract  the  blood  as  quickly 
as  possible. 

In  the  Infirmary  the  practice  was,  as  stated,  to  try  the  medi- 
cine, and  as  soon  as  convinced  it  was  not  sufficient  to  relieve  the 
case,  no  time  was  lost  in  bleeding.  Or,  if  a  case  was  brought  in 
that  had  been  suffering  some  time,  not  only  medicine  was  given, 
but  bleeding  was  resorted  to  at  once. 

*  This  ia  the  dose  advised  for  a  large  horse.  For  a  medium  or  small  sized, 
nervous  tempered  animal,  two-thirds  the  quantity  would  be  equally  large. 

t  It  ■will  be  rarely  found  necessary  to  resort  to  bleeding  if  the  case  is  attended 
to  promptly,  and  in  only  very  serious  cases,  where  the  horse  is  fat  and  large,  is  so 
large  a  quantity  of  blood  to  be  taken.  In  ordinary  eases,  six  to  eight  quarts  would 
be  sufficient. 


894 


DISEASES   AND   THEIR   TREATMENT. 


Tympanites,  or  Flatulent  Colic. 

Symptoms  the  same  as  in  spasmodic  colic,  with  the  difference 

of  there  being  so  great  an  accu- 
mulation of  gas  in  the  stomach 
and  intestines  that  the  belly  is 
swelled.  This  disease  will  often 
pi-ove  fatal  in  from  one  to  three 
hours.  It  is  generally  very 
sudden  in  its  attack,  often  oc- 
cun-inof  while  the  animal  is  at 
work,  particularly  during  warm 

or  changeable  weather;   but  it  is  generally  caused  by  indigestion, 

producing  gases  in  the  bowels  or  stomach.* 

I 


Fig.  782. — Eirlv  staare  of  Flatulent  Colic. 


Fig   783. — An  advanced  stage  of  Flatulent  Colic,  or  Tympanites. 

*Tliere  are  two  locations  for  this  disease,  the  stomach  aiid  the  colon  and  coecum; 
but  in  either  it  requires  the  same  treatment,  as  it  is  generally  produced  by  the 
same  causes.  When  in  the  stomach,  it  will  be  distinguished  by  eructations,  or 
belchings  of  gas  through  the  esophagus,  or  gullet.  If  in  the  colon  or  coecum,  the 
horse  is  violently  swollen  along  the  belly,  flanks,  and  sides.  The  pulse  is  rarely 
disturbed  until  the  disease  advances,  when  it  will  become  quickened,  running  to  its 
height  quickly,  and  receding  as  rapidly,  if  fatal.  If  to  terminate  fatally,  it  will  be- 
come weaker  and  slower  until  it  is  almost  imperceptible.  If  the  animal  is  allowed 
to  fall  down  suddenly,  while  the  pressure  of  gas  upon  the  walls  of  the  stomach  is 
very  great,  there  is  liability  of  niptnring  the  diaphragm,  which  would  cause  almost 
instant  death  from  suffocation. 


TYMPANITES,  OE  FLATULENT  COLIC.  895 

Treatment. — Blanket  comfoi-tably,  so  as  to  keep  up  evapora- 
tion, and  immediately  give  the  following  as  a  drench : — 

2  ounces  peppermint. 
2  ounces  sulphuric  ether. 
1  pint  water. 

Shake  up  thoroughly,  and  keep  covered  with  the  hand  or  cork  before  ad- 
ministering. If  nut  relieved,  it  should  be  repeated  in  one-half  to  three-'quar- 
ters  of  an  hour.  If  the  horse  is  small,  and  the  attack  not  severe,  less  may 
be  given  ;  while  if  very  large,  and  the  attack  severe,  even  more  may  be 
given.  * 

During  my  practice  of  late  years,  when  I  had  a  case  of  colic, 
I  usually  gave  the  following  preparation: — 

1^  to  2  ounces  peppermint. 
1^  to  2  ounces  sulphuric  ether. 
1  ounce  laudanum. 
1  pint  soft  water. 

After  shaking  thoroughly,  I  gave  this  immediately.  I  have 
found  it  in  all  cases  to  give  relief.  It  is  particularly  valuable  to 
non-professional  men  who  cannot,  during  the  early  stage,  tell  the 
difference  between  spasmodic  and  flatulent  colic,  and  on  this  ac- 
count it  is  the  preparation  the  writer  would  advise.  Stable-keep- 
ers should  always  keep  it  on  hand,  in  readiness  for  an  emergency, 
as  it  is  very  important  to  be  able  to  treat  this  disease  promptly. 

If  the  horse  is  subject  to  attacks  of  colic,  which  are  usually  pro- 
duced by  irritating  matter  in  the  bowels,  it  can  usually  be  relieved 
by  giving  one  or  two  sharp  doses  of  physic. 

Dr.  Myer's  method  of  treatment  is  so  good,  explaining  as  it 
does  some  symptoms,  with  other  points  of  treatment  not  given, 
that  I  include  it  in  full : — 

"  First,  there  is  a  switching  of  the  tail,  followed  by  a  pawing 
with  the  fore  feet,  and  acting  as  if  there  were  an  inclination  to  lie 
down.  Usually  gets  down  and  rolls,  looks  at  the  belly,  rolls,  then 
up  again,  and  seems  at  rest  for  a  few  minutes,  when  he  goes  through 
the  same  actions  again.  The  pulsation  is  full  and  strong,  about 
natural.  By  looking  at  the  inner  surface  of  the  eyelid  there  Avill 
be  some  sign  of  inflammation.     When  the  attack  is  running  into 

*  The  ether  disturbs  the  breathing,  making  the  horse  apparently  distressed, 
breathing  laboriously,  which  will  pass  off  in  a  few  hours. 


89G  DISEASES   AND  TIIEUJ  TREAT.MEN^T. 

inflammation  of  the  bowels,  or  becomes  seated,  there  will  be  an  in- 
clination to  sweat,  an  anxious  exj)res8ion  in  the  eye,  increased  res- 
piration, the  pulsation  from  70  to  80,  small  and  weak.  The  inner 
lining  of  the  eyelid  will  be  ])lainly  injected  or  reddened,  the  animal 
at  times  looking  toward  the  flanks;  walks  almost  in  a  circle;  makes 
attempts  to  lie  down,  coming  down  aljout  half  way,  gets  up  and 
walks  around  again,  which  ma}'  be  repeated  a  number  of  times  ; 
finally  succeeds  in  getting  down,  which  he  does  very  carefully,  then 
will  lie  outstretched  for  a  few  moments  ;  will  make  an  attempt  to 
rise,  and  will  sit  up  like  a  pig,  as  shown  in  Fig.  787,  page  900. 

"In  colic,  the  horse  tlirows  himself  down  carelessly,  rolls  around 
in  a  cai'eless  manner,  and  then  jiim]js  up. — an  important  sign  of 
death.  After  the  case  has  been  treated  lor  some  time,  hema}^  seem 
easier  ;  but  if  allowed  to  have  his  own  way,  and  he  wanders  off  to 
some  unusual  place,  it  is  positive  proof  that  he  is  beyond  medical 
aid. 

"  Treatment  for  colic. — 2  ounces  laudanum,  h  ounce  spirits  of  camphor 
or  1  drachm  gum  camphor,  2  ounces  sweet  spirits  of  nitre,  2  drachms  fluid 
ex.  belladonna.  Mix  with  one-half  pint  of  water,  and  give  as  a  drench.  If 
the  patient  is  no  better  in  one  hour,  repeat,  and,  if  constipated,  use  warm 
water  injections. 


Fig.   784. — Trocar  uiid  caiiula. 

"  Flatulent  colic,  treatment  the  same  as  above.  In  the  early 
stage,  if  after  about  half  an  hour  the  patient  seems  no  better,  give 
two  ounces  of  essential  hartshorn  in  water,  with  warm  water  ene- 
mas. If  by  this  time  there  is  no  flatus,  or  breaking  of  wind,  and 
the  animal's  abdomen  or  belly  is  very  much  distended,  and  is  belch- 
ing up  air  out  of  the  nostrils,  and  commences  to  tremble  in  his  legs, 
an  operation  Avill  have  to  be  performed.  Take  a  lance  or  knife 
and  make  a  slight  incision  through  the  skin  on  the  right  flank,  (the 
ox  is  always  punctured  on  the  left  flank,  and  the  horse  on  the  right), 
at  a  point  Avhero  the  tympanitic  sound  is  most  marked.  As  a  rule, 
this  point  is  midway  between  the  edge  of  the  last  rib  and  the  hip  bone ; 
and  about  six  inches  from  the  lateral  processes  of  the  spine — about 
where  the  cross  mark  is  on  Fig.  785.  Take  trocar  and  canula,  put 
the  point  into  the  incision  previously  made  with  the  knife.  Direct 
the  instrument  inward,  slightly  downward  and  forward,  and  hit  it 
a  sharp  blow  with  the  flat  of  the  hand  to  send  the  instrument 
through  to  the  hilt.  Now  draw  out  the  trocar,  when  the  gas  will 
escape.  When  the  escape  of  the  gas  has  ceased,  put  a  finger  over 
the  opening  of  the  canula  to  prevent  the  air  from  filling  in,  and 
withdraw.  When  withdrawn,  rub  slightly  with  the  finger  over  the 
wound,  and  leave  it  alone.     Before  performing  the  operation,  give 


TYMPANJTE8.  Oil  FLATULENT  COLIC. 


897 


four  ounces  of  vegetable  charcoal  which  hus  hceu  kept  diy,  mixed 
with  one  quart  of  milk.  The  horse  will  have  instant  relief  after 
the  ojjeration.  If  he  remains  quiet,  feed  nothing  for  about  twelve 
hours.  Give  flaxseed  tea  to  driuk.  After  the  cxjiiration  of  this 
time,  feed  bran  mashes,  with  oatmeal  or 
ground  oats,  and  continue  from  four  to  six 
<lays,  when  the  animal  will  bo  well.  When 
there  is  no  hope  b}'  medicine,  this  opera- 
tion is  the  only  treatment  that  promises 
success.  vShould  the  horse  be  uneasy  after 
the  operation,  give  one  of  the  balls  used 
for  inflammation  of  the  bowels,  which 
should  be  repeated  once  in  from  four  to  six 
hours  until  quiet." 


Fig.    7'S5. — Tlu;    t-russ  show- 
ing the  location  to  be 
Iiunctured. 


During-  the  warni  mouths  Dr.  Meyer 
usually  performs  this  operation  fioni 
twenty- five  to  thirty  times,  to  save  life. 
His  loss  is  about  one  in  ten. 

I  would  add  that  during  my  experience  in  Butlalo,  I  had  no 
occasion  to  ])erform  this  operation,  the  treatment  given  proving  in 
every  instance  effective.  This  opei-ation,  a(;cording  to  standard 
authorities,  has  been  regarded  as  seldom  successful.     I  think  the 


Fi<;.   iS(). — .>[cthod  of  puncturing  the  cow  or  ox  mIicu  bh)!Ucti. 

reason  is  that  the  cas(3  has  been  allowed  io  go  too  long  before  re- 
sorting to  it.  In  a  conversation  with  Dr.  Meyer  in  relation  to  it, 
he  stated  that  he  regard(;d  it  as  Vi^vy  \'ahiable  treatment,  enabling 
him  to  cure  a  large  proportion  of  cases  wliicb  otherwise  would  be 
beyond  help.  As  it  may  in  some  cases  be  found  necessary  to  per- 
57 


898  DISEASES  AND  THEIR  TREATMENT, 

form  this  operation,  I  give  a  diagraui  of  the  body,  showing  the  lo- 
cation of  the  point  to  be  punctured,  and  also  add  an  excellent  il- 
lustration of  the  method  of  performing  it  upon  cows  or  oxen  that 
may  become  bloated, — a  very  common  occurrence  in  cattle  that 
are  turned  into  a  clover-field,  and  eat  too  much ;  and  as  most  horse- 
owners  are  largely  interested  in  cattle,  I  thought  it  of  sufficient 
importance  to  give  the  illustration  in  connection  with  this  arti- 
cle. 

I  give  other  important  remedies  for  colic — those  used  by  the 
leading  colleges  and  experts — under  the  head  of  Remedies,  in  the 
latter  part  of  this  work. 

When  a  horse  is  taken  suddenly  sick,  especially  after  a  drive, 
or  after  having  been  given  cold  water  or  a  change  of  food,  looking 
at  his  side,  and  acting  as  if  he  wanted  to  lie  down,  etc.,  simply 
catch  him  by  the  ear,  and  if  it  is  warm,  and  the  pulse  is  natural, 
it  is  always  accepted  as  a  proof  of  colic.  Now,  what  can  be  done 
provided  you  have  none  of  the  medicine  recommended  ?  Give 
about  a  tablespoonf  ul  of  ginger  in  a  pint  of  hot  water,  well  stirred ; 
or  giving  as  a  drench  from  four  to  six  ounces  of  good  whisky  or 
brandy,  is  sometimes  ver}'^  effective. 

Hot  fomentations  to  the  sides  and  belly  are  also  very  effective, 
using  woolen  blankets  wrung  out  of  water  as  hot  as  can  be  borne, 
and  covered  with  two  or  three  other  cloths  to  retain  the  heat,  and 
to  be  repeated  as  they  cool.  A  hot  bran  poultice  would  be  some- 
what better,  as  it  would  retain  the  heat  longer.  (Full  directions 
for  giving  fomentations  will  be  found  under  that  head.)  The 
fever  medicine,  given  in  doses  of  from  a  drachm  to  half  an  ounce, 
has  also  been  found  very  efficient. 

Inflammation  of  the  Bowels. 

Enteritis,  also  sometimes  called  red  colic,  may  occur  as  a  pri- 
mary disease,  but  more  often  it  is  seen  as  a  consequence  of  colic 
or  constipation  of  the  bowels.  It  generally  proves  fatal.  As  an 
idiopathic  affection,  that  is,  occurring  independent  of  any  other 
disease,  it  may  occur  from  any  of  the  causes  of  colic,  particularly 
overloading  the  stomach. 

Symptoms. — The  animal  is  noticed  to  be  unwell ;  he  is  dull 
and  stupid ;  refuses  food ;  has  shivering  fits,  the  mouth  becoming 
hot,  and  extremities  alternately  hot  and  cold,  the  pulse  being 


INFLAMMATION  OF  THE  BOWELS. 


899 


quick,  small,  and  wiry.  He  looks  toward  his  flanks;  the  bowels 
are  costive;  after  a  time  pain  sets  in,  and  is  continuous  and  vio- 
lent; he  rolls  about,  the  sweat  pouring  from  him  in  streams;  the 
eyes  arc  blood-shot ;  the  belly  hot  and  tender.  He  does  not  throw 
himself  violently  down,  as  in  colic,  but  lies  down  cautiously,  and 
tries  to  steady  himself  on  his  back.  As  it  goes  on,  the  symptoms 
are  augmented,  the  legs  and  ears  get  deathly  cold,  the  pulse  be- 
comes weaker,  and  soon  is  imperceptible ;  the  mouth  gets  cold  and 
clammy ;  extravasation  of  blood  is  going  on  in  the  bowels ;  morti- 


FiG.  787. — First  stage  of  Inflammation  of  the  Bowels. 

fication  sets  in,  the  pain  ceases,  and  he  may  stand  up.  He  is  dull 
and  stupid,  surface  of  the  body  cold,  mouth  cold,  twitching  of  the 
muscles,  and  retraction  of  the  upper  lip.  He  soon  falls  violently 
to  the  ground,  endangering  the  lives  and  limbs  of  the  attendantr; 
who  happen  to  be  near  him,  and  after  a  foAV  struggles  expires. 
After  death,  the  bowels  are  very  much  inflamed,  -and  the  inner 
surface  black  and  clotted  with  extravasated  blood.  Death  some- 
times occurs  in  from  six  to  eight  hours,  and  even  in  shorter  time. 
When  occurring  in  consequence  of  colic  or  constipation,  it  is  very 
difficult  to  determine  the  exact  transition  from  spasm  to  inflam- 
mation. 


900 


DISEASES  AND  THEIE  TEEATMENT. 


Treatment. — In  the  outset,  especially  when  occurring  as  a 
primary  affection,  and  not  as  a  consequence  of  another  disease,  copi- 
ous blood-letting  will  be  advisable — from  four  to  six  quarts,  or 
sufficient  to  make  an  impression  on  the  pulse.  He  should  be 
turned  into  a  Avcll-littered  loose-box,  and  allowed  to  roll  as  he 
pleases.  The  bowels  are  obstinately  constipated,  but  drastic  pur- 
gatives are  apt  to  increase  the  inflammation ;  our  utmost  efforts 
must  therefore  be  directed  to  open  them  by  copious  injections  (of 


/ 


Fig.  788. — A  sure  indication  of  Inflammation  of  the  Boweis. 


linseed-tea,  soap  and  water,  tobacco-smoke,  or  infusion  of  tobacco,) 
back-raking,  etc.  A  quart  of  linseed-oil,  with  two  ounces  of 
laudanum,  should  be  given,  and  repeated,  in  half  the  dose,  every 
one  or  two  hours,  if  required.  Fomentations  of  hot  water  must 
be  constantly  applied  to  the  belly,  or  bags  wrung  out  of  boil- 
ing water.  Where,  from  the  violent  tossing  of  the  animal,  this  is 
impracticable,  blister  the  belly  with  tincture  of  cantharides  or 
mustard  and  turpentine. 

If  the  symptoms  do  not  moderate  in  a  few  houi's,  the  pulse 
continues  full,  and  the  legs  and  ears  not  very  cold,  a  second  bleed- 
ing may  be  advisable ;  but  this  is  seldom  the  case,  as  the  prostra- 
tion is  rapid,  the  pulse  becoming  small,  wiry,  and  almost  imper- 


INFLAMMATION  OF  THE  BOWELS. 


901 


ceptible,  and  the  legs  and  ears  deathly  cold.     In  this  case  bleeding 
but  hastens  the  fatal  termination. 

When  it  has  continued  eight  or  ten  hours,  if  it  takes  a  favor- 
able turn,  the  pulse  becomes  fuller,  the  surface  warmer,  and  he 
will  lie  for  some  time  stretched  out,  apparently  asleep,  being 
weakened  from  the  disease  and  bleeding,  and  probably  partially 
narcotized  from  the  laudanum.  In  this  stage  he  must  be  made 
comfortable,  and  covered  up  in  straw  or  sheets.  We  usually 
"  bury  "  him  in  straw.  This  restores  the  balance  of  the  circula- 
tion, often  causing 
him  to  sweat ;  and 
after  lying  thus 
for  one  or  two 
hours,  he  will  get 
up    relieved,    and 


begin  to  feed. 


No  hay  must 
be  given  him. 
After  a  little,  he 
should  be  encour- 
age d    to    drink 


-A  symptom  of  inflammation  of  the  bowels, 
or  great  internal  pain. 


well-boiled  gruel,  or  eat  a  thin  bran  mash.  Injections  must  be  con- 
tinued till  the  bowels  are  freely  opened.  For  a  few  days  he  must 
be  kept  warm;  a  few  mouthfuls  of  cold  water  may  be  given 
every  hour;  gentle  walking  exercise  and  sloppy  diet  must  be 
continued  for  some  time.  About  the  fourth  day,  even  though  the 
bowels  have  become  regular,  he  should  have  a  purgative  (from  six 
to  eight  drachms  of  aloes,  made  into  a  ball),  to  remove  ingesta,  and 
restore  the  secretions  to  their  natural  condition. 

The  following  is  the  treatment  advised  by  Dr.  Somerville : — 
"  This  disease  is  generally  caused  b}^  cpnstipation  of  the  bowels, 
hard  driving,  over-purging  or  looseness  of  bowels,  or  drinking  cold 
water  when  warm.  Constipation  is,  however,  the  jDrincipul  cause 
of  the  disease,  and  when  this  is  the  case,  the  first  and  most  impor- 
tant condition  of  relief  is  to  get  an  action  of  the  bowels. 

'■'Symptoms. — For  the  first  few  hours  the  horse  is  uneasy,  paws, 
looks  around  at  the  side,  the  pulse  is  slightly  accelerated  and  wiry. 
As  the  disease  advances,  the  intermissions  between  the  attacks  be- 
come less,  pulse  quicker,  running  from  seventy  to  eighty  beats  in  a 
minute,  in  some  instances  even  faster;  lies  down  and  gets  up,  shows 
much  pain,  no  swelling  of  sides;  now  begins  to  exhibit  fever, 
bowels  constipated,  urine  highly  colored  and  scanty. 


902  DISEASES  AND  THETE  TEEATMENT. 

^^ Remedy. — Give  a  quart  of  raw  linseed  oil.  If  constipation  is 
very  great,  add  from  four  to  six  drops  of  croton  oil. 

"If  scours  or  over-purging,  give  an  ounce  and  a  half  of  the  tinct- 
ure of  opium  with  six  ounces  of  water.  But  in  order  to  suppress 
the  inflammation,  it  is  necessary  to  bleed  immediately  from  the  neck 
vein  from  six  to  ten  quarts  of  blood,  according  to  the  strength  and 
size  of  the  animal.  In  extreme  cases  bleeding  may  be  repeated  to 
the  extent  of  four  to  six  quarts  in  three  or  four  hours.  If  much 
pain  exists  in  constipation,  give  from  one  to  three  ounces  tincture 
asafoetida.  Feed  lightly  for  a  week  at  least,  giving  gruel,  roots, 
grass,  and  bran  mashes,  and  keep  quiet.  Do  not  exercise  for  several 
days  if  there  is  danger  of  a  relapse.  This  is  a  dangerous  disease, 
and  requires  prompt  treatment." 

Treatment  advised  by  Dr.  Charles  A.  Meyoi- : — 

"The  first  stage  of  inflammation  of  the  bowels  is  Avhen  the  ani- 
mal sits  on  his  haunches  like  a  pig,  gradually  gets  uj),  and  walks 
around  as  if  in  great  agony  ;  makes  attempts  to  lie  down,  and  Avhen 
he  does,  goes  down  xqvj  carefully ;  may  make  a  few  rolls ;  will 
gradually  straighten  out  again,  attempts  to  rise,  and  sits  on  his 
haunches  again  like  a  pig.  This  position  is  a  sign  of  bowel  inflam- 
mation, and  to  save  the  patient  the  treatment  must  begin  in 
earnest.  Should  the  patient  be  fat  and  plethoric,  bleed  from  the 
neck  from  two  to  eight  quarts,  according  to  the  size  of  the  horse. 
Apply  a  strong  rubifacient  to  the  abdomen,  of  1  lb  of  strong  mus- 
tard, 2  oz.  aqua  ammonia,  and  water  sufficient  to  make  into  plas- 
ter; rub  in  well,  and  cover  with  paper,  to  keep  in  the  heat.  Then 
give  the  following  medicine: — 

"  4  draclims  opium,  pulverized. 
2  oz.  subnitrate  of  bismuth. 
4  drachms  chloroform. 
2^  drachma  nux  vomica,  pulverized. 
Q.  S.  licorice  root. 
"  Make  into  four  balls,  give  one  every  4  to  G  hours,  according  to  the  un- 
easiness of  the  patient,  who  must  be  kejjt  quiet,  and  these  balls  will  do  it. 
Feed  soft,  nutritious  food,  warm  water,  and  no  hay,  for  about  one  week." 

SUPEKPURGATION,    DiARRHEA,    ETC. 

An  over-relaxed  state  of  the  bowels  may  arise  from  various 
causes.  In  some  animals  it  is  favored  by  peculiaiities  of  confor- 
mation, as  is  seen  in  washy  horses,  animals  with  long  legs,  open  ribs, 
and  flat  sides,  with  tucked-up  bellies,  .such  being  liable  to  purge 
from  the  simplest  cause. 

Change  of  feed,  especially  from  dry  to  green,  or  unhealtliful 
food,  and  sometimes  through  nervous  excitement,  is  apt  to  produce 
scouring.     It  is  usually  the  evidence  of  something  wrong,  and  the 


Fig.  790. — General  view  of 
the  horse's  intestines, 
showing  the  distribution 
of  blood  to  the  in 
by  the  great  mesen- 
teric artery.  The  animal 
is  placed  on  its  back,  and 
the  intestinal  mass 
spread  out. 


A.  The  duodenum  as  it 
passes  behind  the  great 
mesentric  artery;  U.  Free 
portion  of  the  small  intes- 
tine; C.  IleociBcal  portion ; 
JD.  Csecum;  E,  i'',  G.  Loop 
formed  by  the  large  colon ; 
G,  Pelvic  flexure;  I',  F. 
Point  where  the  colic  loop 
is  doubled  to  ^constitute 
the  suprasternal  and  dia- 
phragmatic flexures. 


ooi  DISEASES  A^'J)  THEIR  tiieat:ment. 


effort  of  jjature  to  remove  it.  Some  irritant  or  indigest^jd  food 
beiiiu;  lodged  in  the  bowels,  the  intestinal  iluids  are  poured  out  in 
superabundance  to  remove  it.  The  incautious  use  of  purgative 
medicines  is  a  common  cause  of  supevpurgation.  It  often  occurs 
in  the  latter*  stages  of  debilitating  diseases,  when  it  is  always  an 
untoward  symptom,  betokening  a  breaking-up  of  the  vital  poAvers. 
The  presence  of  little  white  worms  (ascarides)  is  occasionally  the 
cause.  It  sometimes  follows  the  drinking  of  cold  water  when  an 
animal  is  in  a  lieated  state.  • 

Symptoms. — The  symptoms  var-y  according  to  the  nature  of 
the  case,  and  the  causes  that  give  rise  to  it.  It  may  be  simply  an 
increased  fl\iidity  of  the  contents  of  the  boAvels,  as  is  seen  in  washy 
or  nervous  animals,  unaccompanied  by  pain  or  constitutional  dis- 
turbance; or,  on  the  other  hand,  it  ma}''  be  (as  in  superpurgation) 
attended  by  pain,  expressed  by  the  uneasiness,  pawing,  looking  to 
the  flanks,  etc.  He  strains  frequently,  and  the  foeces  are  veiy 
watery;  the  pulse  is  small  and  hard.  Rapid  and  increasing  weak- 
ness and  emaciation,  loss  of  appetite,  and  unless  means  are  speedily 
adopted  to  check  it,  inflammation  of  the  bowels  is  apt  to  set  in. 

Treatment. — Great  cai'c  must  be  exercised  in  feeding  and  wat- 
ering washy  horses,  dry  feed  being  best  suited  to  them.  They 
should  not  be  allowed  to  drink  too  freely  of  water,  especially  be- 
fore work.  In  many  cases  it  may  be  necessary  to  give  them 
some  starch  or  chalk  mixed  up  in  the  feed.  In  all  cases,  the  main 
point  is  to  discover  the  cause.  If  arising  from  improper  food,  it 
must  be  changed  at  once. 

If  some  ii-ritant  be  suspected,  nature  niust  be  assisted  in  her 
efforts  by  giving  a  quart  of  linseed  or  castor  oil,  followed  up  by 
starch  or  Avell-boiled  flour  gruel,  keejDing  the  animal  Avarm.  If 
worms  are  suspected,  or  seen  in  the  dung,  one  or  tw'^o  ounces  of 
spii-its  of  turpentine,  or  any  of  the  vermifuges  recommended, 
should  be  added  to  the  oil.  Should  it  not  yield  to  this,  neutralize 
the  acids  in  the  bowels  by  giving  an  ounce  an<l  a  half  of  jn-epared 
chalk  and  a  dram  and  a  half  of  powdered  catechu,  mixed  in  a 
j)int  of  water.  Give  once  or  twice  a  day  until  purging  ceases. 
Keep  the  animal  Avithout  exercise,  and  do  not  give  mxich  Avater  to 
drink. 

If  this  disease  should  arise  from   nervous  excitement,   o-ive  a 


CONSTIPATION.  905 

drachm  of  powdered  opium  in  the  food  once  a  day  for  thi'ee  or 
four  davs.     Or  ffive  the  followino-  astring-ent  drench  : — 

1  drachm  powdered  opium. 
4  oz.  prepared  chalk, 
1  oz.  gum  acacia. 

Dissolve  in  warm  water,  and  give  in  well-boiled  flour  or  starch  gruel.  It 
may  be  given  two  or  three  times  a  day,  the  gruel  being  given  frequently. 
If  very  severe,  injections  of  solution  of  catechu  and  starch,  with  a  little 
tincture  of  opium,  should  be  given. 

The  belly  may  be  stimulated  with  liquid  blister.  He  must  be 
kept  pei'fectly  w^arm,  and  the  legs  bandaged.  Care  must  be  taken 
not  to  induce  an  opposite  state  of  the  bowels  b}^  the  injudicious 
use  of  astringents.  An  ounce  each  of  carbonate  of  soda  and  gin- 
ger should  be  given  daily  for  some  time  after  recovery.  Rest  and 
good  dry  food  are  necessary  for  some  time. 

COXSTIPATION. 

Constipation  is  a  condition  the  very  opposite  of  the  above,  in 
which  we  have  a  diminished  action  of  the  bov/els,  the  dung  being- 
dry  and  voided  with  difficulty,  leading  to  dangerous  "stoppage  of 
the  bowels."  It  arises  from  various  causes,  especially  from  being 
fed  on  dry,  fibrous  food.  If  in  pasture  in  the  fall,  when  the  grass 
is  tough  and  fibrous,  with  pei'haps  a  scarce  supply  of  water,  the 
fibrous  mgesta  are  liable  to  become  felted  together,  and  impacted 
in  the  bowels.  Want  of  exercise,  and  feeding  too  much  grain, 
are  also  prominent  causes. 

It  is  sometimes  accompanied  by  inflammation  of  the  bowels. 
Horses  that  are  kept  up,  or  not  worked  regularly,  and  especially 
if  fed  on  dry  food,  should  have  an  occasional  bran  mash  with 
plenty  of  water  to  drink ;  or  small  doses  of  laxatives,  aloes  is  the 
simplest  and  best,  from  two  to  four  drachm  doses,  with  green  food. 
If  accompanied  by  colic,  or  inflammation  of  the  bowels,  back-rak- 
ing, etc.,  must  be  resorted  to  until  relieved.  Green  grass  is  about 
the  best  laxative. 

All  horses,  especially  those  advanced  in  years,  should  be 
watched  carefully,  and  when  there  is  any  tendency  to  constipa- 
tion, it  should  be  prevented,  as  before  stated,  by  giving  bran 
mashes,  carrots,  and  raw  potatoes;  or,  if  thought  advisable,  a  lit- 
tle oil  or  physic,  with  regular  exercise  and  sufficient  water,  and 


906 


DISEASES  AND   THEIil   TEEATMEJSTT. 


Fig.  791. — Symptom  of  worms. 


there  will  usually  be  no  difficulty.  It  is  very  important  to  look 
to  this  condition ;  neglecting  it,  colic,  inflammation  of  the  bowels, 
etc.,  may  result. 

Worms. 

Worms  are  most  commonly  found  in  the  stomach  and  bowels; 

they  are  also  sometimes  met  with  in  al- 
most every  part  of  the  body.  Investiga- 
tion shows  there  are  over  thirty  kinds  of 
worms  that  infest  the  horse.  Dr.  Robert 
Jennings,  about  twenty  years  ago,  at 
that  time  a  resident  of  Boixlen  Town, 
New  Jersey,  and  now  of  Detroit,  Michi- 
gan, informed  the  writer  that  he  had  traced  out  thirty  different 
kinds  in  the  horse,  and  among  others  exhibited  a  jDiece  of  muscle 
that  was  perforated  by  a  large  number  of  little  white  worms 
from  one  to  two  inches  long-. 

Mr.  White,  an  old  author,  says: — 

'■  I  have  found  Avorms  in  the  wind-pipe,  in  the  mesenteric  ar- 
tery, in  an  abscess  in  the  substance  of  the  abdominal  muscles,  and 
according  to  Lafosse,  they  have  been  fouud  also  in  the  pancreatic 
and  salivary  ducts." 

There  are  but  three  oi-  four 
that  are  very  common.  First, 
the  teres  Iwmhrici,  a  large  worm 
from  four  to  ten  inches  long, 
that  lives  in  the  intestines.  It 
looks  like  the  common  earth- 
worm, yellowish  white  and  ta- 
pered at  both  ends.  Second,  the 
ascaris  or  ascarides,  commonly 
called  needle  or  thread- worm,  of 
a  dirty-white  color,  usually  from  ^^«-  '!'92.— The  appearance  of  a  horse 
one  to  two  inches  long.      They  '^^"^ ''  ""°"^^''^  ''''^'  '""''"'• 

are  sometimes  found  in  thousands.  They  have  been  observed  chiefly 
inhabiting  the  mucous  coat  of  the  coecum,  on  the  surface  of  which, 
it  is  supposed,  they  are  developed  in  little  cells,  which,  when  ma- 
tured, burst,  producing  considerable  irritation,  and  often  serious 
inflammation  of  the  parts.  They  are  also  sometimes  found  to  in- 
fest the  rectum  in  large  numbers,  and  to  relieve  the  irritation  they 
produce,  the  horse  rubbing  his  taiL 


WOEMS. 


907 


Varieties  of  strongyli  and  oxyures 
also  occur,  and  are  sometimes  mis- 
taken for  ascaris.  They  are,  how- 
ever, distinct  species;  the  former  is 
tapered,  and  terminates  in  a  spine, 
whereas  the  latter  is  blunted,  with  a 
head  like  a  leather  sucker.  The 
strongyli  inhabit  the  ccecum,  colon, 
and  duodenum ;  the  oxyures,  the  mes- 
entery, spermatic  cord,  and  in  fact 
almost  every  organ  in  the  body.  The 
common  whip-worm,  or  long  thread- 
worm, technically  called  the  tricho- 
cephalus  dlspary  are  found  in  the  cce- 
cum. They  resemble  a  whip,  the 
shank  being  about  a  third,  and  the 
thong  two  thirds  of  the  length,  usually 
about  two  inches.  Bots,  which  in- 
habit the  stomach,  will  be  referred 
to  especially  following  this  article. 

There  is  also  a  small  thread-like 
worm,  called  Jilarla,  from  a  half  inch 
to  an  inch  and  a  half  long,  which 
travels  all  through  the  system.  This 
is  the  worm  that  sometimes  gets  into 


Fig.  793. — Ascaria  Lumbrlcorde. 


the  eye  and  grows  there.  The  tape- 
worm is  sometimes  found  in  the  horse, 
for  which  I  give  a  specific  remedy  used 
by  Dr.  Meyer  with  great  success.      (I  give  illustrations  of  a  few 


a,  Female;    d,  Male;    natural 
size. 


Fig.  794. — Ascaride  margmata,  eularged. 

worms,  though  not  of  all  that  I  desired,  on  account  of  the  diffi- 
culty of  obtaining  them.  They  will  not,  however,  be  of  any  special 
interest  or  importance  to  the  general  readei\      Hence  those  ob- 


908 


DISEASES  AND  THEIR  TREATMENT. 


tained  are  put  in  without  regard  to  niucli  tech- 
nical c^xplanation.) 

Symptoms  oi  worms  are  debility,  feeble- 
ness, .sluggish  movements,  emaciation,  staring 
coat,  hide  bound,  skin  covered  with  blotches, 
iri'egular  and  capricious  appetite,  tucked  up 
belly,  pallid  appearance  of  the  lining  mem- 
brane of  the  lip,  badly  digested  fseces,  rubs 
the  tail,  and  where  fundament  worms  exist,  a 
whitish  substance  will  be  found  about  the  fun- 
dament. Many  horses  have  worms,  and  their 
presence  is  never  suspected  till  they  appear  in 
the  dune-.  Troublesome  diarrhea  is  sometimes 
pi-oduced  by  the  presence  of  ascarides  in  the 
ccBcum,  and  are  sometimes 
found  in  vast  numbers  in 
the  rectum. 

Treatment. — Th(i  hori5o 

should     1)0    put    on     bran 
Fig.    79.5.  —  Ascaride  in  r<         i  n 

mystax.  mashes  for  a  tew  days,  then 

,,  ,      ,    _      ,      giveliininothing  but  water 

a.  Male;    h.  Female;    »         _  ° 

f,  d.  The  expansion  of  for  eight  or  ten  liours,  then 
l".Tet„."".a.r  givett-  following  dreueh:- 

1  (^uart  linseed  nil, 

2  ounces  spirits  of  turpentine. 

In  an  hour  after  give  a  warm  bran  mash, 
and  next  morning  give  a  dose  of  physic.  If 
thought  necessarv,  in  about  a  M^eek  this  nuu' 
be  repeated. 

Dr.  Somerville  claimed  there  was  no  better 

medicine  for  the  destruction  of  worms   than      -^-  Young  -worm   as 

.  .  •        1       I.  1     rolled  up  in  the  body  of 

calomel,  and  advised  it  to  be  given  m  the  fol-  the   mother ;    j}.   The 

lowing  combinations :—  ^f""  unrolled  in  a  drop 

®  of  water ;  o.  Head,  with 

3  drachms  calomel,  the   protuberances   and 

,11..  .•  mouth;  i>.  Origiu  of  the 

i  drachm  tartar  emetic.  ,  .,       '  .^.      '1 

tail,     with     the      anus 

Mix,   and   divide  into  three  pov/ders,   one   to  ho   ^  ^^  ®'  ^•'' 

given  at  night  for  three  successive  nights,  to  be  followed  in  twenty-four  hours 

with  a  good  purging  ball.      Or, — 


Fic.  796.— Young  Fila- 
ria  thread-worm. 


WOEMS. 


909 


t  drachms  aloes, 

1  drachm  tartar  emetic, 

2  drachma  ginger, 

About  the  size  of  a  bean  of  calomel,  and  molasses  enough  to  make  into  a 
ball.      To  be  given  every  morning  for  three  days. 


Fig.  797. — Strongula,  enlarged. 

Dr.  Hamill  found  that  in  treating  inflammation  of  the  extrem- 
ities caused  by  injuries,  such  as  getting  a  nail  in  the  foot,  where 
excessive,  that  occasionally  after  giving  a  dose  of  aloes  and  calo- 
mel large  numbers  of  worms  were  expelled.  Would  advise  from 
two  to  four  drachms  calomel,  with  aloes  according  to  size  and 
temperament  of  the  horse. 

This  is  also  corroborated  by  Dr.   White,  who  advises   to  give 


Fig.  798. — Tsenia  Solium,  natural  size.     Fragments  taken  from  distance  to  distance. 

The  head  is  above,  aud  very  small.     The  last  segments  are  longer  than 

wide,  show  alternately  the  genital  opening  at  the  right  and  left. 

one  or  two  drachms  of  calomel  with  a  dose  of  physic;  or  the  calo- 
mel at  night,  and  a  dose  of  physic  in  the  morning.  Or  give  a 
drachm  of  calomel  for  three  successive  nights  previous  to  the 
physic. 

The  following  for  worms  was  given  the  writer  by  a  veterinary 
surgeon  of  very  high  standing: — 


910 


DISEASES  AND  THEIE  TEEATMENT. 


"Take  hickory- wood,  sumac-wood,  and  ordinarj^  white  ash, 
and  burn  to  ashes.  Feed  a  large  spoonful  twice  a  day  for  three 
days.     Then  follow  up  with  a  cathartic," 

Prof.  Gamgee's  favorite  remedy: — 

"  2  drachms  assafoetida, 

11^  drachms  each,  calomel  ancl- savin, 
30  drops  oil  of  male  fern. 
"  Mass  sufficient  to  form  a  ball  to  be  given  at  night,  and  a  purge  in  the 
morning." 

Dr.  Sheldon,  formerly  of  New  York  City,  depended  mainly 
upon  santonine,  by  the  use  of  which  he  claimed  great  success,  and 
which  he  also  claims  never  fails  to  clean  the  worms  out  of  a  horse. 
He  treated  as  follows: — 


Fig.  799. — Taenia  Solium.     This  cut  shows  the  sexual  passage  communicating  with 

the  uterus,  which  is  filled  with  eggs,  and  forming  the  black  central  mass. 

The  second  canal  which  goes  out  from  the  passage  (opening) 

toward  the  uterus,  is  the  male  organ. 

"  First,  give  bran  mash.  In  24  hours  give  one  drachm  of  san- 
tonine, which  should  be  dissolved  in  water ;  then  mix  in  a  quart  of 
starch,  and  give  as  a  drench ;  in  30  minutes  give  aloes  in  solution 
sufficient  to  move  the  bowels  promptly." 

I  include  also  a  favorite  horse-jockey  remedy,  which  is  re- 
garded very  good: — 

"  1  ounce  aloes, 

3  ounces  spirits  of  turpentine, 
6  eggs. 
"  Make  into  an  emulsion,  beaten  together  ;  give  to  the  horse  after  be- 
ing fed  with  two  or  three  bran  mashes." 

Dr.  White  says:  — 

"  A  run  at  grass  in  the  spring  is  perhaps  the  best  remedy  of  all, 
for  it  is  the  most  effectual  means  of  invigorating  the  digestive  or- 
gans and  purifying  th<}  blood.  When  it  is  not  convenient  to  turn 
the  horse  out,  he  should  be  fed  green  grass  in  the  stable." 


^VOEMS.  911 

For  tape-worm,  take  four  ounces  powdered  pumpkin-seeds  and 
a  half  to  one  pound  of  veal,  cooked  together  until  the  substance  is 
out  of  the  meat.     Make  into  a  soup. 

How  to  use:  Fast  for  twenty-four  hours,  then  eat  one-half; 
after  an  hour  take  the  other  half,  then  take  a  brisk  cathartic. 
This  is  the  proportion  for  a  man.  For  a  horse,  one  pound  pump- 
kin-seeds to  one  pound  veal,  and  give  as  a  drench. 

This  treatment  was  given  by  Dr.  Meyer,  who  claims  it  is 
specific.  Said  he  had  one  case  of  tape- worm  in  a  horse,  and  it  was 
the  means  of  making  a  cure. 

A  few  years  ago,  a  gentleman  who  had  been  in  the  treasury 
department  at  Washington,  informed  the  writer  that  he  had  suf- 
fered for  years  with  tape- worm,  and  was  entirely  cured  by  taking 
pumpkin-seeds  masserated,  and  he  knew  of  a  number  of  friends 
who  had  been  cured  by  the  same  remedy. 

This  remedy  is  introduced  mainly  for  the  benefit  of  those  who 
may  be  afflicted  with  tape-worm. 

The  following  was  given  the  writer  by  a  special  friend  (a  vet- 
erinary surgeon  of  high  standing),  as  the  treatment  he  would  ad- 
vise for  the  cure  of  worms  ;  and  though  in  part  a  repetition  of 
what  is  given,  it  is  so  good  that  I  include  it: — 

First,  Lambricoids  can  be  removed  by  drastic  purges  of  aloes, 
or  aloes  and  calomel.  If  calomel  be  given  in  from  two  to  four 
drachm  doses,  on  a  fasting  stomach  of  twelve  hours,  then  fast  from 
ten  to  twelve  hours  afterward,  after  which  give  small  doses  of 
aloes  or  saline  purges,  it  will  destroy  nearly  all  traces  of  worms  or 
parasites  in  the  stomach  and  intestines,  even  clearing  out  bots. 
The  best  general  treatment  advised  is  santonine,  areca  nut,  and 
male  fern.  Of  santonine,  better  known  as  worm  seed,  the  dose  is 
from  one  to  four  drachms,  according  to  the  size  and  temperament 
of  the  horse.  For  the  small,  nervous,  well-bred  horse,  the  smallest 
dose  would  be  sufficient ;  while  for  a  large  coarse-gi'ained  cart- 
horse the  larger  dose  of  four  drachms  will  be  necessary.  Of  the 
same  quantities  of  powdered  areca  nut  and  male  fern,  about  one 
ounce  is  the  average  dose.  All  vermifuge  medicine  should  be 
taken  while  fasting,  as  Ijetter  results  will  thereby  be  obtained ;  let- 
ting the  horse  fast  ten  or  twelve  hours  before  giving  the  medicine, 
and  nearly  as  long  afterwards.     It  is  not  necessary  to  give  physic 


912  DISEASES  AND  THEIR  TREATMENT. 

after  either  of  these  medicmes.      Nearly  all  parasites  in  horses 
.  can  be  expelled  by  the  judicious  use  of  calomel. 

BOTS. 

As  among  most  owners  and  horse-doctors,  cvt^ry  obscure  lame- 
ness in  the  foot  is- supposed  to  be  in  the  shoulder;  so,  when  a  horse 
is  taken  sick,  nine  times  out  of  ten  it  is  supposed  to  be  caused  by 
bots.  If  the  horse  turns  up  his  upper  lip,  looks  at  his  side,  shoAA's 
uneasiness,  paws,  and  rolls,  it  is  taken  as  a  sure  sign  of  bots. 

It  is  claimed  that  as  a  rule  bots  are  harmless  parasites,  seldom 
producing  much  mischief,  and  to  be  found  in  almost  every  hor.se 
that  dies,  sometimes  in  great  numbers,  adhering  to  the  coats  of 
the  stomach ;  but  about  this  there  is  much  difference  of  opinion. 

Prof.  Law  on  the  subject: — 

'■  Bots  urc  the  larva  of  the  gadjly,  which  are  iioticed  i;>  be  so 
common,  jjestcring  the  horse  during  the  summer  and  autumn,  darl- 
ing at  him  around  his  legs  and  sides,  and  depositing  their  eggs  on 
the  hair  of  the  parts.  These  eggs  are  caught  by  the*horse  when 
he  licks  the  jJ'^^i'ts  in  defending  himself,  and  SAvallowed.  In  the 
stomach  they  develop  rapidly.  By  the  aid  of  the  hooks  around 
their  heads  they  attach  themselves  to  the  mucous  membrane  mainl}' 
of  the  left  half  of  the  stomach  (Sec  Fig.  800),  but  often  also  to  other 
parts,  such  as  the  right  side  of  the  stomach,  the  duodenum  or  small 
gut  leading  from  the  stomach,  and  the  throat.  There  they  steadily 
grow  in  the  winter,  and  in  spring  ])ass  out  in  the  dung,  burrow  in 
the  soil,  and  are  transformed  into  the  gadfly.  The  disturbance  they 
cause  depends  on  their  numbers  and  the  portions  of  the  canal  on 
Avhich  they  attach  themselves.  In  the  throat  they  produce  a 
chronic  sore  throat  and  discharge  from  the  nose,  Avhich  continues 
until  the  following  spring,  xmless  they  are  previousl}"  extracted 
Avith  the  hand.  In  the  left  half  of  the  stomach,  A\'hich  is  covered 
with  a  thick,  insensible  cuticle,  they  do  little  harm  Avhen  in  small 
numbers;  hence  Bracy  Clark  supj^osed  them  to  be  rather  beneficial 
in  stimulating  the  secretion  of  gastric  juice. 

"When  very  numerous,  and  above  all,  when  attached  to  the 
highly  sensitive  right  half  of  the  stomach  or  the  duodenum,  they 
seriously  interfere  Avith  digestion,  causing  the  animals  to  thriA-e 
badly,  to  be  weak,  and  easily  SAveated  or  fatigued,  and  even  detei*- 
mining  sudden  and  fatal  indigestions.  This  last  result  is  especially 
liable  to  occur  in  spring  or  eai'ly  summer,  when  the  bots  are  pass- 
ing out  in  great  numbers,  and  hooking  themselves  at  intervals  to 
the  coats  of  the  sensitive  bowels  in  their  course.  They  Avill  some- 
times accumulate  in  such  numbers  as  actually  to  block  the  pas- 
sage." 


BOTS. 


913 


In  discussing  the  subject,  White  says: — 

"  They  are  generally  attached  to  the  cuticular  or  insensible  coat 
of  the  stomach;  but  sometimes  clusters  of  them  are  found  at  the 
pylorus,  and  even  in  the  beginning  of  the  first  intestine  named 
duodenum.  In  one  case  they  ^vev(^  so  numerous  in  this  last  situa- 
tion as  to  obstruct  the  passage  completely,  and  cause  the  animal's 
death." 

Feron,  an  old  writer,  says  Ir;  has  paid  ]:)articular  attention  to 
this  subject,  and 
has  found  that 
when  in  large 
quantities,  they  are 
very  destructive  to 
horses ;  that  he  had 
seen  several  horses 
whose  stomachs 
had  been  pierced 
(pute  through  by 
them,  the  bots  mak- 
ing theii"  way  into 
the  abdomen. 

James  Clark,  of 


Edinburgh, 


an  au- 


l<"Ki.  800. — The  gadfly,  depositing  eggs,  with 
full-grown  bots. 

1.  The  female  fly  about  to  deposit  au  egg;  2.  The  egg 
magnified;  3.  The  bot;  4.  The  eggs  magnified,  attached 
to  a  hair;  5.  The  newly  hatched  bot;  6.  The  bofc  full 
grown;  7.  The  he:id  of  a  bot  magnified;  S.  The  male  fiy; 
9.  The  chrysalis. 


thor  of  high  stand- 
ing, quoted  in  shoe- 
ing, relates  a  case 
of  a  horse's  stomach 
being  perforated 
by  bots. 

In  Vol.  II.,  page  73,  "  White's  Farriery,"  Dr.  White  says:— 

"  I  have  seen  several  horses  destroyed  by  these  worms.  In 
some  of  them  they  caused  inflammation  of  the  lungs ;  in  one 
phrenzy,  or  mad  staggers;  and  in  one  horse,  the  pylorus  was  com- 
pletely plugged  up  with  them.  There  is  a  remarkable  sympathy 
or  consent  between  the  stomach  and  lungs,  and  it  is  owing  to  this 
that  they  sometimes  cause  inflammation  of  the  lungs.  In  the  cases 
which  have  occurred  in  my  px^actice,  the  most  remarbable  circum- 
stance was  the  great  depression  they  occasioned." 

Symptoms. — There  is  no  way,  so  far  as  I  know,  and  I  have 
considt^jd  a  great  many  veterinary  surgeons  on  the  subject,  of  de- 
termining the  symptoms  of  bots.      A  horse  i-^i  taken  sick,  showing 

58 


914  DISEASES  AND   THEIK  TKEATMENT. 

all  the  symptoms  of  colic ;  he  is  treated  for  that  difficulty,  is  cured, 
and  the  trouble  is  presumed  to  have  been  colic.  According  to  the 
best  authorities  I  can  find,  the  conclusion  is  that  the  symptoms  of 
bots  cannot  be  distinguished  from  other  diseases  of  the  stomach 
and  bowels;  that  sometimes  when  occurring  in  dense  clusters 
around  the  pylorus  or  in  the  first  bowel,  they  interfere  mechan- 
ically with  digestion,  and  keep  the  animal  weak  and  emaciated,  and 
subject  to  slight  attacks  of  colic,  capricious  appetite,  and  irregular 
bowels.  Beyond  these  indications,  which  may  be  identified  with 
other  difficulties,  there  is  no  way  of  determining  whether  they  are 
the  cause  of  annoyance. 

Treatment. — This  is  doubtful.     I  give  that  which  has  been 
■advised  as  the  most  effectual.     "White  says: — 

"  The  most  likely  means  of  expelling  bots  is  to  keep  the  horse 
without  food  during  the  night,  and  give  him  in  the  morning  a  quart 
of  new  milk  sweetened  with  honey;  and  about  ten  minutes  after, 
give  four,  five,  or  six  ounces  of  salt  in  a  quart  of  Avater." 

Dr.  Feron  remarks  that — • 

"  Common  oil  given  in  large  quantities  has  sometimes  succeeded 
in  detaching  bots  from  the  stomach.  It  is  the  only  medicine  that 
seems  to  have  any  effect  in  making  them  loosen  their  hold  on  that 
organ." 

Blaine  says  that  the  continued  use  of  salt  mixed  Avith  the  food 
appears  to  be  obnoxious  to  them ;  for  sometimes  under  its  use  their 
hold  gives  way,  and  they  are  ejected. 

The  popular  remedy  for  bots  is  sweet  milk  and  molasses, 
which  is  more  safe  than  reliable.  The  following  is  recom- 
mended : — 

"  3  drachms  cacli  of  aloes  and  assafoetida,  rubbed  down  in  hot  water, 
and  when  cool  adl  an  ounce  each  of  turpentine  and  ether.  To  be  given 
every  second  day  for  a  week,  leaving  out  aloes  if  bowels  become  too  open." 

To  relieve  pain  and  uneasiness,  any  of  the  colic  mixtures  are 
to  be  given. 

Prof.  Law  advises  giving  potato  juice  to  feed  and  quiet  the 
bots,  adding  some  colic  medicine  if  thought  necessary. 

In  a  report  by  Dr.  Adams  in  relation  to  the  subject,  published 
about  fifteen  years  ago  in  the  "Medical  and  Agricultural  Regis- 
ter," lie  stated,  having  made  the  following  experiments  at  differ. 
ent  times  on  bots  three-fourths  grotvn,  that — 


INFLAMMATION  OF  THE  KIDNEYS.  915 

"  When  immersed  in  rum,  they  live  25  hours ;  decoction  of  to- 
bacco, 11  hours ;  strong  oil  of  vitriol,  2  hours,  18  minutes  ;  essential 
oil  of  mint,  2  hours,  5  minutes.  Were  immersed  without  apparent 
injury  in  spirits  of  camphor,  10  hours;  fish  oil,  49  hours;  tinct. 
aloes,  10  hours;  in  brine,  10  hours;  solution  indigo,  10  hours.  A 
number  of  small  bots,  with  one  that  was  full  grown,  were  immersed 
in  a  strong  solution  of  corrosive  sublimate ;  the  small  ones  died  in 
one  hour,  but  the  full-grown  one  was  taken  out  of  the  solution,  six 
hours  after  its  immersion,  apparently  unhurt." 

Inflammation  of  the  Kidneys. 

Inflammatioti  of  the  kidneys  is  generally  caused  by  hard  work, 
by  slippmg,  throwing  tlio  hind  parts  so  suddenly  under  the  belly 
as  to  pi'oduce  undue  tension  of  the  lumbar  vertebrae,  or  from  sud- 
den cokls  by  being  exposed  to  rain  and  cold,  the  eating  of  musty 
hay  or  oats,  or  unhealthy  food  of  any  kind.  Too  powerful  or  too 
often  repeated  diuretics  produce  inflammation  of  the  kidneys,  or  a 
degree  of  irritation  and  weakness  of  them  that  disposes  to  inflam- 
mation, from  causes  that  would  otherwise  have  no  inj  urious  effect. 

Symptoms. — Less  or  more  fever  of  the  system  generally,  and 
unwillingness  to  move,  particularly  the  hind  legs,  dung  hard  and 
coated,  very  sensitive  to  pressure  on  the  spine.  The  horse  looks 
anxiously  round  at  his  flanks,  stands  with  his  hind  legs  wide 
apart,  and  straddles  as  he  walks,  shows  pain  in  turning ;  the  urine 
is  voided  in  small  quantities,  and  is  usually  high  colored,  some- 
times bloody ;  the  attempt  to  urinate  becomes  more  frequent,  and 
the  quantity  voided  smaller,  until  the  animal  strains  violently, 
without  being  able  to  pass  any  or  but  very  little  urine.  The  pulse 
is  quick  and  hard,  full  in  tlie  early  stage  of  the  disease,  but 
rapidly  becoming  small,  though  not  losing  its  character  of  hard- 
ness. Introduce  the  hand  into  the  rectum.  If  the  bladder  is 
found  full  and  hard  under  the  rectum,  there  is  inflammation  of 
the  neck  of  the  bladder.  If  the  bladder  is  empty,  yet  on  the  por- 
tion of  the  intestines  immediately  over  it  there  is  more  than  nat- 
ural heat  and  tenderness,  there  is  inflammation  of  the  body  of  the 
bladder.  If  the  bladder  is  empty  and  there  is  no  increased  ten- 
derness and  heat,  there  is  inflammation  of  the  kidneys. 

Treatment. — If  the  puLse  is  high,  about  sixty,  take  five  or  six 
quarts  of  blood,  and  give  a  fever  ball ;  to  be  repeated  in  three 
hours  if  not  better.  Fever  ball:  4  drachms  Barbadoes  aloes,  1 
drachm  tartar  emetic,  2  drachms  ginger,  calomel  about  the  size  of 


916  DISEASES  AND  THEIE  TEEATMENT. 

a  bean,  molasses  suflficient  to  make  into  a  ball.  Counter  irritation 
must  next  be  excited  over  the  seat  of  the  disease.  The  loins  should 
be  fomented  with  hot  water  or  covered  with  mustard  poultice,  or, 
better,  heat  a  peck  of  salt  in  an  oven,  place  it  in  a  bag,  and  put  it 
over  the  part  affected.  If  the  case  is  severe  and  protracted,  a 
sharp  blister  may  be  used.  No  diuretics  are  to  be  given,  as  they 
would  simply  aggravate,  and  make  the  disease  worse.  After  the 
bowels  are  open,  give  aconite,  and  treat  as  for  fever.  After  re- 
covery, the  horse  should  be  kept  very  quiet  for  a  month,  and  if  in 
season,  turned  out  to  grass.  If  in  winter,  feed  with  light  mashy 
diet ;  exercise  lightly  by  leading,  if  the  animal  be  valuable  and  it 
is  desired  to  aid  recovery  by  extra  care. 

Profuse  Staling  (Diuresis). 

Profuse  staling,  sometimes  called  diabetes,  consists  principally 
of  simple,  increased  secretion  of  urine,  without  any  apparent 
structural  disease  of  the  kidney,  or  much  alteration  of  the  compo- 
sition of  the  urine,  so  characteristic  of  this  affection  in  man. 

Causes. — It  arises  in  a  great  measure  from  feeding  musty  or 
heated  hay,  exposure  to  cold,  etc.  Frequently  it  occurs  as  an  ac- 
companiment of  acidity  of  the  stomach,  or  from  the  improper  use 
of  diuretics,  as  nitre,  saltpetre,  resin,  etc.,  which  are  frequently 
given  in  large  quantities  foi-  some  time  by  grooms  and  ignorant 
persons,  not  knowing  the  harm  they  are  doing  thereby.  It  is  of 
these  ingredients  also  that  most  of  the  "  condition  powders  "  kept 
for  sale,  which  are  often  liberally  fed,  are  composed.  It  is  not 
prudent,  or  at  all  necessary,  to  give  such  medicine,  excepting  for 
specific  purposes,  and  then  very  cautiously.  Intelligent  owners 
give  but  very  little  medicine.  Instead,  they  give  bran  mashes, 
etc.,  with  good  air,  regular  exercise,  and  grooming. 

Symptoms. — The  intense  thirst  first  attracts  attention;  he  is 
constantly  craving  for  water,  and  rapidly  loses  condition ;  the  coat 
becomes  rough  and  staring;  he  passes  large  quantities  of  clear 
urine,  his  litter  being  constantly  wet.  He  will  be  seen  poking 
among  his  litter,  which  he  often  eats  with  avidity  in  preference  to 
good  hay.  If  it  goes  on  unchecked,  great  prostration  sets  in,  the 
heart  beats  tumultuously,  the  throbbing  being  often  visible  at  the 
side,  the  pulse  being  irregular  and  intermittent. 

Treatment. — It  is  generally  very  easily  checked  if  taken  in 


INFLAMMATION  OF  THE  BLADDER  (CYSTITIS).  917 

time ;  a  complete  change  of  diet  is  indispensable ;  give  good  sweet 
hay;  carrots  are  recommended.  The  bowels  must  be  freely 
opened.  Iodine  in  doses  of  two  drachms,  once  or  twice  a  day,  is 
claimed  to  be  a  never-failing  remedy,  very  useful  in  correcting  the 
thirst  and  checking  the  flow  of  urine. 

The  following  ball  may  be  given  night  and  morning: — 

1  drachm  iodine, 

1  drachm  iodide  of  potassium, 

1  drachm  barbadoes  aloes  ; 

Licorice  and  syrup  sufficient  to  make  a  ball. 

Or,  give  one  of  the  following  balls  every  night : — 

h  ounce  powdered  opium, 
1  ounce  powdered  kino, 
1  ounce  prepared  chalk. 

Mix  with  molasses,  and  make  six  balls. 

Tonics  should  be  commenced  early.  In  some  cases  it  can  be 
arrested  by  making  him  drink  water  with  pipe-clay  or  peasemeal 
shaken  up  in  it.     A  run  at  pasture  will  often  cure  it. 

Inflammation  of  the  Bladdek  (Cystitis). 

Causes. — It  may  arise  from  the  too  free  use  of  diuretic  medi- 
cines, or  from  the  injudicious  use  of  fly  blisters  or  turpentine  ; 
sometimes  from  the  presence  of  concretions  or  gravelly  deposits  in 
the  bladder,  or  an  extension  of  spasm,  or  inflammation  of  other  or- 
gans. 

Symptoms. — Almost  the  same  as  those  of  inflammation  of  the 
kidneys.  Frequent  voiding  of  urine  in  small  quantities,  quick 
pulse,  looks  frequently  at  flanks,  paws  violently,  tender  when 
pressed  upon  under  the  flanks. 

When  the  body  of  the  viscus  is  the  seat  of  the  disease,  it  be- 
comes very  irritable,  the  urine  being  passed  almost  as  soon  as  it 
reaches  the  bladder,  the  act  of  staling  being  almost  constantly 
going  on. 

The  other  symptoms  are  nearly  analogous  to  nephritis ;  when 
examined  by  the  hand  in  the  rectum,  it  is  found  empty,  hot,  and 
tender.  When  the  neck  of  the  bladder  is  the  seat  of  the  disease,  it 
will  be  found  distended  with  urine,  and,  instead  of  frequent  stal- 
ing, we  have  almost  complete  suppression  of  uiine. 


918  DISEASES  AND  THEIR  TREATMENT. 

Treatment. — The  treatment  resembles  that  recommended  for 
nephrites,  which  see.  Should  the  contraction  of  tlie  neck  con- 
tinue, a  gum  elastic  catheter  should  be  introduced,  or  a  little  warm 
oil  may  (in  the  mare)  be  injected  into  the  bladder.  Small  doses 
of  bicarbonate  of  soda  or  potash  should  be  given  to  neutralize  the 
urine,  which  is  usually  acid. 

Here  the  principal  object  is  to  lower  inflammation  and  relax 
the  muscular  contraction  of  the  neck  of  the  bladder.  Bleed 
largely,  almost  to  fainting ;  give  physic  as  for  inflammation  of  the 
kidneys,  or  a  quart  of  linseed  oil.  A  drachm  of  powdered  opium, 
made  into  a  ball,  or  given  in  drink,  every  two  or  three  hours,  and 
blister  over  the  loins.  Give  aconite,  as  for  inflammation  of  the 
kidneys.* 

Retention  of  Urine. 

The  most  common  cause  is  keeping  the  animal  active,  not  giv- 
ing time  to  urinate,  and  a  spasm  of  the  neck  of  the  bladder  or 
gravelly  concretions;  any  cause  of  irritation  may  cause  spasm. 
Symptoms  are  the  same  as  in  inflammation  of  the  kidneys,  except 
standing  very  wide  behind,  and  when  walking,  a  straddling  gait  re- 
sembling a  cow  with  a  very  full  bag. 

The  most  prompt  treatment  is  to  use  the  catheter,  and  scarcely 
anything  more  is  necessary.  But  if  one  is  not  obtainable,  bleed 
freely,  and  give  a  strong  opiate:  3  oz.  tinct.  opium,  in  half  a  pint 
of  water. 

Bloody  Urine 

Is  generally  the  result  of  injuries  of  the  loins,  unwholesome  food, 
violent  exercise,  etc. 

Treatment. — Give  j)lenty  of  linseed  tea  to  drink ;  if  the  animal 
refuses  it,  drench  him.  Give  internally,  once  a  da}^  one  of  the 
following  pills:  sugar  of  lead,  1  oz. ;  linseed  meal,  2  oz.  Mix 
with  molasses  and  divide  into  eight  parts. 

Diseases  of  the  Nervous  System. 

The  nervous  system  consists  of  the  brain,  which  is  lodged  in 
the  cavity  of  the  skull  (cranium) ;  the  sj^inal  cord,  lodged  in  the 
cavity  of  the  vertebral  chain;  and  numerous  little  white  cords, 

*  If  possible,  call  a  veterinary  surgeon,  who  will  introduce  a  catheter,  which 
win  relieve  the  animal  immediately. 


INFLAMMATION  OF  THE  BKAIX  (FHRENITIS).  <>19 

called  nerves,  which  are  given  out  from  the  brain  and  spinal  cord, 
and  distributed  to  the  different  parts  of  the  body,  especially  those 
parts  endowed  with  sensibility,  and  under  the  control  of  the  will. 
Besides  this  system  of  nerves,  there  is  another  set,  independent  of 
the  cerebro-spinal  axis,  called  the  sympathetic  or  ganglionic  sys- 
tem, which  supplies  the  organs  of  nutrition  and  other  viscera,  blood- 
vessels, etc.  It  consists  of  numerous  small  centers,  called  gano-lia, 
extending  in  two  great  chains  from  the  head  to  the  tail,  on  each 
side  of  the  bodies  of  the  vertebrse,  closely  associated  with  the  other 
system  by  intricate  communication. 

Inflammation  of  the  Brain  (Phrenitis). 

Phrenitis  is  not  a  very  common  disease,  thougli  the  substance 
of  the  brain  itself,  or,  as  is 
more  commonly  the  case,  its 
membranes,  or  coverings,  be- 
come inflamed.  It  has  received 
various  appellations,  such  as 
Triad  staggers,  sleepy  staggers, 
etc. 

Causes. — The  causes  are 
not  thoroughly  understood. 
Injuries  to  the  skull,  'metasta- 
sis, or  the  transference  of  in- 
n  L-        !•  c    ii  ^^'^-  ^^^- — S3'mptom  of  inflammation  of 

nammation  from  some  or  the  ,,    ,     . 

the  brain. 

other   organs,   high  condition 

and  overwork,  undue  exposure  to  a  hot  sun,  all  seem  to  be  fav- 
orable to  its  production.  Horses  that  are  too  highly  fed  are  sub- 
ject to  this,  while  moderately  fed  horses  are  scarcely  ever  inclined 
to  it. 

Symptoms. — It  is  usually  ushered  in  by  dullness  and  persist- 
ent drowsiness ;  he  stands  with  his  head  between  his  legs,  or  some- 
times resting  against  the  manger  or  leaning  against  the  wall ;  the 
eyes  shut,  and  the  pupils  dilated ;  the  pulse  is  full,  soft,  and  slow ; 
the  breathing  is  heavy  and  loud ;  he  is  very  difficult  to  arouse,  and 
when  startled,  he  looks  dreamily  about;  may  take  a  few  bites  of 
hay,  but  soon  drops  asleep  again ;  the  bowels  are  costive,  and  the 
urine  scanty  and  high  colored. 

In  a  day  or  two  the  symptoms  are  mitigated,  or  it  goes  on  to 


020  DISEASES   AND   TlIElll  TllJOATMEXT. 

the  second  stage,  wlien  the  pulse  becomes  quick,  gcner.al  excitement 
takes  the  place  of  lethargic  stupor;  the  countenance  is  wild  and  ex- 
cited looking ;  the  eyes  are  blood-shot  and  staring ;  delirium  sets  in ; 
he  dashes  himself  furiously  about,  reels  and  staggers,  often  throws 
himself  violently  down ;  lies  trembling,  blowing,  and  convulsed ;  liis 
blood-shot  eyes  like  to  start  out  of  their  sockets;  he  will  soon  get 
up,  rear  and  plunge  forward,  breaking  everything  around  him; 
evidently  unconscious  of  the  inj  uries  he  is  sustaining ;  and,  what  is 
characteristic  of  the  complaint,  his  destruction  is  carried  on  evi- 
dently without  purpose,  as  is  evinced  in  rabies,  or  madness.  The 
convulsions  become  more  frequent  and  continuous,  and  death  ends 
his  misery  in  from  twenty  to  twenty-four  hours. 

Treatment. — Copious  blood-letting  must  be  at  once  resorted 
to;  no  time  should  be  lost  in  giving  a  strong  dose  of  purgative 
medicine.  One  or  both  jugulars  may  be  opened,  or  where,  from  the 
restlessness  of  the  patient  or  danger  in  working  about  him,  this  is 
impracticable,  the  lancet  should  be  plunged  into  the  temporal  ar- 
tery, which  will  be  found  about  three  inches  below  the  ear,  be- 
tween it  and  the  nostril. 

The  following  drench  should  be  given: — 

0  drachms  Barbadoes  aloes, 
i  oz.  carbonate  of  soda, 
15  croton  beans  finely  powdered, 
Shaken  up  in  a  qnart  of  Avarm  water. 

Three  drachms  of  aloes  may  ha  given  every  three  hours  with  co- 
pious injections  every  hour,  till  the  bowels  are  freely  opened.  Sed- 
atives should  also  be  used,  such  as  extract  of  hyoscyamus  and  cal- 
omel, a  drachm  of  each  shaken  up  in  a  little  thin  gruel,  given  every 
two  hours.  Seldom  is  repetition  of  blood-letting  advisable;  cold 
water  should  be  constantly  applied  to  the  head ;  a  small  hose  made 
to  play  upon  it  in  a  constant  stream,  Avhere  it  is  convenient,  will 
be  found  very  useful. 

The  favored  prescription  of  a  very  successful  practitioner  is: 
"  Give  on  the  tongue  every  six  hours  about  1  drachm  of  the  extract 
of  conium."     He  gave  this  after  falling. 

Dr.  Somerville's  explanation  and  treatment  of  this  difficulty 

are  so  plain  and  good,  that  I  include  them : — 

"  Is  first  noticeable  by  dullness  or  sleepiness  of  the  eyes,  an  un- 
willingness to  move,  general  heaviness  of  the  system.     This  diseasQ 


MEGEIMS,  OE  VERTIGO.  921 

is  frequentlj^  called  megrims,  Jits,  and  mad  staggers;  but  in  part  only 
one  disease,  according  to  the  extent  of  such  disease  as  the  animal 
may  be  affected  with. 

"The  cause  of  staggers  is  an  undue  flow  of  blood  to  the  brain, 
which  rarely  or  never  occurs  in  any  animals  except  those  in  a 
plethoric  (fat)  condition. 

"Some  writers  and  practitioners  assert  that  there  is  a  disease 
known  as  stomach  staggers.  I  have  never  seen  a  case  where  it 
was  necessary  to  treat  the  stomach,  but  always  direct  attention  to 
the  brain,  as  being  the  seat  of  this  disease,  which  may  be  properly 
called  head  staggers. 

"In  case  of  megrims,  or  fits,  it  is  merely  a  lesser  attack,  or  press- 
ure of  the  blood-vessels  on  the  brain,  and  mad  staggers  is  a  greater 
pressure  of  the  same  vessels  on  the  same  part.  The  brain  is  divided 
into  two  parts,  namely,  cerebrum  and  cerebellum,  which  occupy  a 
horny  box  in  the  head.  The  blood-vessels  passing  over  the  brain 
and  coming  in  contact  with  the  skull,  become  distended  by  an  in- 
creased quantity  of  blood,  and  produce  the  feeling  which  is  thus 
exhibited. 

"  There  is  but  one  cure  for  this  disease,  and  that  is,  remove  the 
cause.  Bleed  largely  from  the  neck — ten,  twelve,  or  fourteen 
quarts,  or  until  the  symptoms  of  fainting.  After  the  horse  is  con- 
valescent, a  sharp  dose  of  physic  should  be  given  to  regulate  the 
bowels.  I  would  advise  owners  of  such  horses  to  dispose  of  them. 
Once  taken  with  the  disease,  they  are  subject  to  a  repetition  of  the 
attack  when  the  blood-vessels  become  tilled  again. 

^^  Note. — Small  doses  of  aconite  (of  the  quantity  for  fever)  may 
be  given  three  or  four  times  a  day  as  a  good  preventive.  Turning 
horses  to  pasture  that  maj'  be  liable  to  this  disease  will  prove  both 
injurious  and  dangerous." 

When  driven  in  the  hot  sun,  the  head  should  be  protected  with 
some  sort  of  covering,  which  is  now  used  very  generally  in  many 
large  cities,  or  a  large  sponge,  kept  wet  with  water,  may  be  tied 
on  the  back  of  the  head. 

Megrims,  or  Vertigo. 

The  form  of  nervous  complication  known  as  megrims  is  not  un- 
common.    Its  nature  is  but  imperfectly  determined. 

Causes. — It  is  often  connected  with  worms  or  other  derango- 
ments  of  the  stomach  or  bowels,  said  also  to  depend  on  over-accu- 
mulation of  blood  in  the  head.  The  late  Professor  John  Barlow 
found  tumors  in  the  choroid  plexus  of  the  brain.  In  these  cases, 
it  is  often  connected  with  over-feeding,  and  its  consequence  is  de- 
rangement of  the  digestive  organs. 

It  is  most  commonly  seen  in  harness  horses,  usually  during  hot 


922  DISEASES  AKD   THEIR  TREATMENT. 

weather,  occurs  generally  on  a  heavy  pull  going  up  hill ;  probably 
from  pressure  of  the  collar  interrupting  the  return  of  blood  from 
the  head,  or  "the  long-continued  constraint  the  bearing-reins  put 
the  head  to,"  may  prove  the  exciting  causes  in  animals  predisposed 
to  it. 

Symptoms.— All  at  once,  when  going  along  the  road,  he  is 
observed  to  jei-k  up  his  head  in  a  convulsive  manner;  he  seems 
giddy,  reels,  staggers,  may  fall  down  and  lie  for  a  few  moments 
insensible ;  he  gets  up,  looks  stupidly  about,  shakes  himself,  and 
proceeds  as  if  nothing  had  happened. 

At  other  times  he  merely  stops,  experiences  a  few  convulsive 
movements  of  the  head,  with  slight  giddiness,  which  by  letting 
him  stand  a  few  minutes  soon  passes  off.  He  is  ever  after  subject 
to  these  fits,  especially  during  the  hot  summer  months. 

Treatment. — When  depending  on  organic  changes  in  the 
brain,  it  is  incurable,  and  is  subject  to  these  attacks  from  time  to 
time.  When  a  fit  comes  on  on  the  road,  stop  him  at  once,  throw 
the  collar  forward  off^  his  shoulders  and  let  him  stand ;  if  conven- 
ient, pour  a  stream  of  cold  water  over  his  head.  Bleeding  in  the 
mouth  has  been  recommended,  but  is  quite  empirical;  it  soon 
passes  off".  When  occurring  in  a  young  horse  for  the  first  time,  he 
should  be  well  physicked  out,  and  if  worms  are  suspected,  treat  as 
recommended  for  worms.  Tonics  are  often  beneficial,  especially 
arsenic  given  in  doses  of  from  three  to  five  grains  daily.  Megrim 
subjects  are  dangerous  hacks,  and  should  only  be  used  where  they 
can  do  no  harm  to  life  or  property. 

Sun  Stroke. 

This  is  liable  to  occur  during  the  hot  summer  months,  particu- 
larly in  large  cities.  It  is  usually  caused  by  over- work  or  hard 
driving  in  the  sun.  Horses  that  are  fat  and  young,  and  old,  fee- 
ble horses  are  most  subject  to  it.  Wearing  a  sun-shade  or  a  large 
sponge  saturated  with  water  on  the  top  of  the  head,  giving  cool 
water  occasionally,  and  sponging  out  the  nostrils,  and  wetting  the 
head,  with  of  course  moderate  work  or  driving,  are  the  best  pre- 
ventives. A  very  good  plan,  when  driving  through  the  coun- 
try, where  accessible,  is  to  tie  a  few  branches  well  covered  with 
leaves  so  as  to  come  over  the  head.  They  also  serve  to  keep  the 
flies  away. 


PARTIAL  PARALYSIS.  923 

For  light  driving,  a  breast-strap  is  better  than  a  collar,  be- 
cause it  permits  more  freedom  of  the  circulation. 

Symptoms. — In  severe  cases  the  horse  will  suddenly  stop,  pant 
violently,  pos-sibly  drop  to  the  ground  and  die  in  a  short  time. 
When  the  attack  is  mild,  he  will  flag  in  his  gait,  be  unsteady  in 
his  limbs,  spread  his  legs  in  standing,  and  totter.  The  head  is 
held  low,  the  eyes  protrude,  the  nostrils  are  dilated,  the  pupils  of 
the  eyes  smaller  than  natural,  and  the  breathing  rapid.  Pulse  is. 
quick  and  weak,  the  heart  beating  violently  and  irregularly.  Re- 
lief must  be  prompt. 

Treatment. — Unharness,  and  throw  pails  of  cold  water  over 
the  whole  body,  especially  on  the  back  of  the  head,  neck,  and 
spine.  Next,  rub  the  skin  energetically  with  rough  cloths  or  bag- 
ging, or  anything  convenient.  Then  repeat  the  douching.  The 
best  of  all  medicine,  it  is  claimed,  is  quinine.  The  quickest  way 
to  get  its  effect  would  be  to  inject  from  25  to  50  or  60  grains  un- 
der the  skin  with  a  hypodermic  syringe.  This  is  the  remedy  used 
in  the  East  Indies,  and  it  is  claimed  to  be  the  very  best  in  giving 
relief. 

As  a  prompt  difFusable  stimulant  during  the  severe  depression, 
the  following  may  be  given : — 

2  ounces  sulphuric  ether, 
1  pint  water, 
Given  as  a  drench.     Or,  15  to  25  drops  tincture  of  aconite,  in  a  pint 
of  ale. 

After  the  attack  has  passed  off,  the  horse  should  be  turned  out 
where  he  will  be  well  protected  from  the  glare  of  the  sun  by  trees, 
etc.,  and  allowed  to  rest  for  a  few  weeks;  and  if  it  can  be  avoided, 
he  should  not  be  driven  afterward  in  the  hot  sun. 

AzoTURiA,  Partial  Paralysis,  Spinal  Meningitis,  etc. 

Under  these  and  other  names  we  will  notice  a  disease  which  is 
at  times  very  common  in  this  country,  and  very  alarming  in  its 
aspect,  from  the  suddenness  of  its  attack  and  severity  of  its  symp- 
toms, producing  almost  complete  loss  of  power  of  the  hind  quar- 
ters. 

Causes. — It  usually  occurs  in  horses  which  are  being  "  fed 
up,"  or  which  have  been  accustomed  to  hard  work,  and  are  al- 
lowed to  remain  in  the  stable  for  a  few  days,  having  a  liberal  al- 


924  DISEASES  AND  THElll  TKEATMENT. 

lowance  of  good  feed ;  the  system  becomes  plethoric,  more  blood 
being  formed  than  the  system  can  dispose  of,  whereby  the  vascu- 
lar organs  are  overloaded,  and  consequently,  under  increased  ac- 
tion caused  by  exertion,  they  are  apt  to  become  congested. 

Symptoms. — The  animal  is  apparently  in  excellent  health  and 
spirits.  He  starts  oft'  lively;  but  before  he  has  gone  far,  he  sud- 
denly stops,  crouches,  seems  very  much  distressed.  The  sweat 
rolls  off*  him  in  streams;  he  blows  and  heaves  at  the  flanks;  he 
cannot  move  for  a  few  minutes.  He  drops  on  his  hind  quarters; 
can  hardly  drag  them  after  him.  When  made  to  move,  he  drops 
as  if  his  leg  was  dislocated  or  broken.  The  pulse  is  very  high, 
from  sixty  to  eighty,  and  the  muscles  of  the  quarter  are  swollen 
and  hard.  In  some  cases  he  gets  down,  and  cannot  get  up  again ; 
but  seldom  is  loss  of  power  at  first  complete,  or  sensibility  entirely 
lost.  The  urine  is  generally  very  high  colored ;  we  have  seen  it 
black  or  coffee  colored,  which  is  a  sure  proof  of  the  trouble,  and 
always  voided  with  difficulty. 

Treatment. — When  seen  in  the  early  stages,  abstract  six 
quarts  of  blood,*  remove  the  urine  with  a  catheter,  and  give  from 
7  to  8  drachms  of  aloes.  Persistently  apply  hot  water  cloths  to 
the  loins,  and  cover  them  up  well  with  dry  blankets,  changed 
every  half  hour.  Give  20  drops  of  tincture  of  aconite  in  a  little 
cold  water  every  two  hours,  till  the  fever  subsides.  If  the  pain  is 
very  severe  and  twitching,  give  the  following  drench: — 

2  ounces  sweet  spirits  of  nitre, 

2  ounces  tincture  of  opium, 

1  quart  cold  water.  Mix. 

Injections  of  soap  and  water  should  be  given,  and  the  legs 
well  rubbed  and  bandaged.  It  is  important  also  that  he  be  turned 
gently,  about  every  three  hours,  and  that  his  bedding  be  made  as 
comfortable  as  possible.  According  to  modern  practitionei's,  who 
have  had  decided  success  in  the  treatment  of  this  disease,  it  is  not  at 
all  necessary  to  put  in  slings.  In  fact,  the  better  recoveries  are 
made  without  putting  in  slings;  neither  should  he  be  urged  to  get 

*  There  is  some  difEerence  of  opinion  as  to  the  propriety  of  bleeding.  Some  of 
the  best  practitioners  do  not  now  bleed  for  this  difficulty,  and  while  I  should  regard 
it  good  treatment,  it  may  be  omitted,  as  physicking  with  otlier  treatment,  will  usually 
give  sufficient  relief  ;  but  if  the  case  is  very  hearty,  short-necked,  and  full  blooded, 
bleeding  would  seem  to  be  advisable. 


PAETIAL  PAEALYSIS.  925 

up  too  soon ;   will  usually  do  so  of  his  own  accord  when  able,  but 
may  be  helped  a  little. 

In  most  cases  it  will  yield  to  this  treatment,  and  in  three  or 
four  days  he  will  be  convalescent.  However,  in  many  the  loss  of 
power  increases ;  he  makes  frequent  efforts  to  get  up,  but  cannot 
support  liimself  behind.  In  these  cases  the  spine  should  be  freely 
blistered  with  mustard  and  turpentine,  or  with  the  strong  ammo- 
niacal  liniment.  Good  nursing  and  care  are  everything;  in  fact, 
indispensable.  Give  restricted  diet,  carrots,  bran  mash,  etc. 
When  all  fever  and  acute  symptoms  have  subsided,  and  recoveiy 
of  power  is  tardy,  give  the  following  ball  night  and  morning : — 

1  drachm  nux  vomica  in  powder,  made  into  a  ball,  with  linseed  meal 
and  extract  of  gentian.  Or,  2  grains  strychnine,  made  into  a  ball  in  the 
same  way. 

The  nux  vomica  or  strychnine,  whichever  is  used,  should  be 
gradually  increased,  until  to  the  maximum  of  what  the  system 
will  bear  without  serious  disturbance,  when  it  should  be  stopped, 
or  the  dose  diminished.  He  should  be  well  bedded  up  with  straw, 
and  as  before  stated,  turned  as  often  as  once  in  every  three  to  four 
hours.  It  often  runs  its  course  in  from  thirty-six  to  forty -eight 
hours,  usually,  however,  in  from  three  to  six  days.  It  is  more 
fatal  in  stallions  and  geldings  than  in  mares.  If  a  veterinary 
surgeon  is  available,  he  should  be  called  in  promptly  when  this 
disease  appears. 

In  a  conversation  with  Dr.  Macbeth  of  this  city,  (Battle  Creek,) 
on  the  foregoing  disease,  he  informed  the  writer  that  he  had 
treated  a  great  many  cases  during  his  practice,  with  success  ;  that 
a  short  time  before,  directly  after  a  severe  storm,  which  was  the 
cause  of  keeping  the  animals  idle  while  kept  on  their  usual 
amount  of  food,  he  had  six  cases,  as  a  consequence,  in  one 
week,  all  of  which  made  good  recovery.  One  case  had  been  down 
forty-eight  hours,  another  some  eighteen  hours,  and  a  third  about 
twelve  hours  before  being  called.  This  success  induced  me  to 
make  the  request  that  he  would  give  me,  in  the  fewest  words,  the 
outline  of  his  understanding  of  the  disease,  with  his  treatment, 
which  I  give  here  as  dictated  by  him : — 

"  This  disease  is  generally  common  to  horses  that  are  woriied 
hard,  then  stand  still  with  regular  feed,,  and  when  put  to  work,  or 
when  driven,  perhaps  not  going  more  than  a  quarter  to  half  a  mile, 


926  DISEASES  AND  THEIR  TREATMENT. 

begin  to  sweat  profusely,  and  in  a  few  minutes  afterward  show 
great  weakness  in  the  back,  acting  as  if  having  lost  power  to  move 
the  hind  legs  ;  in  fact,  appearing  stiff  all  over.  If  not  helped 
quickly,  the  horse  is  liable  to  fall  down. 

"  The  Cause  of  the  disease  is  the  horse  making  more  blood, 
while  idle,  than  the  system  can  appropriate.  When  put  to  work, 
the  muscles  in  the  lumbar  region  become  congested,  and  the  conse- 
quence is  the  horse  loses  power  to  raise  or  control  his  hind  parts. 
If  treated  properly,  will  usually  regain  his  strength  in  from  twenty- 
four  to  thirty-six  hours. 

"  Treatment. — First  give  a  sharp  cathartic,  also  apply  counter 
irritants  over  the  region  of  the  kidneys,  using  sheep-skin  or 
counter  irritants;  also  use  the  catheter.  Give  small  doses  of  spii'its 
of  nitre  with  10  to  15  drops  aconite  added  from  four  to  six  hours 
apart.  When  fever  subsides,  give  nervine  tonics  Avith  strychnine 
in  one-half  grain  doses,  or  powdered  nux  vomica  in  one-half  drachm 
doses,  in  from  two  to  four  hours  apart.  If  not  very  serious,  about 
four  hours  apart. 

"  If  the  horse  is  not  able  to  rise,  must  not  let  him  lie  on  one 
side  longer  than  three  hours  at  a  time.  These  cases  are  nervous 
and  must  not  be  excited.  They  must  be  handled  very  gently  and 
walked  around  very  carefully." 

As  I  am  about  to  hand  this  article  to  the  printers,  I  receive  a 
U.  S.  Veterinary  Journal  for  December,  1883,  published  in  Chi- 
cago, 111.,  in  which  I  find  an  excellent  essay  on  this  subject  read 
by  W.  L.  Williams,  V.  S.,  before  the  Illinois  State  Veterinary 
Association,  and  as  an  additional  aid  to  successful  treatment,  I 
copy  that  advised  by  him : — 

"  The  great  essential  in  treatment  is  careful  nursing,  Avithout 
which  success  is  rarely  possible  in  severe  cases.  As  soon  as  the 
first  symptoms  appear,  keep  the  animal  as  quiet  as  possible.  If 
able  to  stand  comfortably,  have  him  stand  as  still  as  possible  ;  if 
recumbent,  procure  him  a  good  bed  of  straw  at  once,  and  by  as 
quiet  means  as  possible  try  to  prevent  any  effort  at  getting  up. 
This  can  usually  be  done  readily  by  having  a  steady  man  hold  the 
head,  or  he  can  be  assisted  by  another  man  keeping  the  lower  fore 
leg  flexed  against  the  chest  by  means  of  a  strap  upon  the  foot. 
Should  the  animal  be  standing,  but  growing  more  and  more  liable 
to  fall,  lose  no  time  in  getting  him  into  the  most  comfortable  place 
at  hand.  When  already  down,  unless  the  weather  be  inclement  or 
the  location  unfavorable,  do  not  attempt  to  move  him  for  two  or 
three  hours,  when  he  should  be  removed  to  a  well-bedded,  comfort- 
able loose-box  or  shed.  We  can  with  little  difficulty  roll  him  on  a 
low  sled  or  a  farm  gate,  when  a  good  span  of  horses  will  readily 
drag  him  to  the  stall  door,  and  five  or  six  men  will  soon  place  him 
where  desired.  Pass  the  catheter  early,  and  keep  it  up  twice  or 
thrice  daily  so  long  as  the  animal  remains  recumbent.     Remove 


PAEALYSIS.  927 

the  shoes  from  the  fore  feet  to  pi-event  bruising  of  the  chest  and 
elbows  while  lying;  apply  hot  cloths  or  slightly  stimulating  lini- 
ment to  the  loins  and  quarters.  Keep  the  bowels  open  by  moder- 
ate cathartics  and  enemas,  and  thus  assist  the  kidneys  in  execrat- 
ing the  effete  materials  from  the  blood.  The  kidneys  usually  act 
freely  enough,  but  should  they  not  do  so,  diuretics  should  not  be 
given  during  the  early  stages,  as  they  would  mot^t  likely  increase 
the  already  excessive  congestion.  Allow  plenty  of  fresh  water  and 
good,  nutritious,  easily  digested  food,  if  the  animal  will  eat. 

"  After  the  second  or  third  day,  should  there  be  great  debility, 
vegetable  tonics  with  alcoholic  stimulants  should  be  given  in  mod- 
eration. The  animal  should  be  turned  from  side  to  side  three  or 
four  times  daily,  but  on  no  account  urged  to  get  up,  nor  should 
slings  ever  be  used,  as  they  only  aggravate  the  case  and  retard  the 
recovery.  When  the  animal  is  fit  to  be  up,  he  will  get  up  alone 
without  urging. 

"  Should  some  degree  of  paralysis  remain  after  two  or  three 
weeks,  nux  vomica  conjoined  with  diuretics  are  to  be  used.  In 
mild  cases,  a  gentle  cathartic,  with  a  day  or  two  of  rest,  is  sufficient. 
The  progress  is  favorable,  most  cases  making  a  rapid  and  complete 
recovery.  In  the  more  severe  cases,  if  the  animal  becomes  quiet 
after  12  to  30  hours,  with  regular,  not  much  quickened  pulse,  the 
appetite  returns,  and  the  animal  lies  a  large  part  of  the  time  upon 
his  chest ;  recovery  may  be  looked  for,  although  the  animal  may  be 
unable  to  rise  for  five  or  six  days. 

"  When  the  animal  continues  restless  and  weak,  will  not  lie  upon 
the  chest  except  when  held,  refuses  food  almost  entirely,  the  pulse 
becomes  weaker  and  quicker,  with  considerable  elevation  of  tem- 
perature, the  case  is  to  be  considered  a  very  grave  one." 

Paralysis. 

"  The  horse  is  taken  suddenly,  falls  down,  and  is  unable  to  rise. 
Sensation  almost  completely  lost  in  posterior  extremities.  No  in- 
crease in  the  pulsation  ;  temperature  will  be  found  at  102  to  103. 
The  usual  remedy  is  to  give  a  sharp  cathartic,  (see  "Physicking") 
and  have  the  animal  placed  in  slings.  Next  apply  stimulating  em- 
brocations to  the  spine,  and  give  one  of  the  following  balls  every 
eight  hours : — 

1  oz.  alcoholic  extract  belladonna, 
4  oz.  bromide  potass, 

Liquorice  root  sufficient  to  make  into  six  balls  for  the  first  stage. 

"  This  treatment  should  be  persisted  in  for  the  first  four  daj'-s, 
thoroughly  bathing  the  animal's  hind  quarters  with  mustard  water, 
and  keeping  up  the  stimulants  to  the  spine  until  sore.  The  appli- 
cation of  a  fresh  sheep  skin  or  a  hot  salt  bath  to  the  loins  would  be 
still  better. 

"  There  is  another  difficulty  which  resembles  spinal  paralysis, 
namely  Azotaria.  (Treatment  for  Avhich  is  given  under  that  head.) 
As  in  the  first  case,  the  animal  drops,  and  loses  all  power  to  get  up. 


928 


DISEASES  AND  THEIR  TREATMENT . 


In  spinal  paralysis  there  is  a  loss  of  sensation  and  a  constant  drib- 
bling of  urine,  and  involuntary  foecal  passage.  Temperature  102  to 
103.  No  perceptible  change  of  color  in  urine.  In  Azotaria  the 
animal  has  suddenly  partial  loss  of  sensation,  the  urine  and  fceces 
not  voided.  No  perceptible  rise  in  tempei-ature.  The  urine,  if 
withdrawn  from  the  patient,  will  be  of  a  coffee  brown  color.  The 
animal  is  uneas}'^  struggling  and  sweating  over  the  flanks,  and  in 
great  pain. 

"  This  difficulty  is  usually  found  in  short-necked  horses  that  are 
fed  too  much  grain.  Scarcely  ever  find  horses  in  moderate  condi- 
tion subject  to  it." — Dr.  Meyer. 

Tetanus,  or  Lockjaw. 
This  disease  is  wholly  of  a  nervous  character,  being  a  peculiar 


Fig.  803. — The  symptoms  of  lockjaw. 

irritability  of  the  nervous  system,  inducing  constant  spasmodic 
contraction  of  the  voluntary,  and  after  a  time  the  involuntary, 
muscles,  and  is  very  fatal  unless  treated  skillfully  and  carefully. 
It  is  more  common  in  the  extreme  South,  than  in  the  north  ;  and 
is  moj-e  liable  to  occur  during  the  warm  months  than  in  the  cold 
ones. 

Symptoms. — In  the  first  stage  there  is  a  disinclination  to 
move  ;  then  the  tail  becomes  erect  and  quivers,  the  ears  set  back, 
and  the  conjunctiva  is  thrown  over  the  pupil  of  the  eye,  and  the 
head  is  elevated,  with  the  muzzle  and  facial  muscles  contracted, 
the  nostrils  open,  and  the  whole  expression  of  the  countenance 
haggard  and  excited,  evincing  great  suffering.  (A  good  idea  of 
which  is  given  by  Fig.  802.) 


TETANUS,  OR   LOCKJAW. 


929 


As  the  disease  advances,  the  muscles  all  over  the  neck  and 
body  become  stiff  and  rigid,  and  the  legs  have  the  appearance  of 
of  a  four-footed  stool.     The  animal  has  little  or  no  power  to  move. 

For  the  first  few  days  the  teeth  remain  apart,  but  as  the  dis- 
ease advances,  the  muscles  of  the  jaw  become  so  contracted  as  to 
bring  them  close  together.     Hence  the  name  locked  jaw. 

The  bowels  are  constipated,  the  urine  scanty,  and  passed  with 
difficultv.  The  pulse  is  usuallv  not  ver^'  liioh,  but  is  easih' 
raised  by  excitement ;  he  is  very  nervous,  starts  and  quivers 
when  any  one  approaches  him.  His  appetite  remams  good,  and 
from  inability  to  feed,  his  hunger  amounts  to  starvation ;  he  will 
make  every  effort  to  suck  up  gruel  or  fluids,  when,  from  tho  fix- 
idity  of  the  jaws,  he  is  un- 
able to  masticate.  The 
breathing,  at  first  not  much 
altered,  becomes  difficult 
and  loud.  The  symptoujs 
generallv  reach  their  cli- 
max  about  the  third  or 
fourth  day. 

The  Causes  of  this  dis- 
ease are  numerous.  It  com- 
monly occurs  in  conse-  ^^'-^-  803.— A  tost  for  lockjaw. 
quence  of  wounds,  when  it  is  called  traumatic  tetanus;  in  which 
case  it  is  not  developed  until  about  the  period  the  wound  is  con- 
sidered healed ;  it  may  occur  from  causes  not  apparent,  when  it  is 
distmgmshed  a,^  idiopathic  tetanus;  but  it  is  generally  produced 
from  a  wounded  nerve  or  bunch  of  nerves,  pricking  the  tail,  and 
very  often  from  docking,  punctured  wounds  in  the  feet  from  glass 
or  nails,  and  sometimes  from  severe  exposure  to  cold,  and  "  I  have 
known  one  case  to  occur  from  fright." — (Somerville.)  Worms 
and  other  intestinal  irritation  .sometimes  give  rise  to  it.  The  pulse 
is  almost  normal  for  the  first  few  days.  As  the  disease;  advances, 
the  pulse  c^uickens,  and  the  animal  is  compelled  to  stand  on  his 
legs  until  death,  if  it  terminates  fatally.  If  favorably,  a  relaxa- 
tion of  the  muscles  begins  from  the  fifth  to  the  seventh  day. 

Treatment. — First,  as  t]i(;  disease  is  of  a  nervous  eliaracter, 
quietness  is  of  the  greatest  importance.  The  animal  should  bo 
removed  to  an  isolated  place,  or  cool,  dark,  roomy  loose-box,  by 

69 


930  DISEASES  AND  THEIE  TREATMENT. 

himself,  and  the  cause  of  the  disease  found.  If  from  docking,  the 
next  joint  should  be  taken  off  the  tail.  If  from  a  wound  in  the 
foot,  the  wound  should  be  opened  up  and  made  new,  and  an  ap- 
plication of  digestive  ointment  inserted,  so  as  to  produce  a  healthy 
flow  of  matter.  Or,  as  soon  as  opened  up,  diligently  foment  with 
warm  water,  after  which  cover  with  belladonna,  and  apply  poul- 
tices of  linseed  meal  and  opium  or  hyoscyamus  to  soothe  and  allay 
the  irritation,  and  give  promptly  at  the  same  time  a  strong  pur- 
gative, such  as 

7  drachms  aloes  (Barbadoes), 

2  drachms  calomel, 
given  in  solution  or  ball,  as  most  convenient. 

Injections  of  alkaline  solution  of  aloes  should  also  be  given,  as 
it  is  of  the  greatest  importance  to  get  the  bowels  open  early. 
Belladonna  in  half-drachm  doses  should  be  given  four  or  five 
times  a  day.  If  it  cannot  be  given  otherwise,  place  it  up  in  the 
cheek,  when  he  will  suck  it  up. 

He  must  be  kept  perfectly  quiet,  and  the  box  cool  and  dark, 
no  one  being  allowed  to  go  near  him  but  the  attendants,  and  they 
must  work  about  him  noiselessly.  A  newly-flayed  sheepskin 
should  be  laid  over  the  loins,  and  well  covered  up  to  excite  per- 
spiration. Very  high  authorities  claim  that  blisters  and  other 
irritating  treatment  must  be  avoided.  He  must  be  treated  as  in 
a  nervous  fever,  while  average  good  authorities  advise  having  the 
spine  rubbed  well  with  a  strong  liniment  such  as  one  part  aqua 
ammonia,  two  parts  of  sweet-oil  ;  to  be  repeated  daily  until  the 
back  becomes  sore.  He  should  be  allowed  all  the  nutriment  he 
will  take ;  and  when  he  cannot  eat,  sloppy  drinks  of  linseed  tea, 
barley  water,  well  boiled  oat  meal  gruel,  etc.,  should  be  frequently 
placed  within  his  reach. 

It  may  run  its  course  in  four  or  five  days,  or  it  may  continue 
for  one  or  two  weeks.     It  very  often  proves  fatal. 

Dr.  Macbeth,  of  this  city,  who  has  had  excellent  success  in  the 
management  of  this  disease,  informs  the  writer  that  he  has  re- 
cently had  two  very  severe  cases,  both  idiopathic.  The  worst, 
owned  by  W.  M.  Merritt,  of  this  city,  had  run  four  days,  with 
jaws  entirely  fixed,  before  being  called.  His  treatment  is,  first 
sharp  cathartic,  aloes,  with  enemas  to  encourage  action  of  bowels, 
with  half-drachm  doses  of  belladonna,  in  some  cases  even  more ; 


EABIES,  OE  MADNESS. 


931 


in  this  case,  being  a  very  desperate  one,  he  gave  drachm  doses  of 
soUd  extract,  every  three  to  four  hours,  with  counter  irritation 
over  the  spine,  and  generous  nourishment  as  described. 

He  of  course  found  great  difficulty  in  giving  the  medicine,  be- 
ing compelled  to  push  the  aloes  up  into  the  mouth  with  a  piece  of 
stick,  until  a  sufficient  amount  was  taken  up  to  produce  a  free 
action  of  the  bowels. 

Rabies,  or  Madness. 

This  dreadful  malady  is,  providentially,  of  rare  occurrence, 
and  does  not  arise  spontaneously  in  horses,  but  is  usually  the  ef- 


l^'iG.  S04:. — Symptom  of  rabies. 

feet  of  the  bite  of  a  "  mad  dog." 

Symptoms. — The  attack  is  usually  sudden,  as  it  is  severe, 
and  seldom  extends  beyond  the  third  day.  It  usually  appears 
from  two  io  eight  weeks  after  the  animal  has  been  bitten.  Some- 
times it  comes  on  gradually ;  he  is  observed  to  be  dull,  and  his  man- 
ner is  peculiar.  The  other  animals  in  the  barn-yard  seem  afraid  of 
him ;  he  is  observed  to  snap  and  bite  at  poultry,  pigs,  sheep,  or 
other  horses  when  roused,  then  relapses  into  his  dull  state  again. 
In  a  short  time  his  eyes  become  staring,  wild,  and  excited;  and 
he  runs  at  anything  that  comes  in  his  way. 

At  other  times  it  comes  on  suddenly,  with  all  the  f ur}'^  of  gen- 
uine madnesrb ;  he  becomes  wild  and  frantic,  bites  and  tears  at 
everything  within   his  reach;   he  rears  up,  kicks   and   plunges. 


932  DISEASES  AND  THEIE  TKEATMENT. 

presently  gets  down,  gnaws  at  his  own  legs  or  sides,  snaps  at 
anything  that  is  pushed  towards  him,  gets  up  and  runs  with 
open  mouth  at  any  one  who  goes  near  him;  palsy  of  the  hind 
legs  is  apt  to  supervene ;  thirst  is  excessive ;  and  the  act  of  swal- 
lowing ajjparently  difficult. 

Treatment. — According  to  all  medical  authorities,  curative 
treatment  is  hopeless,  and  they  advise  that  the  important  point  is  to 
prevent  it.  When  an  animal  is  known  to  have  been  bitten  by  a 
mad  dog,  a  strmg  should  at  once  be  tightly  tied  above  the  injury, 
and  the  bitten  part  cut  out  or  burned  with  the  cautery  or  nitric 
acid,  and  some  stimulant,  such  as  good  brandy,  freely  given ;  the 
same  treatment  is  applicable  to  all  animals. 

A   RECIPE    FOR   ITS   CURE. 

When  in  Southern  Pennsylvania  a  few  years  ago,  it  became 
known  to  me  that  there  was  a  recipe  that  had  been  used  in  that 
neighborhood  for  years,  which  was  claimed  to  be  a  certain  cure 
for  hydrophobia.  It  had  been  kept  a  great  secret  by  the  man 
who  used  it,  who,  upon  dying,  gave  it  to  his  sons.  These  going 
into  the  army,  one  of  them  was  seriously  Avounded,  and,  w^th  his 
brother,  who  was  sick  with  fever,  was  confined  to  the  hospital  at 
Washington.  Their  condition  being  serious,  the  citizens  of  the 
town,  Hanover,  valuing  the  recipe  so  highly,  and  fearing  it 
would  be  lost  in  the  event  of  their  death,  appointed  a  committee 
to  go  to  Washington  and  obtain  the  recipe,  when  it  was  pub- 
lished in  the  county  papers.  Learning  of  its  value,  I  made  a 
great  effort  at  considerable  expense  to  obtain  it,  and  was  only 
able  to  get  it  by  paying  for  it  liberally. 

Some  time  afterward,  in  stating  the  facts  to  Mr.  Warren,  he 
claimed  to  have  a  remedy  that  he  kneiv  to  be  specific  for  hydro- 
phobia ;  that  he  had  used  and  seen  it  used  for  over  twenty  years, 
upon  a  variety  of  cases  with  perfect  success;  but  having  pledged 
himself  not  to  reveal  the  secret,  I  could  not  obtain  it  of  him.  He 
finally  said  if  I  would  let  him  see  mine,  if  it  were  like  his,  he 
would  say  so.  I  read  it  to  him,  when  he.  admitted  it  was  an 
exact  transcript  of  his.  This  added  greatly  to  its  value  in  my 
estimation,  as  Mr.  Warren  is  among  the  most  honest,  conscientious 
men  I  ever  met.  The  recipe  I  here  give,  with  Mr.  Warren's 
statements  of  the  facts  at  the  close : — 


EABIBS,  OR  MADNESS.  983 

"Dr.  Stoy's  Celebrated  Cure  tor  Hydrophobia. — The  fol- 
lowini'-  remedy  for  hydrophobia,  published  in  the  Hagerstown 
Torch  Light,  of  1830,  by  "  Humanitas,"  we  know  to  be  genuine. 
The  gentleman  who  purchased  it  from  the  late  Mr.  Ivreps,  is  still 
living,  and  his  son,  for  whom  it  was  purchased,  who  had  been  bit- 
ten by  a  rabid  dog,  and  exhibited  strong  symptoms  of  hydropho- 
bia, is  also  living,  thirty-seven  years  having  elapsed  since  the 
event.  We  knoV,  says  the  Torch  Light,  both  gentlemen  very 
well,  and  the  manner  in  which  the  recipe  ^vas  made  public.  It 
should,  therefore,  by  all  means  be  preserved  by  all  those  into  whose 
hands  this  paper  may  fall. 

'■'■  Eecipc. Take  of  the    red    chick-weed  {herba  anageiis  ruber) 

that  has  beed  dried,  one  handful,  pour  two  quarts  of  good  beer  on 
it,  and  boil  it  in  a  new  earthen  i^ot  (the  pot  must  bo  covered  with 
a  close  lid  until  half  the  liquor  boils  away,)  it  must  be  boiled  over 
a  slow  fire;  the  vessel  in  which  it  is  boiled  must  be  kept  very 
clean,  and  used  for  no  other  purpose.  When  the  herb  is  boiled 
enough,  it  must  be  strained  through  a  clean  cloth  and  well 
squeezed,  so  that  the  substance  may  be  all  taken  out  of  it ;  then 
add  to  the  decoction  two  drachms  of  the  best  threriaca  venti.  It 
must  be  Avell  dissolved  and  mixed  with  the  decoction.  Of  the 
above  decoction,  give  to  a  man  or  beast  in  the  morning,  fasting,  the 
following  proportions  :  A  man  of  strong  constitution  must  take  a 
pint  of  it,  and  that  at  one  time  if  possible,  if  not  at  once,  take  it  at 
short  intervals,  but  if  taken  at  one  draught,  it  is  best.  If  there 
should  be  any  symptoms  of  madness,  the  medicine  must  be  taken 
two  or  three  mornings  in  succession  ;  but  if  actual  symptoms  of 
madness  should  exist,  a  larger  portion  of  the  herbs  should  be  added 
to  the  said  quantity  of  beer.  A  woman  should  take  less  of  the 
medicine  than  a  liian,  say  about  3  or  3^}  gills  ;  for  children  the 
medicine  must  be  regulated  according  to  their  age  and  constitution. 
it  must  be  likewise  observed  that  children  can  bear  more  of  it  than 
grown  persons  in  proportion. 

"  The  mother  or  person  that  nurses  the  child  should  take  an 
extra  portion  ;  if  the  child  would  receive  one  or  two  spoonfuls  of 
the  medicine,  it  would  be  sufficient.  A  horse  should  be  given  one 
pint ;  a  cow,  20  tablespoon fuls  ;  a  heifer  or  dog,  according  to  age, 
size,  and  strength,  the  medicine  to  be  taken  warm  and  well- 
shaken.  It  must  be  taken  in  the  morning,  and  fast  must  not  be 
broken  for  3  or  4  hours  after  taking  it.  JSTo  cold  or  fresh  water 
must  be  taken,  otherwise  serious  consequences  might  arise.  On 
the  day  of  taking  the  medicine,  the  person  must  abstain  from 
spoon  victuals,  particularly  from  milk  or  warm  beer.  A  beast  must 
not  be  watered  on  that  day  ;  and  a  person  must  for  two  weeks  ab- 
stain from  the  following  eatables  ;  viz.,  meat  and  pork  of  all  kinds, 
cabbage,  peas,  beans,  fish,  or  Avater  fowls.  If  a  person  is  bitten 
through  the  skin,  the  wound  must  be  scratched  with  a  chip  until  it 
bleeds,  and  washed  with  some  of  the  decoction  ;  this  may  be  done 
for  two  or  three  days.  If  the  wound  requires  dressing,  make  a 
plaster  of  the  threriaca  venti  (venice  treacle)  twice  a  day  until  the 


934  DISEASES  AND  THEIE  TREATMENT. 

wound  is  bealcd.  Observe  that  before  dressing,  the  wound  must 
be  washed  clean  with  the  decoction.  After  having  made  use  of 
the  medicine,  the  person  must  put  on  clean  linen,  and  change  his 
clothes  and  bedding,  and  it  must  not  be  worn  until  jjerfectly  clean. 
All  straw  that  a  beast  has  lain  on  must  be  burnt,  and  the  stable 
cleansed." 

"In  18G2,  I  bought  the  same  recipe  as  the  above  from  John 
Emoiy  Esq.,  residing  near  Baden  Co.,  Waterloo,  Ont.,  Canada, 
with  conditions  of  secrecy  until  Mr.  Emory  himself  should  publish 
it.  But  finding  that  Prof.  Magner  has  the  same  recipe,  and  is 
about  to  publish  it  for  the  benefit  of  the  public,  I  feel  myself  re- 
lieved from  the  obligation  of  secrecy,  and  for  the  benefit  of  any 
who  may  need  the  medicine,  I  cheerfully  add  my  testimony  to  its 
efficacy.  I  have  given  it  both  to  persons  and  animals  that  had 
been  bitten  by  rabid  dogs  with  unfailing  success,  and  Mr.  Emory 
has  been  noted  for  many  years  in  the  central  counties  of  Ontario 
for  his  success  in  curing  those  who  had  been  bitten.  I  also  met  a 
regular  physician  in  Eeading,  Besks  Co.,  Penn.,  who  had  the  same 
recipe.  He  prized  it  highly,  and  kept  it  as  a  secret.  The  public 
may  rely  upon  it  with  perfect  confidence  as  a  remedy  for  the  bite 
of  any  rabid  animal.  If  the  recipe  could  not  be  otherwise  obtained, 
1  consider  it  well  worth  1500.00.  Alexander  Warren, 

Baptist  Minister, 
Acton,  Halton  Co., 
Ontario. 
"  Mountain  Park,   April  9,  1881." 

The  following,  for  the  cure  of  hydrophobia,  which  has  been 
published  in  the  Country  Gentleman,  seems  so  good  that  I  give  it 
a  place: — 

"  1  can  give  some  facts  which  may  be  of  use  to  somebody, 
thereby  saving  life.  The  time  betw'een  the  biting  of  an  animal  by 
a  mad  dog,  and  showing  signs  of  hydrophobia  is  not  less  than 
nine  days,  but  ma}^  be  nine  months.  After  the  animal  has  become 
rabid,  a  bite  or  scratch  wnth  the  teeth  upon  a  person,  or  slobber 
coming  in  contact  with  a  sore  or  raw  place,  would  produce  hydro- 
phobia as  soon  as  if  he  had  been  bitten  by  a  mad  dog.  H3^dropho- 
bia  can  be  prevented,  and  I  will  give  what  is  known  to  be  an 
infallible  remedy,  if  promptly  administered,  for  man  and  beast.  A 
dose  for  a  horse  or  cow  should  be  about  four  times  as  great  as  for 
a  pei'sori.  It  is  not  too  late  to  give  medicine  any  time  before  the 
spasms  come  on. 

"  The  first  dose  for  a  person  is  1^  ounces  of  elecampane  root, 
bruised,  put  in  a  pint  of  new  milk,  reduced  to  one-half  by  boiling, 
then  taking  all  at  one  dose  in  the  morning,  fiisting  until  afternoon, 
or  at  least  a  very  light  diet  after  several  hours  have  elapsed.  The 
second  dose  same  as  first,  except  take  two  ounces  of  the  root;  third 
dose  the  same  as  last;  to  be  taken  every  other  day.  Three  doses 
are  all  that  is  needed,  and  there  need  be  no  fear.     This,  1  know 


STEINGHALT.  935 

from  my  own  experience,  and  know  of  a  number  of  other  cases 
where  it  has  been  entirely  successful.  This  is  no  guesswork. 
Those  persons  I  allude  to  were  bitten  by  their  own  dogs  that  were 
bitten  by  rabid  dogs,  and  were  penned  up  to  see  if  they  would  go 
mad.     They  did  go  mad  and  did  bite  the  persons. 

"  This  remedy  has  been  used  in  and  about  Philadelphia  for  forty 
years  and  longer,  with  great  success,  and  is  known  as  the  Grood- 
man  remedy.  I  am  acquainted  with  a  physician  who  told  me  he 
knew  of  its  use  for  more  than  thirty  years,  but  never  knew  of  any 
case  that  failed  where  it  was  properly  and  timely  administered. 
Among  other  cases  he  mentioned  one  where  a  number  of  cows  had 
been  bitten  by  a  mad  dog. 

"  To  half  of  this  number  they  administered  this  remedy,  to  the 
other  not.  The  latter  all  died  of  hydrophobia,  while  those  that 
took  the  elecampane  and  the  milk  showed  no  signs  of  that  disease." 

Stringhalt. 

This  is  a  peculiar  jerking  or  pulling  up  of  the  hind  legs  when 
walking  or  trotting,  familiar  to  every  one.  It  .is  most  severe  dur- 
ing cold  weather  when  the  horse  is  led  out  of  the  stable,  also  after 
a  hard  drive,  and  is  much  better  when  driven  and  warmed  up. 
Many  horses  that  have  but  a  slight  touch  of  it  may  move  off 
showing  so  little  evidence  of  it  as  to  escape  notice.  If  suspected, 
back  the  horse  up  hill,  especially  after  standing  awhile,  or  when 
cool,  and  he  will  show  it  most  clearly. 

It  is  claimed  that  colts  suffering  from  worms,  and  horses  suf- 
fering from  derangement  of  the  digestive  organs,  will  show  some 
temporary  jerking  of  one  or  both  hind  legs,  from  which  they  re- 
covered under  good  keeping  and  mineral  tonics.  The  writer  has 
never  known  a  case  of  stringhalt  to  be  cured.  There  are  a  great 
many  theories  and  pretended  cures,  but  I  know  of  none  worthy 
of  mention. 

Thumps,  or  Spasmodic  Action  of  the  Diaphragm, 

Commonly  called  thumps,  is  caused  by  severe  and  long-con- 
tinued driving  and  hard  work.  Horses  of  a  nervous  tempera- 
ment having  too  much  cold  water  given  to  drink  on  a  cold 
morning,  nervous  irritation,  severe  work  or  excitement  from  any 
cause,  may  excite  this  trouble. 

Symptoms. — A  sudden  jerking  or  twitching  of  the  muscles  of 
the  sides  and  flanks ;  pulse  wiry,  quick,  and  low ;  more  or  less 
fever;  extremities  natural. 


930 


DISEASES   AND  TTTEIR   TIM^^ATMKNT. 


l^reatmeilt. — This  <lisease  being  of  a  purely  spasmodic  eliav- 
acter,  but  in  this  case  wliolly  of  a  nei'vous  nature,  bleeding  must 
be  omitted,  and  must  be  treated  wholly  by  giving  spasmodic  rem- 
edies. Give  assafeetida,  in  a  dose  of  from  1  to  3  ounces  of  the 
tincture,  mixed  in  a  half  pint  of  water.  Oiven  as  a  drench,  will 
stop  it  almost  instantly. 


Fi(i.  S!4.— Diaphragm. 

1,  1 ,  The  two  portions  of  the  right,  pillar;  3,  Left  piUar;  3,  Tendons  of  the 
pillars;  4,  4,  Peripheral  muscular  jx^rtion;  (),  Posterior  vena  cava;  7,  (Esophagus 
passing  through  the  oi)eniiig  iu  the  right  pillar:  S,  Posterior  .aorta  between  the  two 
pillars;  13,  Section  of  a  lumbar  vertebra. 


If  necessary,  the  medicine  may  be  repeated  in  two  hours. 
Keep  the  horse  well  clothed,  and  keep  all  exciting  causes  away 
from  him.  The  bowels  .should  be  kept  loose  and  regular,  by  giv- 
ing bran  mashes  and  moderate  exercise. 


LYMPHANGITIS,   ETC.  937 

Lymfhanoitis. — Weed. — Monday  Morning  Leg. 

This  disease  is  attributed  to  high  feeding  and  insufficient  ex- 
ercise, generally  working  horses,  those  having  worked  steadily 
are  suddenly  kept  standing  in  the  stable  for  a  few.  days,  given  all 
they  can  eat,  when  on  a  morning  the  animal  will  be  found  lame.' 
This  usually  occurs  in  dray  horses,  the  owner  comes  in  late  Sat- 
urday night ;  feeds.  (In  Sunday,  gives  an  extra  allowance, 
enough  to  last  all  day  ;  the  horse  eats  all.  Perhaps  the  owner 
does  not  come  again  until  the  following  day,  when  he  finds  his 
horse  is  unable  to  back  out  of  the  stall.  For  this  reason  the 
disease  is  called  by  some  Monday  moi-ning  leg.  It  usually  affects 
one  of  the  hind  legs,  and  is  an  inflammation  of  the  lymphatics. 
The  left  leg  is  usually  affected. 

The  leg  is  swollen,  is  favored  and  held  from  the  ground  ;  the 
swelling  extends  on  the  inner  side  from  the  foot  up  to  the  body. 
There  is  heat,  and  great  tenderness  to  the  touch.  Horses  that 
have  once  been  attacked  by  lymphangitis  are  liable  to  a  recur- 
rence time  after  time,  until  the  limb  assumi^s  permanently  an 
enlarged  condition. 

Treatment. — Clothe  the  animal  warmly  and  give  a  moderate 
purge,  and  bathe  the  affected  hmb  with  very  hot  salt  water  3  or 
4  times  a  day.     After  each  bathing,  apply  the  following  lotion : — 

2  ounces  tincture  arnica, 

1  pint  water. 

Feed  no  oats  or  stimulating  food,  simply  bran  mashes,  to 
which  add  plenty  of  salt ;  after  the  third  or  fourth  day  feed  one  of 
the  following  powders  morning  and  night. 

2  ounces  iodine  of  potass. , 

11  ounce  bicarbonate  of  potass. , 
o  ounces  powdered  gentian  root. 
Mix  and  make  into  10  powders. 

In  8  to  ]  0  days,  when  the  symptoms  have  disappeared,  if  any 
swelling  remains,  there  being  no  pain,  apply  for  a  few  times  an 
ointment. 

2  ounces  mercurial  ointment, 
1^  ounce  iodine  ointment, 
4  ounces  vasaline. 
Make  into  a  salve. 


938  DISEASES  AND  THEIR  TREATMENT. 

The  Peritoneum. 

The  peritoneum  is  the  thin  serous  membrane  which  Hnes  the 
cavity  of  the  belly,  and  is  reflected  over  the  organs  contained 
within  it,  forming  a  complete  covering  to  them.  It  also  suspends 
and  retains  them  in  their  proper  relative  positions  by  its  folds  and 
reflections,  vulgarly  known  as  the  caul  (omenta).  This  mem- 
brane also  secretes  a  delicate  serous  fluid  for  the  purpose  of  lubri- 
cating the  surface,  so  as  to  prevent  friction  during  the  ceaseless 
motions  of  the  viscera.  It  is  also  the  matrix  over  which  the 
blood-vessels  are  distributed  to  the  organs  contained  in  the  belly ; 
hence  the  inflammations  of  these  organs  are  apt  to  extend  along 
this  vascular-investing  membrane,  constituting  peritonitis. 

Peritonitis. 

Peritonitis  occurs  in  two  forms,  acute  and  chronic.  Acute 
peritonitis,  as  a  primary  disease,  is  not  very  common  in  the  horse. 

Causes, — It  is  usually  caused  by  external  violence,  as  from 
being  hooked  by  a  cow's  horn,  or  staked  in  j  umping  a  fence ;  it 
also  sometimes  follows  castration,  operations  for  hernia,  and  other 
operations  involving  a  division  of  it,  and  occasionally  from  expos- 
ure to  damp  and  cold,  especially  when  heated. 

Symptoms. — It  usually  sets  in  with  shivering  fits,  general 
uneasiness  in  the  region  of  the  abdomen  ;  quick,  short  breathing ; 
pulse  quick,  small,  and  wiry  ;  tenderness  on  pressure  on  belly  ; 
lying  down  and  rising  frequently  ;  he  moves  about  uneasily  in 
his  box,  and  is  very  feverish  ;  the  bowels  are  costive,  and  he 
strains  occasionally.  The  pain  is  not  so  violent  as  in  colic  or  in- 
flammation of  the  bowels,  for  which  it  is  apt  to  be  mistaken. 

Treatment. — Relieve  the  bowels  by  injections,  give  a  brisk 
purgative,  as  six  drachms  of  aloes,  with  a  drachm  of  calomel. 
Drachm  doses  of  extract  of  belladonna  or  hyoscyamus,  should  be 
o-iven  every  hour,  for  three  or  four  doses;  or  tincture  of  aconite,  from 
fifteen  to  twenty  drops  every  two  hours,  in  a  little  cold  water,  till 
the  fever  is  subdued.  Apply  smart  counter-irritation  to  the  whole 
surface  of  the  belly  by  rubbing  in  a  strong  liquid  blister.  The 
treatment  of  peritonitis  does  not  differ  very  materially  from  that 
of  enteritis,  inflammation  of  the  bowels,  which  see. 


DISEASES  OF  THE  STOMACH.  939 

The  Stomach. 

The  stomach  is  that  pouch  or  bag  into  which  the  food  passes 
from  the  gullet,  and  in  which  it  undergoes  the  primary  and  essen- 
tial changes  in  the  process  of  digestion.  The  stomach  of  the  horse 
is  a  comparatively  small  organ;  its  shape  is  generally  compared 
to  the  air-bag  of  a  pair  of  bag-pipes.  It  has  two  openings,  the 
cardiac,  into  which  the  food  enters  from  the  gullet,  and  the  py- 
loric, through  which  it  passes  into  the  bowels,  or  gut.  Its  inner 
surface  is  lined  by  two  distinct  membranes,  a  cuticular  and  a 
villous.  The  former  lines  the  cardiac  portion,  and  is  white  and 
wrinkled;  the  latter  covers  the  pyloric,  and  is  yellowish  red,  soft 
and  velvety  to  the  touch.  The  latter  is  the  true  digestive  stomach. 
In  it  the  gastric  juice  is  secreted,  and  the  essential  process  of 
chymification,  or  the  formation  of  the  food  into  chyme,  goes  on, 
the  former  being  merely  for  macerating  and  further  triturating 
the  masticated  food. 

Indigestion. 

Indigestion  in  one  form  or  another  is  very  common  in  the 
horse.  It  occurs  in  two  forms,  which  may  be  distinguished  as 
acidity  of  the  stomach,  or  heart-burn,  and  acute  indigestion,  or 
total  arrestment  of  digestion. 

Acidity  of  the  Stomach. 

Acidity  of  the  stomach  arises  from  bad  food  and  irregular 
feeding. 

Symptoms. — The  animal  is  observed  to  lose  condition;  the 
skin  is  dusty  and  unthrifty ;  he  is  continually  poking  and  pick- 
ing among  the  litter,  licking  out  the  corners  of  the  manger,  occa- 
sionally stretching  out  the  nose,  and  pouting  the  upper  lip.  If 
turned  out,  he  licks  earth  or  sand,  and  evinces  a  depraved  appe- 
tite ;  at  work  he  is  easily  sweated ;  his  bowels  are  irregular,  the 
dung  being  light-colored  and  glazed. 

Treatment. — Change  the  feed,  give  sweet,  well-cured  hay,  a 
few  bran-mashes,  and  gentle  walking  exercise.  Give  him  the 
following  laxative  ball: — 

6  drachms  Barbadoes  aloes, 
2  drachms  ground  ginger, 
2  drachms  carbonate  of  soda. 
Make  into  a  ball  with  molasses  or  lard. 


940  DISEASES  AND   THEIR  TREATMENT. 

Place  a  lump  of  rock  salt  in  his  manger,  and  give  a  little  car- 
bonate of  soda  or  magnesia  twice  a  day  in  the  feed.  When  re- 
covery begins,  give  him  tonics  for  some  time,  with  gentle  exercise. 
If  he  persists  in  devouring  the  litter,  muzzle  him  up  for  a  few 
days.     This,  if  neglected,  is  apt  to  inn  on  to  diabetes  or  jaupis. 

Acute  Indigestion. 

Acute  indigestion  is  very  common  in  this  country,  especially 
in  the  spring,  from  the  continuous  hard  work,  and  necessarily 
liberal  feeding.  It  is  usually  induced  by  overfeeding,  that  is, 
eating  too  much  at  a  time,  more  especially  when  the  animal  has 
been  fatigued  and  hungry.  It  sometimes  occurs  from  his  break- 
ing loose  in  the  night,  and  goi-ging  himself  at  the  corn-bin.  An- 
other frequent  cause  is  overloading  the  stomach  with  clover  or 
ffreen  feed  when  wet  ;  this  often  induces  violent  and  fatal 
indigestion. 

Symptoms. — Digestion  may  be  arrested,  either  by  "  the  food 
undergoing  no  change,  forming  a  dangerous  load,  or  running  rap- 
idly to  frightful  fermentation."  In  the  former  case  the  animal  is 
dull  and  stupid,  the  pulse  is  slow,  and  the  breathing  oppressed  ; 
he  is  stiff,  and  inflammation  of  the  feet,  or  acute  founder,  is  apt 
to  set  in.  If  he  have  access  to  water,  it  speedily  sets  up  fermen- 
tation, gas  being  rapidly  evolved  ;  the  stomach  is  greatly  dis- 
tended, the  belly  sw^jllen,  colicky  pains  set  in,  he  rolls  al)out  in 
great  agony,  looking  wistfully  to  his  flank,  kicking  his  belly  writh 
his  feet ;  he  tosses  about  in  despair,  the  bowels  being  unmoved. 
He  gets  up  and  down  frequently,  the  sweat  rolls  off  him  in 
streams,  and  in  many  cases  death  puts  an  end  to  his  suffering  in 
from  four  to  six  or  eight  houi's,  caused  by  rupture  of  the  stomach 
or  bowels,  or  violent  inflammation  of  the  intestines. 

Treatment. — It  is  more  easily  j)revented  than  cured,  by  sim- 
ply attending  to  the  following  rules:  Never  let  a  horse  g-et  too 
hungry ;  never  give  him  too  much  at  a  time  ;  never  put  him 
to  work  on  a  full  stomach ;  and  never  let  him  drink  too  freely 
after  eating,  and  we  will  seldom  see  this  fatal  disease. 

Treatment  must  be  prompt  to  be  effectual.     The  following 

drench  will  be  f o\ind  useful : — 

8  draclims  Barbadoes  aloes, 
1  fluid  ounce  liquor  ammonia, 
Or,  2  fluid  ounces  spirits  of  turi^entine. 
Dissolve  the  aloes  with  a  little  carbonate  of  soda,  in  nearly  a  quart  of 
warm  water,  and  add  the  other. 


THE  FOOT. 


941 


Rub  the  belly  well,  and  apply  cloths  wrung-  out  of  boiling 
water  diligently  to  it.  Give  copious  injections  of  soap  and 
water  ;  or  a  mild  infusion  of  tobacco  or  tobacco-smoke.  If  no 
relief  is  e-iven  in  one  or  two  hours,  give  at  intervals  of  an  hour," 
two  drachms  carbonate  of  ammonia,  |  ounce  ginger  (powdered), 
in  gruel. 

Advantage  will  sometimes  be  found  from  giving  copious 
drenches  of  fluids  to  liquify  the  contents  of  the  stomach,  and 
assist  in  removing  it. 

The  Foot. — Pkicking  in  Shoeing,  Stepping  on 

Nails,  Glass,  etc. 

The  foot  is  made  up  of  the  coffin-bone,  (os  pedis,)  the  lower 
end  of  the  small  pas- 
tern-bone ;  ( oscoro- 
nse,)  and  the  navi- 
cular-bone  (os  navi- 
culare,)  with  the  ten- 
don of  the  flexor 
pedis,  which  passes 
over  the  navicular- 
bone,  and  is  inserted 
in    the   sole    of    the 


Fig.  805.- 


-The  liorse  as  he  usually  rests  the  foot 
when  lame. 


coffin-bone,  a  variety 
of  illustrations  o  f 
which  I  give.  The  surface  of  the  coffin- bone  is  covered  by  lami- 
nae or  thin  plates,  running  from  above  downwards,  fitting  into 
corresponding  plates  on  the  inner  surface  of  the  hoof.  The  sole  is 
also  covered  by  a  sensitive  structure  which  is  villous,  that  is, 
presenting  elevations  and  depressions,  which  fit  into  reciprocal 
horny  villse  on  the  sole  of  the  hoof.  At  the  back  part  of  the  sole 
we  have  the  sensitive  or  fatty  frog,  covered  in  a  similar  man- 
ner by  the  horny  frog.  These,  with  the  coronary  ligament  (which 
occupies  the  groove  in  the  upper  margin  of  the  wall  of  the  hoof, 
and  from  which  the  hoof  grows),  and  the  coronary  frog-band, 
blood-vessels,  nerves,  and  lymphatics,  constitute  the  foot  of  the 
horse.  (To  make  this  more  plain,  I  include  drawings  of  differ- 
ent views  of  the  hoof ;  reference  can  also  be  made  to  illustrations 
in  Shoeing.) 


942 


DISEASES  AND  THEIE  TEEATMEJVIT. 


Fig.  806. —Showing 
bones  of  the  foot. 


Accidents  and  injuries  of   the  foot  constitute  the  principal 

bruises  from  stepping  on  stones,  sharp  bodies,  treads,  etc.,  besides 

causes  of  lameness.  It  is  liable  to  injury 
from  various  causes,  as  occasionally  partici- 
pating in  constitutional  derangement;  but  by 
far  the  greatest  amount  of  injury  arises, 
directly  or  indirectly,  from  shoeing. 

Sometimes,  from  carelessness,  a  nail  pen- 
etrates the  sensitive  part  of  the  foot  (usually 
called  the  quick).  Sometimes  the  nail  itself 
does  not  penetrate,  but  is  driven  so  close  as 
to  cause  the  wall,  in  its  course,  to  press  on 
and  bruise  the  quick,  (something  like  Fig. 
807,)  giving  rise  to  inflammation,  and  usually 
terminating  in  suppuration.  To  illustrate,  a 
fine  horse  that  had  been  lame  for  a  number 
of  days  was  recently  brought  in  from  the 
country  to  be  examined  by  the  veterinary 
surgeon  here,  who  informed  the  writer  that 

upon  investigation,  he  found  that  the  lameness  was  caused  by 

three  nails  being  driven  too  near  or  into  the  quick. 
Serious  trouble  is  also  liable  to  be  caused 

by  driving   the  nails   deep   and    clinching 

them   tightly,  as  this   will  bend  the  nails 

more  or  less  inw^ard  upon   the  soft  parts, 

causing  a  binding,  uncomfortable  pressure 

that  produces   a   soreness,   and    sometimes 

very  serious  inflammation. 

Symptoms. — Lameness  may  appear  in 

a  day  or  two,  sometimes  not  for  a  week. 

The  foot  is  found  to  be  hot  and   tender, 

and  the  least  tap  with  the  hammer  causes 

pain;  in  moving,  the  animal  sets  the  foot 

down  so  as  to  throw  the  pressure  off  the  ^^^-  ^*^^- 

tender  part,  and  when  standing  he  will  rest  the  foot.      Sometimes, 

the  leg  swells  considerably  ;  the  swelling  is  sometimes  painful, 

and  is  very  apt  to  mislead  the  inexperienced. 

Treatment. — Remove  the  shoe,  and  having  with  the  h'ammer 

or  pincers  discovered  the  faulty  nail,  thin  the  sole  around  it,  and 


THE  FOOT. 


943 


with  a  fine  drawing-knife  follow 
the  coui'se  of  the  nail  till  the  mat- 
ter is  evacuated;  make  a  free  vent 
for  it,  and  immerse  the  foot  in  a 
warm  poultice  for  a  day  or  two. 
When  the  symptoms  subside,  the  shoe 
may  be  applied,  and  the  sole  filled 
with  tow  and  tar,  or  Friar's  bal- 
sam, tincture  of  myrrh,  etc.,  re- 
tained by  cross  slips  or  a  leather 
sole,  care  being  taken  not  to  bruise 
the  sole.  The  crust  at  the  injured 
part  should  not  rest  on  the  shoe. 
(For  farther  details,  see  page  667  in  Fig.  80S. — The  frog  removed  from 
Shoeing;  )  *^^  ^°°^  ^^'^'  ^*^^^  ^^  maceration. 


Fig.  809. — A  dried  hoof  with  frog  removed.     From  Oamgee^  on  Lameness, 


944 


DISEASES   AND   THEIII   TREATMENT. 


If  tliu  nails  are  driveu  so  deep  as  to  bind,  which,  as  before 
stated,  is  a  very  common  occurrence,  particularly  in  feet  with 
thin  hoofs,  the  first  thing  to  do  is  to  remove  the  nails;  if  much 
inflammation,  poultice  until  relieved ;  then  let  the  shoe  extend 
farther  out  under  the  crust,  and  drive  smaller  nails,  using  care 
not  to  drive  deep. 

If  a  nail  has  been  driven  into  the  foot,  get  the  horse  to  the 
stable  as  quick  as  you  can,  and  take  off'  the  shoe.   If  not  done  before, 


Fig.  SIO. — A  dried  hoof  from  a  diseased  foot,  with  frog  and  half  the  sole 
removed. — ^From  Oamgee,  on  Lameness. 


remove  the  nail,  glass,  or  whatever  it  is,  from  the  foot  carefully. 
See  that  no  part  remains,  and  remove  a  little  of  the  hoof  from 
around  the  opening.  Drop  a  few  drops  of  Friar's  balsam  or  com- 
pound tincture  of  benzoin  into  the  orifice,  both  of  which  can  be 
obtained  in  almost  any  drug  store.  If  this  is  not  obtainable,  use 
the  simple  digestive  ointment  (given  under  head  of  Cuts),  and 
cover  the  foot  with  a  large  flax-seed  poultice.  If  the  injury  is  at 
all  severe,  give  a  sharp  dose  of  phj-sic,  and  let  the  animal  stand 
quiet.  The  object  is  to  keep  down  inflammation.  ]!^o  hot  oils  or 
anything  stimulating  is  to  he  applied.      If  there  is  much  in- 


FOOT-LA3iENESS.  945 

flammation,  omit   tligestive  dressiug-  uutil  after  it  is  reduced  Uy 
poulticing,  when  dress  -with  digestives. 

There  is  liable  to  be  tenderness  if  the  sole  should  strike  the 
oi-ound  afterwards,  as  there  may  be  inflammation  of  the  perios- 
teum, to  relieve  which,  put  on  a  high-heeled  shoe,  and  blister 
around  the  coronet.  The  sole  is  sometimes  bruised  by  the  shoe 
pressing  upon  it,  causing  much  inflammation  and  lameness.  Take 
off"  the  shoe,  poultice  for  twenty-four  houi-s  or  more ;  fit  the  shoe 
so  as  to  remoA^e  all  pressure  from  the  sole;  if  sore  yet,  continue 
the  poultice;  if  matter  is  formed,  treat  as  you  Avould  any  simple 
ulcer,  with  a  healing  astringent.  Several  good  preparations  are 
given  in  another  part  of  this  work. 

Foot-Lameness.  * 

"  Symptoms. — Horse  goes  gradually  sore,  walkuig  tender 
either  behind  or  before.  As  a  rule  comes  in  one  foot ;  if  in  the 
liind  foot,  tries  to  put  the  heel  down  first.  Kot  much  fever  in  the 
feet.  Xo  apparent  cause,  hard  to  locate  the  trouble.  The  onh- 
diagnosis  is  by  tapping  the  wall  of  the  foot  which  will  give  a 
holloAV  sound.  It  is  all  due  to  want  of  cell-groAvth  or  nutrition  of 
honi-cells  which  will  cause  the  wall  or  hoof  to  separate  from  the 
true  foot.  At  the  start  the  horse  may  travel  sore  or  tender,  grow- 
ing worse  graduall}-  for  two  or  three  months  ;  finally  the  horse  be- 
comes very  lame.  There  is  no  fever;  no  pain  by  pressure  or 
hammering.  The  only  point  noticeable  is  by  the  hollow  sound  of 
the  wall  when  hammered  upon. 

•By  examining  the  sole  of  the  foot  at  the  point  where  the  sole 
and  wall  are  united,  by  pricking  there  Avith  a  probe  a  granulating 
substance  Avill  be  found — little  dry  fibers  of  horn,  Avhieh  are  the 
dead  horn-cells.  These  can  be  found  and  pricked  clear  up  to  the 
coronary  band,  Avithout  causing  any  feeling  to  the  horse. 

•  Treatment. — Clean  out  the  foot  properly,  and  pour  nitric 
acid  into  the  crevice  made  until  all  the  dead  part  is  cleaned  out. 
Then  put  on  a  plain  shoe  so  as  to  protect  the  sole  and  wall ;  fill  out 
the  bottom  Avith  oakum  and  hot  tar;  next  fire  all  around  the  coro- 
nary band,  the  same  as  for  ring-bone,  and  apply  a  shai-p  blister, 
and  allow  the  horse  to  stand  five  or  six  Aveeks.  If  by  the  third 
Aveek  there  is  no  sign  of  healthy  horn,  the  blister  may  again  be 
applied.  But  there  is  usually  after  three  or  four  Aveeks  a  good 
noticeable  growth  of  healthy  horn. 

•'•  After  this,  but  little  more  can  be  done  than  to  exercise  the 
horse  moderately,  until  the  new  growth  of  horn-structui-e  has 
grown  down." 

♦Dictated  by  Dr.  Charles  A.  Meyer.  60 


946  DISEASES  A>ID  THEIR  TEEATMENT. 

Seedy  Toe. 

This  is  the  name  given  to  a  dry,  mealy  secretion  of  horn, 
which  is  sometimes  seen  to  take  place  between  the  horny  and 
sensitive  sole  at  the  toe.  It  is  seldom  seen  in  this  country,  owing- 
to  clips  being  not  much  used. 

Causes. — It  is  generally  caused  by  large  clips  being  ham- 
mered firmly  on  the  toe,  bending  in  the  hoof,  and  bruising  the 
part. 

Symptoms. — Pain  and  lameness,  with  heat  and  tenderness, 
on  pressure  at  the  toe.  The  horn  is  diy  and  mealy,  and  matter 
is  generally  found  at  the  bottom  of  it. 

In  bad  cases,  horny  processes  are  found  pressing  inward,  pro- 
ducing absorption  of  the  coffin-bone,  with  a  tendency  for  fungus 
growths  to  shoot  up,  producing  a  very  troublesome  disease. 

Treatment. — In  a  simple  case,  open  it  up,  cat  down  to  the 
bottom,  and  poultice  for  a  few  days,  when  the  shoe  may  be  ap- 
plied, i-emoving  the  pressure  by  cutting  down  the  crvist,  and  nil  it 
up  with  tow  and  hot  tar,  when  it  well  soon  get  well. 

In  bad  cases,  with  fungus  and  bony  absorption  going  on,  free 
incisions  must  be  made  ;  .sometimes  it  will  be  necessary  to  cut 
through  the  wall.  Caustics  must  be  freely  used,  such  as  muriate 
of  antimony,  dilute  hydrochloric  acid,  etc.,  with  pressure  judic- 
iously applied  ;  the  process  may  be  arrested,  and  the  part  healed. 

When  there  is  want  of  cell-growth,  with  a  separation  of  the 
wall  from  the  inner  structure,  which  ii-i  very  common  in  horses 
that  have  been  driven  hard,  or  been  partially  foundei-ed,  an- 
other high  author  advises  the  following,  which  is  practically  the 
same  as  that  given  for  foot-lameness: — 

"  Treatment. — Thorough  and  repeated  blistering  around  the 
coronet.  Next  pour  boiUiig  hot  tar  or  even  corrosive  substance, 
such  as  muriatic  acid,  butter  of  antimonj-,  spirits  of  salts,  etc., 
into  the  cavity  formed. 

"  Whenever  there  is  a  separation  of  the  wall  from  the  sole,  with 
weak  or  slow  growth  of  horn,  this  is  effectual  if  thei'e  is  any  life  in 
the  parts." 

In  severe  cases,  as  first  explained,  the  firing  iron  is  necessary, 
first  cleaning  out  the  dead  part  and  filling  in  with  hot  tar,  etc. 

This  i; 5  added  in  order  to  give  a  little  more  extended  idea  of 
the  method  of  treatment. 


GkA  YELLING. 

A  small  stone,  gravel,  or  dirt  becoming-  imbedded  under  the 
shoe  at  the  point  of  the  heel  between  the  bar  and  frog,  usually  the 
inner  heel,  and  working  through  the  sole  into  the  quick,  is  called 
gravelling.  If  not  removed,  it  will  in  time  work  up  through  the 
coronet,  or  cause  matter  to  form  which  will  burrow  between  the 
wall  and  sensible  sole. 

The  horse  shows  more  or  less  lameness  on  the  trot ;   is  ao-ara- 
vated  when  driven  over  hard  gi-ound  or  trotted  fast.      If  not  in- 
terfered with,  the  lameness  continues  for  about  three  months,  when 
the  gravel  usually  works  through  the  coronet,  making  a   small 
break    in    the    skin,    after   wliich  the  lameness  disappears;    but 
should  the  matter  be  confined  to  the  sole  and  surrounding  parts, 
it  is  liable  to  cause  considerable  disturbance  and  injury  to  the  foot. 
When  a  horse  shows  lameness  without  any  apparent  cause, 
this  part  should  be  carefully  examined,      1st,  to  discover  if  the 
sole  is  broken  at  the  jwint  of  the  heel;    2ud,   by  slight  tapping 
against  the  wall  of  the  part  with  a  small  stone  or  ham'mer,  to  find 
if  there  is  any  unusual  sensibility;   3d,  by  resting  the  hand  gently 
upon  the  part,  to  see  if  there  is  any  increased  heat,  v/hich  would 
of  course  point  to  the  seat  of  trouble.      SomeSmes  gravel  works 
mto  the  sensitive  part  in  consequence  of- the  sole  being  denuded  to 
relieve  a  bruise  or  corn.      The  point  is  to  remove  the  cause  of  irri- 
tation.    If  much  inflammation  and  pain,  poultice;  this  will  lower 
inflammation,  and  aid  in  soaking  out  and  removing  any  foreign 
matter  accumulated.     When  this  has  been  done,  saturate  a  pledget 
of  tow  with  tincture  of  myrrh,  or  tar  ointment,  or  Friar's  balsam, 
and  insert  into  the  part,  covering  it  completely.     Next,  fit  a  shoe 
so  there  will  be  no  pressure  upon  this  part,  and  nail  on.     It  will 
usually  be  found  necessary  to  put  on  a  bar  shoe  until  the  heel  is 
grown  down  agam  and  Avill  bear  pressure. 

Bkuise  of  the  Sole. 

The  sole  is  liable  to  bruise  from  the  shoo  being  improperly 
seated,  sometimes  from  sand  or  gravel  being  impacted  in  the  web 
of  the  shoe,  or  by  ''picking  up"  a  stone,  Avhich,  getting  wedged 
in  the  foot,  bruises  the  sole. 

Symptoms.— Lameness  first  attracts  attention  to  it;    in  re- 


048 


DISEASES   AND   THEIE   TEEATMEJSTT. 


moving   the  shoe,  the  sole  is  found  tender,  and  the  foot  hot ;  on 
paring  the  sole,  it  is  found  discolored  at  the  bruised  part. 

Treatment. — A  few  days'  rest  may  be  necessary,  with  the 
foot  immersed  in  a  poultice,  or  stopped  with  some  emollient  dress- 
ing; and  by  using  a  leather  sole  or  felt  pads  for  a  short  time,  it 
disappears. 

Treads,  or  Calks. 

Injuries  to  the  coronet  are  very  common,  especially  in  the 
Northern  States  during  the  winter  months,  when  horses  with  sharp 
calks  are  driven  or  worked  on  i-ough,  icy  roads  or  deep  snow,  par- 


FiG.  811. — The  coronet  as  it 

usually  appears  when 

badly  calked. 


iG.  812. — As  the  hair  should 
be  clipped  from  the  edges 
of  the  injury. 


ticularly  in  the  woods.  Treads,  or  calks,  usually  happen  on  the 
hind  foot,  by  the  horse  accidentally  setting  one  foot  on  the  other, 
or  another  horse  stepping  on  it.  In  ordinary  cases,  if  not  cut 
very  deep,  all  that  is  necessary  to  do  is  to  cut  the  hair  from  the 
edges,  sponge  or  clean  out  any  hair  or  dirt  that  may  be  driven  in, 
and  pour  on  a  little  kerosene  oil,  followed  by  a  little  hot  tar,  or 
the  parts  covered  with  hot  tar  will  be  sufficient. 

But  if  the  cut  is  deep,  it  will  sometimes  prove  to  be  a  very 
serious  difficulty,  and  require  prompt  attention  to  prevent  serious 
inflammation  of  the  parts.  The  first  thing  to  be  done  in  such  a 
case  is  to  cai-efully  remove  any  dirt,  or  other  foreign  matter. 
When  thoroughly  clean,  it  may  be  bound  up  with  a  pledget  of 


TEEADS,   OE  CALKS. 


949 


tow  dipped  in  tincture  of  myrrh,  or  compound  tincture  of  benzoin, 
or  Friar's  balsam,  which,  if  available,  will  be  found  an  excellent 
remedy.  The  point  is  now  to  prevent  any  excessive  inflammation. 
Keep  the  horse  quiet,  feed  bran-mashes,  etc.,  no  grain;  and  if 
there  is  enough  inflammation  to  cause  much  soreness,  cover  the 
foot  with  a  large  hot  poultice.  If  the  soreness  becomes  at  all  ex- 
cessive, at  once  use  hot  fomentations,  following  up  for  at  least  one 
or  two  hours  three  or  four  times  a  day;  after  which  keep  the  leo- 
tied  up  with  wet  cloths,  or  poultice.  If  there  is  extreme  pain, 
give  an  anodyne,  or  inject  a  lit- 


tle morphine  under  the  skin,  as 
a  horse  cannot  endure  j)ain  very 
long,  and  continue  fomentations 
industriously ;  this,  at  all  events, 
must  not  be  neglected. 

In  very  severe  cases  it  may 
be  necessary  to  put  the  horse 
in  slings,  if  he  will  not  lie  down. 
When  the  inflammation  sub- 
sides, but  little  more  is  necessary 
to  be  done  than  to  let  the  parts 
alone,  dressed  with  any  of  the 
preparations  before  given. 

To  illustrate  the  seriousness 
of  these  cases  sometimes,  I  will 


Fig.  813. — The    usual   appearance   of   a 

foot  badly  ealked,  and  neglected 

or  improperly  treated. 


refer  to  an  accident  of  the  kind  to  one  of  my  own  horses.  One  of 
my  men,  who  had  special  charge  of  and  drove  a  favorite  pony, 
took  it  into  his  head  during  the  winter  to  have  the  calks  pointed 
with  steel  and  made  very  sharp.  While  the  pony  was  standing 
in  his  stall,  with  one  foot  resting  against  the  opposite,  he  was  sud- 
denly startled  by  some  one  approaching,  when,  throwing  his  weight 
upon  the  elevated  foot,  the  inside  calk  Avas  driven  well  into  the 
coronet  of  the  opposite  foot.  I  was  kept  ignorant  of  the  accident 
for  several  days,  when  it  was  made  known  to  me  by  discovering 
the  horse  to  be  lame.  The  injury  at  the  surface  did  not  seem  to 
be  serious,  but  it  was  deep.  In  consequence  of  being  driven  on 
the  road,  the  inflammation  soon  became  so  serious  that  it  was  nec- 
essary, at  great  inconvenience,  to  leave  the  horse  behind  a  couple 
of  weeks,  the  part  in  the  meantime  being  thoroughly  poulticed 


n.')0 


DISEASES  AND  THElll  TBEATMENT. 


and  fomented.  The  inflam- 
mation passing  off,  and  be- 
ing entii-ely  free  from  lame- 
ness, he  was  again  put 
to  his  work  on  the  road, 
when  the  roads  were  break- 


ing up. 


Driving  him  through 


the  deep  mud  for  a  few  miles, 
again  brought  on  such  serious 
inflammation  of  the  parts  as 
to  necessitate  a  constant  ap- 
phcation  of  fomentations  for 
hovirs  at  a  time,  night  and 
day,  for  several  days,  to  over- 
come it.  Fig.  814  is  an  illus- 
tration of  how  lie  stood  when 
he  suffered  most  sevei-ely. 
I  also  give  specimens  of  the 
usual  method  of  sharpening 
the  calks  iu   winter,   and   as  they   should    be    rounded    or  filed 


Fig.    814. — As   the  foot  was   held    during 
the  greatest  inflammation. 


Fi<i.  81.5. — Calks  as  they  are  usually  sharpened  in  -winter. 

to  prevent  seriou  ;  injury.       Owners   should  not   neglect   to  look 
to  this  matter  very  carefully.      The  toe  and  inside  calk  especially 


i4r-^>ga 


Fig.  81G. — As  the  calks  should  he  blunted  ur  rounded  to  prevent  cutting. 

should  be  rounded  sufficiently  to  prevent  any   serious  cutting. 
Concave  shoes  should  be  used  in  winter:    with  such,  calks  need 


OVEJREEACH. 


D51 


not  be  long  ov  sharp  to  give  sufficient  hold.  Particular  care  should 
be  taken  not  to  have  any  calks  or  sharp  shoes  on  Avhen  thei-e  is  an 
effort  to  subdue  a  horse.  This  caution  must  not  be  disree:arded, 
as  a  horse  under  such  circumstances  is  liable  to  cut  himself  dan- 
gerously. 

Overreach. 

When  a  horse,  in  a  fast  pace,  overreaches  the  fore  v/ith  the 
hind  foot,  the  inner  rim  of  the  shoe  cutting  a  semi-circular  flap  on 


Fig.  817 — A  good  rep- 
resentation of  an  in- 
jury   b}'    over- 
reach. 


Fig.  81S.— As  the  edges  of 

the    wound    should    be 

trimmed    before 

dressing. 


the  heel  or  quarter,  it  is  called  an  "overreach."  It  should  be 
treated  as  a  tread;  but  when  practicable,  the  edges  should  be 
brought  together  by  a  wire  suture,  and  bound  up  with  Friar's  bal- 
sam or  compound  tincture  of  benzoin. 

QUITTOR. 

In  all  cases  in  which  matter  forms  in  the  foot,  whether  from 
pricks,  corns,  bruises,  or  treads,  unless  it  has  free  openings  to  es- 
cape by,  it  acts  as  an  irritant,  extending  in  every  direction,  form- 


9r,-2 


DISEASES  AND  TH]'UTl  TJiEAT3IEN'.l.\ 


ing-  tissues,  and  at  last  working  its  way  to  tlie  coronet,  wliere  it 
bursts,  producing'  a  very  troublesome  disease,  and  requiring  both 
patience  and  perseverance  to  efF(^ct  a  cure. 

Symptoms. — Tt  is  recogjiized  by  tlie  small  aperture  at  the 
coronet,  which  seems  almost  overgrown  Avith  "proud  flesh."  The 
discharge  is  glary  and  constant.  On  examining  it  with  a  probe, 
sinuses  are  found  ]-uiuiing  in.  all  directions.  The  (piarter  is  en- 
larged and  bulging,  and  the  laineness  severe  and  protracted. 

As  I  cannot  do  better  than  give  the  treatment  used  by  Mr. 

Gamgee,*  which  is  recognized 
as  the  very  best,  I  will  give  it 
in  full  :— * 

"After  taking  off  the  shoe, 
and  doing  all  that  is  necessary 
to  the  hoof,  I  prepare  to  inject  a 
mixture,  for  the  pharmaceutical 
combination  of  which  I  saj^"  noth- 
ing, though  I  can  say  a  great 
deal  for  its  practical  efficiency. 
To  prepare  the  mixture,  take 
bichloride  of  mercury,  one 
drachm;  rectified  spirit,  one 
ounce;  after  rubbing  and  dissolv- 
ing the  sublimate  in  the  spirit, 
add    half  a   drachm   of  liquor 

,,      ^,,„      ,     .,    ,  ,       i)lumbi  acetatis.     By  means  of  a 

IiG.  big. — An  ideal  representation  of  a     "^        i,            .                t     ,- 

'■  small   synni2-e,    elastic    fi^um,    or 

loot    sliowine:  bad   condition  .             •j.i             n    j.    i       j 

^  peuter,  Avith  small  tube  two  jn- 

°^  '^"*"°''-  ■  ches  in  length,  and  bulbous  end, 

]  inject  the  mixture  dowai  the  sinus.  This  requires  to  l)e  carefully 
but  very  effectxially  done.  The  direction  of  tlie  syringe  must  there- 
fore bo  changed  from  the  verticalto  the  oblique,  in  botli  a  forward 
and  backward  direction,  the  object  being  to  infiltrate  the  mass  as  far 
as  it  can  be  penetrated  by  the  innumerable  small  siinises  converging 
to  the  outer  channel.  To  do  this  part  well,  one  strong  man  is  better 
than  s(^veral  hands,  if  the  horse's  head  be  held  steady,  and  an  assist- 
ant luind  tlie  instruments,  etc.  1  take  the  liorse's  foot  fomvai-d  upon 
my  knee,  and,  as  a  rule,  succeed  in  performing  the  operation  with- 
out giving  much  pain  to  cause  the  horse  to  resist;  though  difficulty, 
requiring  a  little  excejitional  care,  may  occasionally  occur  when 
previous  treatment  nud  torture  have  been  resorted  to.  Now  for 
the  effect  that  follows:  The  foot  is  released  and  placed  on  the 
ground,  and  once  or  twice  the  animal  stamps,  indicating  that  a 

*Josepk  Gamgee,  former!)'  profespor  in  the  new  Veterinary  College,  Edin- 
burgh, Scotland. 


QUITTOE.  953 

smarting  is  produced  by  the  caustic  agent  ;  but  in  a  brief  space  of 
time  that  j)asses,  and  signs  of  ease  are  manifest.  On  examining 
the  foot  in  as  short  a  time  as  four  hours  after  the  operation,  I  have 
found  the  tumor  sensibl}^  subsided,  and  all  the  symptoms  favorable. 
We  have  been  in  the  habit  (members  of  my  family  used  this  excel- 
lent remedy  before  me)  of  repeating  the  injection  of  the  prepara- 
tion a  second  time  after  the  lapse  of  twelve  to  twenty-four  hours, 
and  again,  after  a  similar  interval,  a  third  time.  And  this  general 
rule  seems  to  me  to  recommend  itself,  and  admit  of  explanation  in 
this  way:  At  first  all  the  structures  are  so  engorged  that  the  agent 
cannot  be  forced  through  the  morbid  deposit;  but,  in  proportion  as 
the  diseased  structures  are  reached,  they  are  destroyed,  and  shrink, 
and  in  each  succeeding  application  the  fluid  caustic  is  pressed 
round  the  withered,  wasted  substance,  until  the  whole  comes  aAvay 
in  the  space  of  a  week  or  little  more,  when  the  cure  is  far  ad- 
vanced, and  thereafter  rapidly  effected.  This  represents  the  prog- 
ress of  a  good  cure.  Sometimes  the  application  has  to  be  repeated 
several  times,  at  intervals  of  tAVO  or  three  days  ;  but  where  delay 
is  essential,  I  diminish  the  activity  of  the  preparation  by  adding  a 
double  portion  of  spirit." 

The  following-  treatment  for  quittor,  was  given  the  writer  by 
one  of  the  most  successful  practitioners  in  the  country,  who  claims 
it  will  cure  any  case,  in  fact,  leaving  nothing  to  be  desired  when 
used  properly: — 

•'In  the  first  stage  of  quittor  inject  into  every  part  carefully 
two  or  three  times  a  day  the  following  lotion: — 

h  ounce  corosive  sublimate, 
2  drachms  Goulard's  extract, 
4  ounces  alcohdl. 

•'•'After  the  fourth  day  inject  twice  a  day  equal  ])arts  of  the 
following  mixture: — 

2  ounces  potassa  chloras, 
1  ounce  potassa  permanganas, 
g  ounce  acid  hydrocliloric, 
8  ounces  water. 

"  This  is  a  splendid  thing  for  quittor,  and  also  fistulas  withers. 
Of  late,  1  have  great  success  with  it." 

A  bar  or  three-quarter  bar  shoe,  should  be  used  for  some  time, 
and  the  diseased  quarter  cut  down  to  keep  it  from  pressure ;  and 
in  the  course  of  time  the  foot  will  become  useful,  if  not  sound. 


954  DISEASES  AND  THEIR  TREATMENT. 

Thrush. 

Copying  the  language  of  a  standard  authority,  "  Thrush  is 
inflammation  of  the  lower  structure  of  the  sensible  frog,  during 
which  pus  is  secreted  with  or  instead  of  horn."  It  is  most  com- 
mon in  the  hind  feet,  and  also  occurs  in  the  fore.  It  occurs  at  all 
ages,  and  is  frequently  seen  in  the  colt  running  in  the  straw-yard, 
arising  from  the  acrid  moisture  of  urine,  dung,  etc.,  softening  and 
corroding  the  frog,  and  extending  to  the  sensible  structures  above. 
It  is  also  seen  in  roadsters  whose  feet  are  not  exposed  to  acrid 
moisture.  In  them  it  is  caused  by  contraction,  or  the  insinuation 
of  sand  and  dirt  into  the  cleft  of  the  frog,  producing  irritation, 
followed  by  suppuration  of  the  sensitive  frog,  causing  it  to  secrete 
unhealthy  horn,  and  discharge  offensive  matters. 

It  may  sometimes  be  constitutional,  as  we  often  observe  it  ap- 
pear just  as  the  coat  is  being  changed,  and  other  constitutional 
changes  are  taking  place  in  the  system. 

Symptoms. — There  is  seldom  much  lameness,  unless  the  ani- 
mal steps  on  a  stone,  or  sand  or  gravel  gets  into  the  cleft ;  but  it 
is  always  attended  by  a  tender,  gingerly  action.  The  cleft  of  the 
frog  is  deeper  than  in  health,  and  a  thin  acrid  discharge  oozes  from 
its  sides  and  bottom,  emitting  a  characteristic  and  foetid  odor.  If 
not  checked,  it  extends,  and  the  frog  becomes  loose  and  ragged  ; 
scales  fall  off  in  layers,  exposing  the  sensitive  parts,  which  are 
tender  and  contracted.  If  neglected,  the  entire  foot  may  be  in- 
volved, and  it  may  degenerate  into  canker. 

Treatment. ^ — No  time  should  be  lost,  and  no  case,  however 
slight,  should  be  neglected.  The  foot  must  be  thoroughly  cleaned, 
and  all  loose,  detached  parts  freely  removed.  The  secreting  sur- 
face should  be  exposed,  and  calomel  dusted  on,  and  pressed  with 
a  spatula  or  thin  slip  of  wood  into  every  crevice.  Keep  the  foot 
thoroughly  dry,  and  more  than  one  or  two  dressings  will  seldom 
be  required.  Sometimes  it  readily  yields  to  cleanliness  and  sim- 
ple dressings,  with  hot  tar  placed  in  the  cleft  with  tow,  and  re- 
tained with  cross  slips,  or  applications  of  sugar  of  lead  or  sulphate 
of  zinc.  Or,  after  the  parts  have  been  washed,  and  the  diseased 
part  removed  as  directed,  apply  powdered  sulphate  of  copper  to 
the  parts,  and  fill  up  all  parts  with  cotton  packed  in  so  as  to  keep 
out  all  dirt.     If  necessary,  this  should  be  repeated  in  a  few  days. 


CANKEB.  955 

It  is  generally  advisable  to  give  some  opening  medicine,  and 
attend  to  the  general  health  and  exercise. 

Canker. 

Canker  of  the  foot  is  apt  to  supervene  in  cases  of  neglected  or 
badly  treated  thrush,  quittor,  or  puncture,  and  often  follows  bad 
cases  of  grease.  It  is  most  common  in  heavy  draught-horses, 
that  are  kept  in  damp,  filthy  stables,  and  is  most  prevalent  about 
large  cities. 

Symptoms. — In  this  disease  we  find  a  morbid  state  of  the 
sensitive  sqIc  and  frog,  and  instead  of  sound,  healthy  horn,  fun- 
gus-excrescences are  thrown  out,  with  an  offensive  ncv'ul  discharge. 
When  aggravated,  the  whole  becomes  cov- 
ered with  a  growth  of  fungus,  which  are 
like  shreds  of  leather  in  appearance,  with  a 
great  tendency  to  spread  over  or  underrun 
the  sole,  sepai'ating  the  horny  from  the  sen- 
sitive parts.  It  is  very  difficult  to  get  the 
horn  to  grow  again. 

Treatment. — In  no  case  is  so  much  pa- 
tience required  as  in  canker, — in  fact,  it  is  fig.  82u.— The  foot, 
generally  considered  as  incurable,  from  the  showing  canker, 
difficulty  experienced  in  suppressing  the  fungus,  and  getting  the 
horn  to  grow  again.  All  loose  and  detached  horn  must  be  care- 
fully removed,  so  as  to  give  free  vent  to  the  irritating  matter. 
As  much  of  the  fungus  as  may  seem  practicable,  without  much 
bleeding,  should  be  removed  by  the  knife  or  cautery,  and  followed 
up  by  some  escharotic,  such  as  acetate  or  sulphate  of  copper,  ni- 
trate of  silver,  butter  of  antimony,  or  sulphuric  acid.  Whatever 
caustic  is  used,  it  must  be  applied  every  day  ;  for  if  neglected  for 
one  day,  it  is  apt  to  underrun  the  sole,  and  may  lose  more  than  it 
will  regain  in  a  week.  Firm  pressure  is  very  beneficial,  and 
should  be  constantly  applied  by  means  of  tow,  firmly  impacted, 
and  retained  by  means  of  slips  of  wood  or  hoop-iron  slid  under 
the  shoe,  and  the  foot  must  be  kept  perfectly  dry. 

The  caustic  may  be  occasionally  changed.  To  destroy  the 
foetor,  chloride  of  zinc  or  chloride  of  lime  may  be  dusted  on,  or 
even  occasional  dressings  of  dry  lime  will  be  useful.  With  a 
dressing  of  tar,  in  which  verdigris  and  nitric  acid,  two  drachms 


956  DISEASES  AND  THEIE  TEEATMENT. 

of  each  to  one  pound  of  tar,  are  well  mixed,  and  applied  with  a 
degree  of  firm  pressure,  at  least  every  second  day,  the  worst  cases 
can  be  cured. 

Moderate  work,  if  it  can  be  done  without  the  foot  getting 
wet,  will  expedite  the  cure.  The  following  is  highly  recom- 
mended as  a  dressing :  Take  equal  parts  of  pine  tar  and  lard,  melt 
over  a  slow  fire,  and  add  sulphuric  acid  very  slowly  until  ebuli- 
tion  (boiling)  ceases.     Apply  this  to  the  parts. 

Sprains,  Bruises,  etc. 

Sprains  are  so  common,  and  so  liable  to  spoil  a  horse  when 
neglected  or  not  treated  properly,  and  in  addition  the  treatment 
is  so  simple  and  easily  applied,  that  the  subject  is  worthy  of  more 
than  ordinaiy  attention.  On  this  account  I  have  introduced 
several  illustrations,  showing  the  parts  involved  in  the  fore  legs, 
the  parts  most  liable  to  such  injury. 

Sprain  may  bo  said  to  consist  in  an  overstretching  of  the 
part  (be  it  muscle,  tendon,  or  ligament)  to  such  a  degree  as  to 
cause  rupture  of  some  of  the  fibres  of  which  it  is  composed,  in 
consequence  of  which  inflammation  is  set  up,  and  effusion  takes 
place,  producing  enlargement  around  the  part. 

The  reason  why  sprains  take  so  long  to  recover  is,  the  lacer- 
ated fibres  have  to  be  absorbed,  and  new  ones  formed  in  their 
place,  or,  as  is  often  the  case  in  repeated  sprain  of  the  same  part, 
their  place  is  filled  up  by  organized  lymph,  leaving  a  permanent 
thickening. 

Causes. — Natural  weakness  of  the  part  sometimes  predisposes 
to  it.  It  may  arise  from  whatever  exposes  the  part  to  inordinate 
exertion,  as,  for  instance,  slipping  on  ice  or  on  a  rolling  stone, 
awkward  stepping,  galloping  on  rough  or  uneven  ground,  and  a 
common  cause  is,  allowing  the  feet  to  grow  too  long. 

Symptoms. — In  severe  cases  the  part  is  swollen,  hot,  and 
tender,  the  limb  is  thrown  into  a  position  that  relaxes  the  sprained 
part.  If  extensive,  we  have  symptomatic  fever,  and  he  refuses 
his  food,  has  the  mouth  hot,  pulse  accelerated,  etc.,  which  passes 
off  when  the  more  acute  symptoms  subside.  Lameness,  of  course, 
is  continuous,  thus  differing  from  disease  of  the  joint,  in  which  he 
is  always  lamest  at  starting,  getting  less  lame  as  he  gets  warmed  up. 

Treatment. — No  matter  where  the  location  of  the  sprain  is, 


SPEAIN  OF  THE  BACK  TENDONS.  957 

or  what  part  is  injured,  the  principle  of  treatment  is  the  same, 
when  we  have  three  indications  presented:  First,  to  allay  the  in- 
flammatory process ;  secondly,  to  promote  absorption  of  the 
decayed  fibres ;  and  thirdly,  to  hasten  the  production  of  new 
ones.  Most  authors  recommend  either  local  or  general  depletion 
by  bleeding  from  one  of  the  large  veins  near  the  seat  of  injury,  or 
from  the  jugular  vein  of  the  neck.  This,  however,  I  think  is 
now-a-days  very  wisely  dispensed  with,  and  in  my  opinion  is 
altogether  unnecessary. 

The  bowels  must  be  fi-eely  opened,  and  kept  open  by  laxative 
and  easily  digested  food,  such  as  bran  mash,  linseed  tea,  roots, 
etc.  The  continued  application  of  heat  or  cold  to  the  part  aids 
greatly  in  checking  the  inflammatory  action.  If  pain  and  swell- 
ing are  excessive,  hot  fomentations  continued  for  an  hour  or  two, 
alternated  with  cold  water,  will  be  found  to  give  most  relief. 
(For  particulars  in  fomenting,  see  Fomentation.)  Gentle  and 
equable  pressure,  by  means  of  a  judicioush^  applied  bandage,  is 
very  beneficial  in  sprains  of  the  leg. 

Rest  must  be  given  from  the  first,  and  the  patient  must  be 
turned  into  a  loose-box.  Having  by  these  means  succeeded  in 
subduing  the  inflammation,  one  or  two  applications  of  an  absorb- 
ing blister  will  generally  remove  any  enlargement  that  may  re- 
main. Should  the  thickening  and  lameness  prove  obstinate,  the 
firing-iron  may  be  resorted  to.  (An  explanation  of  the  method 
of  doing  which,  see  Firing  in  Spavins.) 

Sprain  of  the  Back  Tendons. 

The  principal  seat  of  sprain  in  the  fore  limb  is  in  the  tendons 
at  the  back  part  of  the  leg,  usually  called  sprain  of  the  back  ten- 
dons, or  back  sinews.  As  these  tendon  (flexor  perforans  and 
perforatus)  are  the  chief  agents  in  producing  the  motions  of  the 
limbs,  acting  like  levers  over  the  pulley-like  surfaces  on  the  ends 
of  the  bones  in  their  passage  down  to  the  foot,  they*  are  conse- 
quently very  liable  to  be  overstretched  and  strained,  sometimes 
in  a  very  slight  degree,  and  sometimes  to  a  considerable  extent. 
It  may  be  necessar}''  here  to  notice  the  arrangement  of  these  two 
tendons.  The  muscles  (perforans  and  perforatus)  arise  from  be- 
low the  elbow-joint,  pass  down  through  a  theca  at  the  back  of 
the  knee  ;  below  the  knee,  they  become  tendinous  ;  the  first  is  one 


958 


DISEASES  AND  THEIE  TEEATMENT. 


of   great   strength,  nearly  round,    and  is  inclosed  in   the   other, 
which  forms  what  is  termed  a  sheath  for  it ;    half-way  down  the 
cannon,    the    perforans    is 
joined    by    a    strong  liga- 
ment (the  metacarpal) ;  the 
two    tendons    pass    down 
together  through  a  sheath 
formed    for    thein    at    the 
back   of  the   fetlock ;    the 
latter  splits  into  two  divis- 
ions, having  the  perforans 
passing     between     them ; 
they  are  inserted  one  into 
each  side  of  the  lower  pas- 
tern bone  (or  coronse),  the 
perforans,    passing    down, 
is  inserted  into  the  sole  of 
the    coffin-bone,    just     in 
front     of     the    navicular 
joint,  over  which  it  passes. 
A  good  illustration  of  these 
different  parts  is  given  in 
Fig.  821. 


A,  Flexor  perforatus. 

B,  Flexor  perforans. 

C,  Metacarpa  ligament. 

D,  Superior  sesamoidal  liga- 
ment. 

d,  Bifurcation  of  the  sesamoid- 
al ligament. 

y,  Continuation  forward  of 
branch  of  the  sesamoidal  liga- 
ment. 

F,  Continuation  of  the  flexor 
perforans  tendon,  afterwards  in- 
sected  into  the  lower  side  of  the 
OS  pedis. 

E,  Extensor  tendon. 

M,  Great   metacarpal,   or   can- 
non shank  bone. 
S,  Splint  bone. 


Fig.  831. — Tendons  and  ligaments  of  the  fore  leg. 


SPEAIN  OF  THE  BACK  TENDONS.  959 

Fig.  822  will  be  found  an  especially  fine  illustration  of  the 
perforatus  and  perforans  tendons  above  the  fetlock,  an  explan- 
ation of  which  is  also  included.  A  point  here  which  is  very  nicely 
explained  by  White,    who  says: — 

•'  Between  these  two  tendons,  there  are  m  two  parts  thin  vas- 
cular membranes  by  which  they  are  joined  together;  these  mem- 
branes appear  to  serve  as  bridles,  allowing  the  perforans  tendon  to 
move  a  little  way  within  the  perforatus,  and  then  preventing  any 
Turther  motion.  The  situation  of  those  membranes  is  about  mid- 
way in  the  pastern.  If  the  cofiin  joint  happens  to  be  extended  in  a 
way  the  animal  Avas  not  prepared  for,  both  these  membranes  are 
ruptured.  The  consequence  is  an  effusion  of  blood  between  the 
two  tendons,  Avhereby  all  motion  between  them  would  be  effect- 
ually prevented,  were  the  animal  left  to  obey  his  own  instinctive 
feelings." 

In  most  of  the  so-called  cases  of  clap,  or  sprain  of  the  back 
tendons,  the  ligament,  and  not  the  tendons,  is  the  seat  of  the 
injury. 

Causes. — Whatever  tends  to  throw  unusual  stress  upon  these 
parts  may  produce  it,  such  as  galloping  on  uneven  ground,  allow- 
ing the  hoofs  to  grow  too  long,  thereby  increasing  the  leverage  on 
the  tendon;  sometimes  it  occurs  in  leaping,  often  while  jumping 
around  in  play. 

Symptoms. — The  animal  is  very  lame,  the  part  is  hot,  swol- 
len, and  tender  ;  the  limb  is  held  forward,  so  as  to  relax  the  part ; 
in  some  cases  he  can  hardly  touch  the  ground.  On  taking  up  the 
foot  and  pinching  with  the  fingers,  he  evinces  the  pain  he  feels. 
If  the  outer  tendon  (perforatus)  is  injured,  we  have  a  bulging  out 
behind,  interrupting  the  evenness  of  the  line  which  characterizes 
the  tendons.  If  the  perforans,  it  is  felt  between  the  ligament  and 
the  perforatus  ;  and  if  the  metacarpal  ligament,  as  is  most  gener- 
ally the  case,  it  can  be  felt  between  the  bone  and  the  tendon. 

Treatment. — As  before  stated,  the  first  condition  of  cure  is 
rest.  The  animal  must  be  turned  into  a  loose-box,  and  if  the  in- 
jury is  severe,  the  swollen  limb  must  be  well  fomented  with  hot 
water ,  cold  may  be  prefei-able,  if  slight.  This  must  be  kept  up 
for  more  than  an  hour,  when  the  following  cooling  lotion  may  be 
well  rubbed  in,  and  a  thick  woolen  bandage  applied,  well  satu- 
rated with  it,  and  kept  wet  with  cold  water: — 


960 


DISEASES  AND  THEIE  TKEATMENT. 


Fig.  823. 


2  ounces,  nitre  (saltpetre), 
2  ounces  sal-ammoniac, 
4  oimces  common  salt, 
1  pint  spring  water. 

Or,  the  following: — 

4  ounces  saltpetre, 

1  ounce  sugar  of  lead, 

1  ounce  muriate  of  ammonia, 

1  pint  common  salt, 

2  gallons  cold  water. 

Perhaps  the  simplest  and 
best  home  treatment  would  be 
about  as  follows: — 

Make  a  bag  as  long  as  the 
limb — an  old  ti'owsers  leg"  of 
good  siije,  sufficiently  long  to 
extend  from  the  hoof  to  above 
the  knee  would  be  the  thing. 
Tie  a  string  rather  loosely 
around  the  foot  below  the  fet- 
lock. To  keep  it  in  place, 
secure    a    wide   tape  or  strip 

A,  The  outside  uerve,  or  that  part 
of  it  where  the  branch  H  communi- 
cates. B,  The  suspensory  ligament. 
C,  The  great  ligament  of  the  back 
sinew.  D,  The  two  back  sinews,  or 
rtexor  tendons.  E,  E,  The  extensor 
tendon.  F,  The  cannon  or  shank  bone, 
(i,  The  splint  bone.  H,  The  back 
sinews  and  their  great  suspensory  lig- 
ament, apparently  joined  together. 
Tliis,  however,  is  not  the  case;  it  in- 
curporates  only  Avith  the  perforans 
tendon,  marked  figure  2,  and  so  inti- 
mately that  they  form  one  and  the 
same  substance,  at  the  part  marked 
by  the  letter  i.  The  perforatus, 
marked  liguro  3,  forms  a  slieath  for 
the  i)i'rforans,  a.s  already  described  in 
the  article  on  Strains.  5,  The  fetlock- 
joint. 


SPEAIN  OF  THE  BACK  TENDONS. 


961 


of  cloth  to  the  upper  edge  of  the  bag,  pass  it  over  the 
shoulder  and  fasten  to  the  opposite  edge;  next  take  bran,  to 
which  add  a  little  salt,  and  pour  on  it  as  much 
boiling  water  as  will  bring  it  to  a  thin  consist- 
ence. While  hot  as  the  horse  can  bear,  fill 
the  bao-  with  it.  This  will  form  a  poultice 
around  the  part  and  keep  it  moist  and  sweat- 
ing. It  can  be  kept  hot  by  pouring  on  hot 
water  occasionally,  and  should  be  renewed,  if 
necessary,  in  twenty-four  hours,  and  so  con- 
tinue until  the  inflammation  subsides.  In  all 
cases  of  severe  sprain,  a  purgative  should  be 
given ;  it  reduces  the  fever,  and  acts  as  a  coun- 
ter-irritant. In  any  event  give  opening,  easily 
digested  food. 

Havino"  in  this  wav  reduced  the  inflamma- 
tion,  if  the  swellmg  still  remains,  apply  a  good 
strong  liniment  or  blister.  The  biniodide  of 
mercury  ointment  is  best  in  these  cases,  and 
should  be  repeated: — 

1^  drachms  biniodide  (if  mercury, 
1  ounce  lard. 

A  run  at  pasture  will 
generally  complete;  the 
cure.  Sometimes,  by  re- 
peated sprains,  the  tendons 
become  considerably  thick- 
ened (as  shown  in  Fig. 
823),  in  which  ease  firing 
is  preferable.  Sometimes, 
from  repeated  sprains,  the 
tendons  become  contracted, 
causing  the  animal  to  go  on 
his  toe;  in  these  cases,  the 
operation  of  tenotomy,  or 
Fm.  825.— Enlargement   cutting  the  tendons,  is  ad- 

•ufthot,.ndonsfroni         ,.;^able. 

interfering  or  ,,.,,, 

banging.  The  followmg  treatment 

61 


Fig.  823. — Showing 
t  h  e  back  tendons 
eonsiderablj-  tliick- 
encd  in  consequence 
of  repeated  injury 
or  strain. 


Fig.  824.— Showing 

the  effect  of  hard 

driving. 


962  DISEASES  AND  TUEIE  TEEATMENT. 

for  sprains,  which  is  given  for  insertion  by  a  leading  pi'actitioner, 
will  be  found  good: — 

First  wash  ^vith  very  hot  water  five  or  ten  minutes  at  a  timv:, 
then  apply  the  following  mixture: — 

2  ounces  tincture  opium. 
1  ounce  cliloroform, 

1  ounce  fluid  extract  aconite, 
7^  ounces  soap  liniment. 

To  be  applied  two  or  three  times  a  day  after  bathing  the  parts  with  hot 
water. 

If  constipated  and  feverish,  it  should  be  given  a  slight  purging 
ball.  If  tlie  case  has  run  two  or  three  days,  and  is  assuming  a 
subacute  stage,  then  stimulating  liniment  must  be  used.  The 
following  may  be  used: — 

2  omices  aqua  ammonia, 

2}j  ounces  spirits  of  camphor, 


7i  ounces  alcohol. 


'2 

To  be  rubbed  on  two  or  three  times  a  day  luitil  the  skin  becomes  sore. 

Breaking  Down. 

The  suspensory  ligament  is  one  of  the  strongest  in  the  body; 
it  is  placed  immediately  l)ehind  the  cannon-bone,  from  the  head 
of  which  it  rises;  passing  down  it  divides,  one  division  going  to 
each  of  the  small  bones  at  the  back  of  the  fetlock  (ossa  sessa- 
moides.)  (See  Fig.  821.)  This  ligament  is  the  great  main-stay 
of  the  fetlock-joint,  and  sustains  the  most  of  the  weight  at  this 
part,  consequently  we  frequently  find  it  snaps  asunder  imder  the 
great  weight  thrown  upon  it  in  leaping,  galloping,  etc.  It  is 
sometimes  broken  above  the  division  ;  but  more  commonly,  one  or 
both  bifurcations  are  torn. 

Causes. — Violent  exertion,  or  sudden  jerks,  as  is  the  case  in 
leaping,  galloping,  or  j  umping  from  a  height. 

Symptoms. — It  is  sometimes  mistaken  for  rupture  of  the 
flexor  tendons;  but  this  is  so  improbable  an  occurrence,  that  we 
are  almost  skeptical  of  its  occurrence  at  all.  If  it  does  occur,  it 
is  extremely  rare.  In  rupture  of  the  ligaments,  the  fetlock  de- 
.scends  to  the  ground;  but  when  raised,  the  animal  can  flex  the 
foot,  which  he  could  not  do  were  the  tendons  ruptured.  It 
usually  occurs  near  the  sessamoides  when  we  have  swelling,  heat, 
and  pain. 


SPEAIN  OF  THE  PETLOCE:. 


963 


Treatment. — Slinging  is  almost  indispensable  to  keep  the 
limb  steady,  the  judicious  application  of  splints  and  bandages, 
and  a  high-heeled  shoe  should  be  put  on  so  as  to  keep  the  parts 
in  situ  ;  and  the  inflammation  must  be  regulated  by  the  constant 
application  of  cold,  laxative  medicine,  and  cooling,  easily-digested 
food,  sparingly  supplied,  .when  re-union  will  take  place,  but  a 
permanent  thickening  is  generally  left.  When  the  animal  is  able 
to  use  the  limb,  the  slings  and  splints  may  be  dispensed  with, 
and  it  may  be  fired  or  blistered  to  consolidate  the  new  fibres,  and 
form  a  permanent  bandage  to  the  part.  The  horse  can  never 
afterward  be  passed  as  sound,  nor  will  he  stand  much  hard  work. 


Fig.  826. — Method  of  applying 
the  bandage. 


Fig.  837. — Showing  the 
leg  bandaged. 


Sprain  of  the  Fetlock. 

The  ligaments  of  the  fetlock-joint  are  sometimes  sprained, 
giving  rise  to  swelling  of  the  joint,  pain,  and  lameness.  Its 
nature,  causes,  symptoms,  and  treatment  difier  so  little  from  those 
of  other  parts  that  it  is  only  necessary  to  state  that  the  treatment 
is  the  same. 

But  suppose  we  have  a  strain  of  the  extensor  tendon  or  of  the 
ligaments  of  the  fetlock-joint,  and  the  horse  must  be  moved.  In 
that  case  it  would  be  necessary  to  apply  a  woolen  bandage  over 
the  part  carefully,  drawing  it  tightly,  and  holding  it  in  place  by 


964 


DISEASES  AND  THEIR  TREATMENT. 


sewing  it  on.  But  as  soon  as  the  stable  is  reached,  this  bandage 
must  be  taken  off,  and  a  loose  one  put  on.  If  there  is  not  very 
much  inflammation,  simply  lameness  and  weakness,  good  treat- 
ment would  bo  keeping  the  ])andage  thoroughly  wet  with  hot 
vinegar  and  salt,  by  pouring  it  on.  In  one  instance,  one  of  my 
horses,  Turco,  was  so  seriously  sprained  that  he  could  scarcely 
step,  the  joint  knuckling  forward  as  shown  in*  Fig.  828.  It  was 
absolutelj^  necessary  to  drive  him  eight  or  ten  miles.  By  bandag- 
ing the  leg  tightly  as  described,  he  went  along 
quite  well;  but  as  soon  as  the  stable  was  reached, 
this  bandage  was  taken  off,  and  a  loose  one  put 
on,  which  was  kept  wet  as  explained;  and  be- 
ing compelled  to  drive  him  every  day,  this  treat- 
ment was  repeated;  and  though  he  was  driven 
over  one  hundred  miles  in  two  weeks,  he  was  at 
the  end  of  that  time  entirely  over  the  effects 
of  the  sprain. 

At  another  time,  when  in  Maine,  Tommy 
sprained  the  tendons  of  one  of  his  forward  legs, 
so  that  he  could  scarcely  step.  We  simply  raised 
the  heel-calks  of  his  shoe,  rounded  the  toe,  and 
bandaged  the  parts  loosely,  and  kept  wet  as  ex- 
plained. Next  morning  the  ankle  was  tightly 
bandasred,  when  he  was  able  to  do  considerable 
work  in  the  ring,  and  walk  through  to  the  next 
town,  ten  miles.  This  course  was  repeated,  and 
at  the  expiration  of  about  two  weeks,  he  was  all 
right,  though  in  the  time  driven  about  one  hundred  miles. 


Fig.  828.— Turco's 

leg  as  it  knuckled 

forward. 


Sprain  of  the  Perforans  Tendon,   or  Navicular- 

JoiNT  Lameness. 

The  symptoms  are  very  fully  explained  under  that  head,  but 
would  here  state  again,  that  in  an  acute  stage,  the  principle  is 
rest,  with  hot  fomentations  or  cooling  applications;  next  aiding 
mobility  of  the  parts  involved  to  prevent  irritation,  by  the  con- 
struction of  the  shoe,  etc. 

Shoulder  Lameness. 
This  is  not  very  common,  but  is  liable  to  liappen  from  the 


SHOULDEE  LAMENESS. 


965 


Tig.   829.- 


As   a  horse   will   travel  with 
lame  shoulder. 


limb  slipping  sideways  while  runniag  in  a  pasture,  or  slipping  in- 
cidentally on  a  wet  plank,  or  ice,  etc. 

To  guard  against  error  in 
diagnosing  affections  of  the 
shoulder,  it  must  be  borne  in 
mind  that  all  muscular  tissue 
is  apt  to  waste  if  it  is  deprived 
of  its  usual  amount  of  exercise, 
as  we  frequently  see  in  the 
shoulder;  the  shoulder  shrink- 
ing on  one  or  both  sides,  while 
the  real  seat  of  the  disease  is  in  the  feet ;  therefore  it  is  very 
necessary  to  be  able  to  distinguish  shoulder-lameness  from  many 
other  affections  with  which  it  is  apt  to  be  confounded.  Many 
horse  doctors  and  those  about  horses  are  apt  to  attribute  every 
lameness  they  do  not  understand,  and  whose  seat  is  not  self-evi- 
dent, to  an  affection  of  the  shoulder. 

We  have  seldom  any  recognizable  tumefaction,  nor  much  heat, 
unless  it  be  recent  and  violent.  When  the  horse  has  strained  the 
shoulder,  the  limb  is  brought  forward  with  a  peculiar  dragging 
motion,  as  shown  in  Fig.  829 ;  whereas  if  the  trouble  is  in  the 
foot,  the  limb  will  be  raised  and  brought  forward  without  much 
difficulty,  but  put  down  tenderly  to  lighten  the  concussion. 
While  standing,   the  joints  will  be  somewhat  relaxed,  the  heel 

raised,  with  the  toe  resting  upon 
the  ground.  In  moving,  the  head 
will  be  carried  low,  the  limb 
brought  forward  with  a  good  deal 
of  difficulty  and  pain,  and  with- 
out ability  to  bring  it  in  front 
of  the  other. 

Treatment. — Give    a    dose  of 

Fig.  830. — Distribution  of  capillaries   physic,    foment    the    shoulder    and 
iu  muscle.  inside  of  the  arm  close  to  the  chest 

with  hot  water,  which  is  to  be  continued  for  at  least  one  hour,  and 
to  be  repeated  as  long  as  there  is  inflammation ;  give  fever  medi- 
cine three  times  a  day;  give  food  of  a  light  opening  nature,  such 
as  grass,  bran  mashes,  etc.,  and  keep  him  quiet  in  a  box  stall  un- 
til the  lameness  disappears.     One  of  the  liniments  for  sprains,  etc. , 


966 


DISEASES   AND   THEIE   TEEATMENT. 


may  be  used  after  the  acute 
stage  passes  off.  This  is  about 
all  that  can  be  done,  though 
some  bleed  from  the  inner  plate 
vein  during  the  acute  stage. 
•  This  method  is  not  now  often 
practiced,  however.  When  the 
case  becomes  chronic,  blisters  and 
setons  may  be  employed  with 
good  success. 

Liniment  fob,  Shouldek-Lame- 

NESS. 

2  ounces  aqua  ammonia, 

2^  ounces  spirits  of  camphorse, 

7^  ounces  rectified  spirits  of  vini. 

First,  foment  the  part  with 
hot  water;  then  rub  as  near 
dry  as  possible,  and  apply 
the  liniment  twice  a  day  un- 
til the  skin  is  quite  sore,  and 
then  stop  for  a  few  days  ;  if 
the  lameness  is  not  gone  by 
this  time,  renew  the  treatment 
as  before. 


FlO.  831. — Internal  aspect  of  the 
left  fore  leg. 


Sweeney. 

"  This  is  a  sprain  of  the  muscle  which  fills  up  the  posterior  cavity 
on  the  outer  side  of  the  shoulder-joint  (outer  tubercle  of  the  head 
of  the  humerous).  It  occurs  mainlj-  in  young  horses  when  first 
j)ut  to  plow,  or  in  others  going  on  uneven  ground,  and  stepping 
unexpectedly  into  holes.  In  the  endeavor  to  recover  the  equilib- 
rium on  stepping  into  a  furrow  or  hole,  this  muscle  which  forms 
the  outer  support  of  the  joint  is  injured,  and  there  results  heat, 
swelUng,  and  tenderness  on  the  outside  of  the  johit,  and  a  most 
characteristic  gait.  The  horse  may  walk,  or  even  trot,  without 
much  apparent  lameness  ;  but  standing  directly  in  front  of  him  the 
affected  shoulder  is  seen  to  roll  outward  from  the  body  to  a  far 
greater  extent  than  the  sound  one.  Soon  the  muscle  begins  to 
waste  rapidly,  and  in  bad  eases  the  shoulder-blade  may  be  denuded 
until  it  appears  to  be  covered  by  nothing  but  skin." — Law. 


SWEANEY. 


967 


A  badly  fitting  collar  often  gives  rise  to  it.  A  prominent 
cause 'also  is  some  injury  to  the  foot,  which  would  prevent  a 
proper  use  of  the  muscles  of  the  shoulder,  and  thereby  cause  an 
atrophied  or  wasted  condition  of  them.  So  that  when  there  is 
wastino-  of  the  part,  the  foot  should  be  carefully  examined  to  see 
if  there  is  any  cause  for  it,  and  if  so,  removing  it  will  of  itself  be 
sufficient  to  make  a  cure. 

Symptoms.— At  first,  though  it  is  seldom  noticed,  the  muscles 
swell  up,  are  hot  and  tender  ;  in  the  course  of  a  feAV  days,  the 
swelling  has  disappeared,  and  the  muscles  are  becoming  fast  ab- 
sorbed. In  many  cases  this 
goes  on  till  the  bone  can  be 
felt.  There  is  little  or  no  pain 
on  pressure  in  this  stage,  and  no 
positive  lameness ;  but  there  is  a 
peculiar  rotary  motion  of  the 
limb,  from  the  other  muscles 
having  no  counterbalancing 
power.  This  is  sometimes  mis- 
taken by  non-professional  men 
for  dislocation  of  the  shoulder- 
joint.  This,  however,  cannot 
occur,  unless  it  is  accompanied 
by  sevei-e  laceration,  or  even 
fracture. 

Treatment.— In  the  first  in- 
stance, rest  and  hot  fomentations  are  indicated,  which,  as  the 
process  of  reproduction  begins,  should  be  followed  by  stimulant 
embrocations  or  mild  blisters,  frequently  repeated,  with  moderate 
walking  exercise.  In  this  case,  we  must  trust  more  to  nature 
than  medicine ;  and  in  time  the  muscles  will  be  reproduced,  and 
by  gentle  work  and  well-fitting  harness  he  will  become  as  sound 
as  ever.  Many  do  nothing  for  them,  but  turn  them  to  pasture, 
and  in  most  cases  they  come  up  all  right. 

The  simplest  and  most  effective  treatment  for  filling  up  the 
shoulder  is  the  rubbing  on  thoroughly  with  the  hand  of  soft  soap, 
to  which  a  little  salt  has  been  added.  This  do  four  or  five  times 
in  the  course  of  a  week.  This  simple  remedy,  which  is  very 
effectual  for  this  purpose,  has  been  kept  as  a  great  secret  by  a 


Fig.  832. — An  ideal  representation  of  the 
shoulder  with  sweaney. 


968 


i>lSKAS.h]S  A XI)    JlLl'lli  TREATMENT. 


leading  horseman  in  Toledo,  Oliio,  wlio  lias  ivpcatedly  sold  it  for 
five  dollars,  first  showing  its  effect  in  filling  up  th;^  shoulder,  v/lu-ii 
he  could  easily  sell  the  prescription. 

Hip-Lameness. 

Sprain  of  the  whirl,  or  round  bone,  as  it  is  commonly  called, 
consists  of  a  sprain  of  the  round  ligament  of  the  femur,  which 
holds  the  ball  in  the  socket.  Sometimes  it  is  almost  torn 
asunder;  but  so  strong  is  this  articulation,  that  dislocation  cannot 
occur,  except  as  an  accompaniment  of  fracture. 

Symptoms.  — 
Yery  seldom  any 
external  swelling 
unless  it  is  very  se- 
A'ere,  and  the  mus- 
c  1 0  s  surr-ounding 
the  joint  arc  in- 
volved ;  when  by 
making  him  stand 
square  on  his  hind 
lags,  and  standing 
directly      behind 

liim,  and   compar- 
FiG.  833. — Deep  muscles  or  the  hip  and  thisrii.  \■^-.^,.   ,,j^^    1-^j-p    with 

the  other,  any  enlargement  can  be  easily  detected.  Sometimes  we 
have  heat  and  tenderness ;  but  in  most  cases  these  are  absent.  One 
eharactei-istic  symptom  is  stepping  short,  the  lame  leg  is  not  brought 
as  far  forward  as  the  other  one,  and  he  di'ops  on  that  quarter.  The 
ten(U)n  of  the  gluteus  maximus,  as  it  passes  over  the  trochanter, 
is  frequently  the  seat  of  the  lameness.  In  this  case  we  have 
swelling,  heat,  and  pain  on  pressure,  with  short  stepping.  When 
the  horse  stands  in  stable,  he  will  stand  square  on  both  hind  feet; 
and  when  moved,  the  lame  side  is  elevated  and  dragged  along  for 
Avant  of  mu.scular  action. 

Treatment. — The  first  condition,  as  in  all  cases  of  lameness, 
is  rest,  A\'ith  fomentations,  alternated  by  cooling  lotions,  etc.,  until 
the  inflanniiation  is  subdued,  followed  by  repeated  blisters,  which 
nnist  be  freely  used,  as  the  disease  is  deep-seated. 

Apply  hot  fomentations  to  the  part  two  or  three  times  a  day, 


w 


HIP- LAMENESS.  969 

hlch  should  be  continued  an  hour  ov  u\oro  oadi  thue,  alternated 


Fig.  834.— Showing  the  superficial  muscles  of  the  hip  and  thigh. 

with  the  pouring  on  of  cold  water.      When  the  acute  stage  passes 

off,  chp  the  hair  closely  from  a  large 
surface    ten   or    twelve    inches    in 
diameter  over  the  part,  and  ai)ply 
a  sharp  blister;    a  better  condition 
of    counter   irritation   will  be  pro- 
duced by  applying  at  the  same  time 
two   setons,    which    are   to   be  ex- 
tended   under   the   skm    about  six 
inches  each,  something  of  the  form 
as  shown  in  Fig.  835.     (For  special 
instruction,    see    Setons.)      If  need 
be,   repeat   the   blisters.     Recovery 
usually  takes  place  in  from  one  to 
two  weeks;  but  is  sometimes  a  very 
serious  lameness,  and  must  be  at- 
yj(,.  835.  tended  to  thoroughly  and  promptly. 


970 


DISEASES  AND  THEIK  TREATMENT. 


The  following  is  the  treatment  advised  by  very  able  practi- 
tioners:— 

"  Give  a  laxative,  and  apply  hot  fomentations  to  the  part  tAvo 
or  three  times  a  day..  After  each  fomentation  appljj-  a  strong 
stimulating  liniment.  Continue  this  treatment  imtil  the  skin  is 
sore,  then  cease  the  treatment,  and  ai^ply  the  following  for  a  few 
days: — 

^  "  G  oiinces  soft  soap. 

12  oimces  alcohol. 

"  Apply  twice  a  day  until  well. " 


Knuckling  Over. 

Knuckling,  or  standing  over,  is  very  common  in  cab  and  stage 
horses.  It  gives  the  animal  an  ungainly, 
worn-out  appearance.  It  may  occur  on  one 
or  both  knees,  which  are  bent  forward,  and 
arc  very  shaky,  or  the  fetlocks  may  be 
knuckled  forward.  Veterinarians  differ  as 
to  the  real  nature  of  this  condition,  or  as  to 
the  part  really  at  fault.  Some  suppose  that 
it  is  from  "  a  relaxed  and  lengthened  state 
of  the  extensor  muscles; "  others  "  of  the  lig- 
amentous tissue  at  the  anterior  pai-t  of  the 
joint; "  others  "  an  inordinate  contraction  of 
the  flexors,  to  such  a  degree  that  the  equi- 
librium of  the  flexors  and  extensors  is  de- 
stroyed. Dissection,  however,  fails  to  con- 
fa-m  these  views.  It  appears  to  us  to  depend 
on  contraction  of  the  ligaments  at  the  back 

An     ordinary    ^f  the  jomt. 

Causes. — ^It  is  generally  caused  by  too 
hard  work  when  young,  particularly  continued  road- work,  which 
causes  the  joints  to  start  forward,  as  shown  in  Fig.  836;  and  if  it 
is  continued,  it  becomes  habitual. 

Symptoms. — It  requires  bvit  to  be  seen  to  be  recognized.  In- 
stead of  the  beautiful,  symmetrical  form  of  the  limb,  the  joint  is 
thrown  forward,  throwing  the  shank-bone  more  oblique  and  the 
pastern-bones  more  straight,  giving  the  animal  a  jaded,  tottering 
appearance. 

Treatment. — Some  blister,  or  fire  and  blister;    but  we  think 


Tig.    830 

case  of  sprung  knees 


BKOlvEN  KNEES,  OK  OPEN  JOINT.  971 

these  do  no  good  whatever.  All  we  can  do  is  to  give  rest;  leave 
the  rest  to  nature.  Turn  him  into  a  large  loose-box  or  small  pad- 
dock, and  feed  him  well,  and  it  is  astonishing  how  the  patient 
will  sometimes  improve. 

Drs.  Hamill  and  Meyer  treat  ordinary  cases  of  sprung  knees 
with  very  marked  success,  by  lowering  the  heels  and  lengthening 
out  the  toes  somewhat ;  this  can  be  done  both  by  paring  the  heels 
down  some,  and  using  thin-heeled  shoes;  then  rubbing  on  the  legs 
once  or  twice  a  day  alcohol,  or  any  good  stimulant.  The  case 
seems  to  improve  even  under  moderate  work.  Very  bad  cases 
are  incurable. 

Broken  Knees,  or  Open  Joint. 

It  is  a  very  common  occurrence  in  the  horse,  generally  arising 


Fig,  837.— Broken  Tig.  838. — The  same  with 

knee.  hau*  clipped  from  the 

edges   of   the 
wound. 

from  accidents,  kicks,  blows,  stabs,  etc.  It  is  most  common  in 
the  knee  and  hock;  but  all  the  joints  of  the  limbs  are  liable  to  be 
punctured  or  laid  open  by  some  accident  or  injury. 

Open  joints  are  generpJly  divided  into  lacerated  and  punct- 
ured. In  the  former  we  have  the  skin,  ligaments,  etc.,  cut 
through,  and  the  j  oint  laid  open,  as  is  often  seen  in  the  knee.  In 
the  latter  we  have  merely  a  small  opening  (it  may  be  only  suffi- 
cient to  admit  the  probe)  into  the  joint,  from  which  trickles  the 
synovia,  or  joint-oil. 

All  cases  are  alike  dangerous,  and  are  characterized  by  the 
same  general  symptoms,  and  are  liable  to  be  attended  by  the  same 
consequences.  They  differ  only  in  degree,  according  only  to  the 
importance  and  extent  of  the  cavity  exposed. 


972  DISEASES  AKD  TIIEIB  TliEATMEKT. 

Causes. — The  causes  of  open  joint  are  almost  invariably  ex- 
ternal injury — In  the  knee  from  falling.  The  horse  stumbles; 
falls  upon  his  knees  ;  and  should  the  ground  happen  to  be 
gravelly,  hard,  or  stony,  the  knees  arc  liable  to  be  lacerated,  or  cut 
through. 

In  other  joints  the  injury  is  usually  caused  by  being  inciden- 
tally stabbed  or  cut. 

Symi)toms. — In  giving  an  opinion  in  these  cases,  we  must 
bear  in  mind  that  the  joint  is  not  always  open,  although  we  have 
a  discharge  of  sjmovia  from  the  wound;  we  may  have  it  from  the 
theca  or  sheath  of  some  tendon,  and  it  requires  close  examination 
in  some  cases  to  say  which  it  comes  from.  What  Ave  imply  by 
the  term  open  joint,  is  where  the  skin,  ligaments,  tendons,  etc., 
have  been  cut  through,  and  the  articulation  laid  open. 

In  the  first  place,  the  animal  is  very  lame.  On  examining 
the  Avound  with  the  probe  or  finger,  it  is  found  to  penetrate  the 
joint;  we  have  a  clear,  oily  fluid,  which  is  very  smooth  and 
slippery  t(j  the  touch.  The  discharge  may  be  very  tiifling,  still  it 
is  not  the  less  dangerous.  In  most  cases  we  have  symptomatic 
fever,  Avhich  often  runs  so  high  as  to  cut  the  animal  ofl'.  It  is 
recognized  by  the  quick  pulse,  hot  mouth,  irregular  heat  of  the 
surface,  costive  bowels,  and  the  excruciating  pain  the  animal 
evinces. 

TreatmeDt. — This  is  the  most  important  part  of  the  subject. 
In  the  first  place,  the  animal  must  be  removed  to  a  comfortable 
stall  or  loose-box  with  a  high  roof,  and  well  \-entilated;  he  must 
at  once  be  placed  in  slings,  Avhicli  should  Ix;  gradually  tightened 
until  his  toes  barely  touch  the  oround. 

The  Avound  must  be  washed  out  with  tepid  Avater,  all  gravel 
or  dirt  removed,  and  the  real  extent  of  the  injury  ascertained. 
The  limb  must  then  be  placed  in  splints,  well  padded,  and  held  to- 
gether by  leather  straps.  A  very  convenient  plan  for  the  knee  is 
to  take  three  slips  of  Avood,  about  three  inches  Avido,  and  half  an 
inch  thick,  reaching  from  the  elboAV  to  the  foot,  Avith  the  edges 
beveled  and  well  padded,  and  nailed  together  with  three  straps, 
which  buckle  in  front.  This,  placed  one  at  each  side,  and  one 
behind,  prevents  flexion  or  extension  of  the  joint  entirely,  and 
leaves  it  open  to  be  dressed  at  pleasure,  Avithout  undoing  the 
splints.     A  large  poultice  of  linseed  or  oatmeal  should  be  applied 


BEOKE]^  KNEES,  OE  OPEN  JOINT.  973 

cold,  and  continued  until  the  ga-anulations  spring  up  from  the  bot- 
tom to  close  the  wound.  This  simple  plan  of  treatment  is  infi- 
nitely more  soothing,  and  at  the  same  time  more  successful,  than 
the  former  methods  of  plastering  it  up  with  lime,  flour,  powdered 
bluestone,  oxide  of  zinc,  white  vitriol,  etc.  To  some,  these  may 
seem  very  convenient  and  effectual  methods  of  stopping  the  dis- 
charge, and,  doubtless,  in  some  cases  they  may  succeed  if  circum- 
stances are  favorable;  but  in  many  cases  when  an  artificial  plug 
is  thus  formed,  it  merely  plugs  it  up  for  a  little  time.  By  and 
by,  ulceration  of  the  skin  occurs,  the  plug  falls  out  before  the  in- 
ternal parts  have  healed,  and  the  consequence  is,  that  we  have  a 
far  larger  and  more  dangerous  wound  than  before.  In  changing 
the  poultice,  be  sure  not  to  remove  any  of  the  coagula  of  synovia 
that  may  have  formed  around  the  opening.  The  poultice  must  be 
simply  removed  and  changed,  without  washing  the  wound. 

When  the  granulations  become  extuberant,  they  can  be  regu- 
lated by  squeezing  a  sponge  of  cold  water  over  it,  or  dust  on  a 
little  oxide  of  zinc.  Nothing,  however,  must  be  injected  into  the 
wound,  as  is  sometimes  done.  Punctured  wounds  of  joints  must 
be  treated  on  the  same  principle;  the  joint  must  be  kept  perfectly 
still,  and  the  granulations  encouraged  by  poultices,  etc. 

Very  often  there  are  wounds  in  front  of  the  knees,  usually 
caused  by  falling  or  striking  against  some  hard  object,  Avhich  may 
be  more  or  less  severe,  according  to  circumstances.  In  a  simple 
case  of  ebrasion,  but  little  if  any  treatment  will  be  necessary;  if 
much  bruised  with  skin  broken,  tie  short  to  a  high  i-ack  to  pre- 
vent lying  down.  Bandage  the  part  tightly  and  keep  wet  with  a 
mild  astringent,  such  as — 

^  ounce  sugar  of  lead, 
50  or  60  drops  carbolic  acid, 
3  pints  to  2  quarts  water. 
Keep  the  horse  quiet  until  the  inflammation  is  subdued. 

The  best  lotion  in  my  j  udgment  for  these  bruises  and  superfi- 
cial cuts  of  the  skin,  is  collendula.  It  has  the  best  effect  in  re- 
ducing inflammation  of  a  bruise  and  cut  of  this  kind  of  anything 
I  know  of.     (See  Collendula  in  list  of  medicines  used.) 


974  DISEASES  AND  THEIE  TEEATMENT. 

Fractuees. 

Owing  to  the  difficulty  experienced  in  keeping  the  bones  of 
the  leg  of  the  horse  in  place  to  enable  their  reunion,  with  the  ex- 
pense and  trouble  involved,  in  addition  to  the  fact  that  if  even 
treated  successfully  the  horse  is  supposed  to  be  of  but  little  value 
afterwards,  there  is  but  little  encouragement  given  by  veterinary 
authorities  for  the  successful  treatment  of  such  cases.  But  the 
success  of  Dr.  Macbeth,  of  Battle  Creek,  Mich.,  in  treating  ordi- 
nary fractures,  has  been  so  marked,  and  by  such  simple  treat- 
ment, too,  which  is,  I  believe,  peculiar  to  himself,  not  being,  so  far 
as  I  know,  laid  down  in  veterinary  works,  that  I  am  induced  to 
give  his  method  of  treatment,  which  he  kindly  explained  to  me 
with  permission  to  publish,  as  it  may  serve  to  occasionally  save  a 
valuable  horse. 

He  tells  me  that  within  the  past  two  years  he  has  treated  three 
cases  with  perfect  success.  The  first,  a  yearling,  was  a  split  of 
the  ossaf raginis,  or  short  coronary  bone  of  the  fore  leg.  The  sec- 
ond, a  four-year-old,  a  fractui-e  three  inches  above  the  fetlock- 
joint  of  the  off  hind  leg.  Third,  an  oblique  fracture,  involving 
the  fetlock  joint  one  inch  above  the  joint  of  the  fore  leg  of  a  seven- 
year-old.     His  method  of  treatment  is  as  follows: — 

After  providing  himself  with  the  best  quality  of  plaster-of- 
Paris,  he  prepares  from  three  to  four  splints  made  of  strips  of 
hickorj^-wood,  about  an  inch  and  a  half  in  width,  and  a  fourth  of 
an  inch  thick,  of  suitable  length,  or  pieces  of  band  iron  about  one- 
eighth  of  an  inch  in  thickness,  with  the  ends  thinned  down  some- 
what, and  if  necessary,  the  edges  and  the  bar  bent  to  fit  the  form 
of  the  part ;  he  next  provides  bandages  of  suitable  strips  of  cotton 
cloth,  about  three  inches  and  a  half  in  width.  While  the  horse  is 
standing  naturally,  the  limb  is  brought  forward  a  little,  resting 
easily  and  naturally  upon  the  ground,  when  the  bones  are  held 
gently  in  a  proper  position.  The  part  is  first  covered  with  a  ban- 
dage of  one  thickness  of  the  cloth ;  next,  a  little  of  the  plaster^ 
after  being  prepared,  is  put  on  the  cloth  under  the  splints,  so  as  to 
level  off  the  inequalities  of  the  surface,  and  give  an  even  bearing  to 
the  splints.  The  bandage  is  now  started  from  the  bottom,  with 
the  aid  of  an  assistant ;  a  little  of  the  plaster  is  laid  on  quickly 
with  the  knife,  in  a  layer  of  from  one-fourth  to  three-eights  of  an 


FEACTURES.  975 

inch  thick,  when  the  bandage  is  brought  quickly  over  it,  and 
drawn  tight  enough  to  cause  the  water  to  ooze  through  the  cloth ; 
this  is  continued,  the  bandage  being  lapped  about  one-half  of  an 
inch,  until  carried  beyond  the  edges  of  the  splints,  when  the  pro- 
cess is  reversed  to  the  bottom,  and  then  again  to  the  top,  making 
in  all  three  layers,  which  forms  a  strong,  unyielding  cast  about  an 
inch,  or  a  little  more,  thick  around  the  part,  when  the  horse  is 
given  freedom  to  take  care  of  himself  in  a  large  comfortable  stall. 

An  important  condition  of  success  is  in  the  preparation  of  the 
plaster.  First,  it  should  bo  of  the  very  best  quality ;  next,  as  the 
plaster  will  set  very  quickly,  not  more  than  enough  for  one  layer 
should  be  prepared  or  attempted  to  be  put  on  at  a  time.  Put  in 
a  tin  dish  about  as  much  plaster  as  will  be  necessary  for  one  coat 
or  layer  over  the  part.  Pour  on  sufficient  water  to  wet  it  well, 
and  stir  thoroughly  for  one  minute.  Being  all  ready,  instantly 
commence  putting  on,  laying  on  as  stated,  until  the  plaster  be- 
comes too  hard,  when  make  another  batch,  and  continue  the  pro- 
cess, and  when  that  is  used,  making  more,  and  continuing  until 
finished. 

If  the  skin  is  broken,  or  there  is  a  serious  cut,  as  the  splints 
are  being  put  on,  avoid  covering  the  spot  with  wood  or  iron,  and 
in  the  course  of  fi'om  six  to  ten  hours,  a  hole  should  be  made 
through  the  plaster  to  it,  when  it  is  to  be  treated  as  an  ordinary 
wound.  The  point  is  to  make  the  casing  so  long  and  tight  as  to 
thoroughly  support  the  limb,  without  being  too  heavy  or  clumsy, 
yet  not  to  obstruct  the  circulation. 

In  each  of  the  cases  referred  to,  there  was  no  swelling  or  other 
trouble,  and  consequently  no  after  treatment.  The  horse  was  let 
alone,  and  in  about  eight  weeks  the  cast  Avas  taken  off,  when  there 
was  found  to  be  a  complete  union  of  the  parts  without  any  notic- 
able  deformity. 

Dr.  Macbeth  tells  me  this  method  of  management  is  original 
with  himself  so  far  as  he  knows,  and  certainly  its  simplicity  in 
connection  with  his  success,  entitles  him  to  considerable  credit. 
Plaster  has  been  employed,  I  understand,  for  this  purpose,  but  was 
put  on  in  such  a  way  as  to  form  a  mass  excessively  heavy  and 
clumsy,  and  consequently  not  favorable  to  success. 

Of  course,  when  such  an  accident  occurs,  if  a  practitioner  is 


976  DISEASES  AND  THEIR  TREATMENT. 

available,  he  should  be  at  once  called  in.     The  treatment  is  in- 
cluded mainly  for  the  benefit  of  practitioners. 

Dislocation  of  the  Patella,  or  "Stifled." 

This  is  most  common  in  colts,  from  the  outer  condyle  not  be- 
ing fully  developed,  allowing  the  patella  to  glide  off  and  on  at 
every  step. 

Causes. — It  occurs  generally  in  young  animals,  and  is  most 
common  on  hilly  pasture  when  the  soil  is  gravelly ;  the  feet  be- 
coming worn  and  tender,  causes  him  to  relax  the  stifle  in  walk- 
ing, when  the  patella  is  apt  to  slide  off.  It  sometimes  occurs  from 
external  violence,  or  from  interstitial  absorption  of  the  condyle. 
^^^^  Symptoms. — The  limb  is  extended 

^l^fe  _-;i=^^^^8B-^  backward,  the  foot  is  bent  up,  and  the 

jP^-""  '-r  '~"^  ~  '"'"'  ~=;|;         animal  drags  the  limb  as  if  it  were 
L  ^I^M^^  ^^-«sw»^^^  cramped  and  unable  to  draw  it  for- 

:|ijK^^' '    -■i^^,,:^^K:;;;;      ward.     Cramp  of  the  muscles  of  the 

"^IRllllillilili^^^^^^^^^^  ^^S^  ^^  ^^^  unfrequently  mistaken  for 
;:::jB||!7^^^^^fcj^^  dislocation  of  the  patella.     But  cramp 

^^MJ^^^^^^II^^^g^  is  easily  known  from  the  suddenness 
•^^^^^r^^^^^^^s^  ^J^  l\yQ  attack,  from  there  being  no  en- 
FiG.  889.— The  borse  as  he  usual-  largement  at  the  stifle,  and  from  the 

ly  appears  when  stifled.  bending  up  of  the  foot. 

Treatment. — It  must  be  returned  to  its  place  as  soon  as  possi- 
ble, which  can  be  easily  done  in  the  following  way :  Make  one  or 
two  assistants  pull  the  foot  forward,  while  you  push  the  stifle 
back,  and  at  the  same  time  push  the  patella  forward,  when  it  will 
slip  into  its  place,  and  the  animal  will  walk  off  almost  as  sound  as 
if  nothing  had  happened.  If  it  is  followed  by  lameness  or  swell- 
ing about  the  joint,  rest  must  be  given,  and  to  prevent  its  recur- 
rence, the  stifle  may  be  blistered. 

A  very  good  plan  with  colts,  in  which  it  frequently  comes  out, 
is  to  remove  the  patient  to  a  loose-box,  with  a  level,  even  floor; 
and  to  put  a  shoe  on,  with  a  tip  projecting  in  front  about  two  or 
three  inches,  slightly  turned  up,  which  will  keep  the  musch^s  at- 
tached to  it  on  the  stretch,  and  so  prevent  its  slipping  out  again. 
This  may  be  worn  for  one  or  two  months,  as  required. 

A  good  deal  of  a  secret  in  relieving  a  horse  when  stifled,  is  to 
take  short  hold  of  the  bridle  or  halter,  so  as  to  throw  the  head  up 


STIFLE-JOINT  LAMENESS  !)77 

with  a  jerking  inotiou,  and  quickly  force  the  horse  back  upon  his 
heels.  It  is  rarely  the  peculiar  exertion  will  not  bring  the  patella 
back  into  place;  when,  by  walking  th(^  horse  back  and  forth  a 
little,  he  will  be  found  all  right. 

Stifle-Joint  Lameness. 

Besides  dislocation  of  the  patella  or  knee-cap,  from  laceration 
or  extension  of  the  lateral  ligaments,  we  frequently  find  the  stifle- 
joint  itself  diseased.  The  condyles  may  be  diseased,  or  the  semi- 
lunar cartilages  may  be  displaced.  Sometimes  the  tendinous  ori- 
gin of  the  flexor  metatarsimagnus  (the  piincipal  muscle  in  bend- 
ing the  hock-joint)  is  torn  or  strained.  This  is  always  a  serious 
lameness,  owing  to  the  flexity  of  the  part  involved. 

Causes. — The  causes  are  the  same  as  in  other  joint-slips,  blows, 
wrenches,  etc. 

Symptoms. — In  moving,  the  limb  is  held  as  straight  as  possi- 
ble; it  is  moved  of  a  piece,  as  it  were,  the  stifle  is  turned  outward 
at  every  step,  and  the  leg  is  swung  around,  and  placed  farther 
forward  than  in  hip-lameness.  In  most  cases  we  have  heat  and 
swelling.  If  made  to  stand  on  the  limb,  the  capsular  swelling 
can  be  felt,  and  pain  is  evinced  on  pressure. 

Treatment. — Rest  must  be  given.  If  the  cartilages  are  dis- 
placed, they  must  be  replaced  by  careful  manipulation;  hot  fo- 
mentations, or  continued  cold  applications,  must  be  applied;  and 
in  the  latter  stages,  repeated  blisters  or  setons  should  be  re- 
sorted to. 

Cuts  or  Wounds. 

In  ordinary  cases  they  are  easily  managed.  Ail  that  is  neces- 
sary to  do  is  to  clip  the  hair  from  the  edges  of  the  wound,  remove 
any  hair  or  dirt  from  it  by  sponging  the  part  with  warm  water, 
and  dress  it  with  any  of  the  healing  preparations  or  digestives 
hereafter  given,  which  will  cause  a  secretion  of  yellow  matter,  and 
a  healthy  granulating  process.  Each  day  following,  to  be  cleansed 
by  sponging  out  with  a  lather  made  of  castile  soap  and  warm 
water,  and  the  application  of  the  medicine  repeated. 

In  a  very  serious,  deep  or  contused  wound,  if  any  large  blood 
vessels  are  severed,  they  should  be  tied  up.  Arteries  will  thi-ow 
the  blood  out  in  jets,  and  veins  in  a  steady  stream.     If  an  artery 

63 


978  DISEASES  AND  THEIE  TEEATMENT. 

is  cut,  it  must  be  stopped  promptly ;  if  it  cannot  be  tied  up,  it  can 
usually  be  stopped  by  touching  it  with  a  hot  iron,  or  applying  any 
good  styptic.  (See  Styptics.)  Simply  covering  over  with  cob- 
webs will  usually  answer  a  good  purpose.  Clip  the  hair  from  the 
edges,  also  any  bits  of  loose  skin  which  would  be  liable  to  slough 
off;  but  it  is  always  advisable  to  save  every  bit  of  skin  that  can 
be  kept  alive;  the  part  to  be  sponged  out  daily,  and  the  dressing 
repeated.  The  injury  will  heal  from  the  bottom,  gradually  filling 
up,  by  what  is  termed  a  granulating  process.  If  there  is  serious 
inflammation,  swelling  and  pain,  poultice;  but  if  poultices  cannot 
be  used  to  advantage,  or  if  pain  and  swelling  are  very  severe,  hot 
fomentations  must  be  applied  and  continued  without  intermis- 
sion until  it  subsides;  then  dress  daily  as  directed.  Care  must 
also  be  taken  to  keep  the  horse  quiet  in  a  comfortable  stall,  free 
from  the  annoyance  of  flies,  and  fed  with  easily  digested,  laxative 
food ;  if  much  tendency  to  fever,  give  a  small  dose  of  physic. 

If  the  cut  or  wound  is  deep,  dress  with  a  tent,  which  is  simply 
a  wad  of  tow  dipped  in  digestive  ointment,  which  will  be  referred 
to  farther  on ;  the  cavity  is  not  to  be  filled  with  the  tent,  but  only 
the  bottom,  and  then  the  wound  will  heal  up  as  it  ought ;  if  the 
wound  is  merely  syringed  out,  or  dressed  superficially,  it  is  liable 
to  close  over  at  the  surface,  and  appear  healed,  while  at  the  bottom 
the  matter  is  spreading  and  burrowing,  forming  a  sinus ;  in  case 
there  is  too  rapid  granulation,  or  proud  flesh,  check  it  by  touch- 
ing with  a  little  caustic.  When  the  wound  fills  up,  and  there 
is  not  skin  enough  to  cover  it,  dusting  over  it  a  little  of  the  magic 
healing  powder,  or  any  of  the  astringents  given,  will  cicatrize  it 
quickly.  If  a  wound  is  indolent,  or  does  not  seem  to  granulate, 
simply  use  a  stronger  stimulant;  if  serious,  using  a  caustic,  which 
will  remove  the  unhealthy  parts,  and  set  up  a  healthy  condition 
of  granulation.  A  very  good,  simple  stimulant  to  rouse  an  indo- 
lent ulcer  to  action,  is  an  ounce  of  blue  vitriol,  pulverized,  to  a  pint 
of  water ;  and  for  a  simple  healing  or  granulating  effect,  a  lighter 
preparation,  or  about  2  drachms  to  a  pint  of  water:  to  be  used  as 
a  dressing  once  a  day.  If  the  wound  is  deep  so  as  to  make  a 
pouch  of  accumulated  matter,  it  must  be  syringed  out  from  the 
bottom  every  day,  or  better  a  dependent  opening  made  from  the 
bottom,  and  kept  open  by  a  piece  of  tape  or  string  passed  through 
it,  to  let  the  matter  pass  off 


CUTS  OR  WOUNDS.  979 

For  deep,  incised  wounds,  from  pitch-fork,  etc.,  the  following 
is  claimed  to  be  excellent: — 

1  pound  saltpetre, 

1  gallon  water, 

1  quart  best  whisky. 
Inject  into  the  wound  with  a  syringe  three  times  a  day  until  a  cure  is 
effected. 

It  prevents  inflammation  or  a  tendency  to  sloughing  or  morti- 
fication. A  gun-shot  wound,  a  foot  deep,  in  the  thigh  of  a  horse 
(the  ball  could  not  be  found,  remaming  in  the  leg)  was  perfectly 
cured  in  two  weeks  by  this  treatment. 

In  any  case  of  sinuses  being  formed,  they  must  be  opened  up 
to  the  bottom,  and  made  a  simple  wound,  when  it  is  to  be  treated 
as  for  a  wound.  Or,  the  pipes  destroyed  by  a  caustic  introduced 
and  repeated  until  the  unhealthy  part  is  sloughed  out  to  the  bot- 
tom. A  very  simple  and  effective  caustic  is  that  made  of  blue 
vitriol,  either  in  strong  solution,  when  it  could  be  injected,  or  a  lit- 
tle powdered  fine  in  the  form  of  a  tent,  which  is  simply  a  little 
rolled  up  in  a  strip  of  thin  paper,  twisted  at  the  ends,  and  pudied 
to  the  bottom  with  a  probe.  Several  parcels  of  this  kmd,  one  after 
another,  can  be  pushed  in  until  the  sinuses  are  filled.  In  four  or 
five  days  a  core  will  be  formed,  which  will  usually  destroy  the 
sinuses  to  the  bottom ;  if  any  remain,  it  can  be  ascertained,  and 
the  dressing  repeated  upon  that  part,  until  it  is  all  made  a  clean 
wound,  when  it  can  be  treated  as  before  described  with  a  simple 
digestive  preparation. 

If  there  is  an  injury  to  the  bone,  hgament,  or  tendon,  and  not 
treated  properly,  a  small  sinus  is  formed,  from  which  matter  will 
ooze.  In  such  a  case,  a  probe  must  be  introduced,  and  its  extent 
ascertained;  if  the  sinus  extends  to  the  bone,  which  can  be  known 
by  the  probe  striking  it,  a  free  opening  should  be  made  to  the 
bottom,  if  the  situation  will  admit,  the  diseased  surface  scraped 
off",  when  it  can  be  treated  as  before  explained,  by  the  use  of 
Friar's  balsam,  etc.  If  all  dead  matter  is  not  removed,  sinuses 
are  again  liable  to  form  after  the  wound  is  healed,  when  the  whole 
treatment  must  be  repeated. 

Punctured  wounds  of  the  tendons,  and  the  capsular  ligaments 
of  the  joints,  which  often  happen  in  the  hind  or  fore  legs,  should 
be  first  touched  with  lunar  caustic  by  making  the  stick  pointed, 


980 


DISEASES  AND  THEIK  TBEATlMENT. 


and  insert  into  the  wound  an  eighth  of  an  inch  or  more;  then  if 
necessary,  poultice.  This  class  of  wounds,  it  is  found,  do  not  do 
well  by  the  treatment  pursued  in  other  wounds.      So  long  as  there 


Fig.  840. 


Fig.  841. 


is  freedom  of  the  synovial  fluid  in  passing  off,  or  any  irritants  are 
permitted  to  enter  such  a  cavity,  they  seem  only  to  aggravate  it. 
The  jDoint  is  to  first  stop  this,  which  can  be  done  best  as  directed, 
or  by  touching  lightly  with  a  hot  iron;  keep  the  animal  quiet,  and 
use  an  astringent  dressing ;  if  inflammation  is  excessive,  poultice, 
and  there  will  usually  be  no  trouble. 

If  clean  cut,  or  the  wound  is  of  a  character  that  will  permit 
the  edges  being  brought  together,  as  in  cases  where  the  skin  is 
widely  separated,  the  point  is,  after  sponging  out  the  part  so  as 
to  remove  any  foreign  matter,  to  bring  the  edges  together,  and 
hold  them  in  apposition,  if  it  can  be  done  without  the  skin  slough- 
ing, until  healing  by  first  intention  takes  place;  but  this  seldom 
can  be  accomplished,  excepting  to  a  partial  degree,  in  the  horse, 
on  account  of  the  amount  of  muscular  action  of  the  skin;  but  in 
many  cases  it  must  be  resorted  to,  and  will  enable  holding  the 


Fio  842. 


Fig.  843. 


edges  together  sufiiciently  long  to  enaole  the  wound  to  hual  with- 
out leaving  much  of  a  scar. 

The  stitches,  which  should  be  from  three-quarters  to  an  inch 
apart,  can  be  made  by  means  of  a  curved  flat  needle,  with  silk  or 
linen  avoU  waxed.     I  give  illustrations  of  different  methods  of  do- 


CUTS  AKD  WOUNDS. 


981 


ing  this,  which  should  make  it  sufficiently  plain  to  be  understood. 
First  by  stitches;  or,  by  approximating  the  edges  by  stitches 
passed  around  a  quill  or  small  piece  of  round  twig  placed  on  each 
lip  of  the  wound,  termed  quilled  suture.  Or,  pins  may  be  passed 
through  the  lips  at  suitable  distances,  and  a  little  tow  or  thread 
twisted  around  each,  like  the  figure  eight,  as  shown,  or  the  edges 
may  be  held  together  by  strips  of  sticking-plaster.  A  good 
adhesive  plaster  can  be  made  by  melting  about  two  parts  of  bur- 
ofundy  pitch  to  one  of  tallow,  and  spreading  while  hot  upon  cloth ; 
cut  in  strips  of  proper  length  and  breadth,  draw  the  edges  of  the 


Fig.  844. 


Fig.  84r>. 


skin  together,  and  lay  on  while  hot;  the  parts  to  be  dressed  with 
a  weak  solution  of  carbolic  acid,  about  in  the  proportion  of  one 
part  to  twenty  or  thirty  parts  water.  The  writer  has  had  excel- 
lent success  by  the  use  of  calendula,  tincture  of  the  garden 
flower  called  marigold,  this  should  be  diluted  with  about  one- 
fourth  to  one-third  of  water ;  or  any  good  antiseptic  may  be  used. 
The  following  for  this  purpose,  obtained  fi'om  one  of  the  best 
practitioners  in  the  country,  is  included : — 

"  In  wounds  where  the  muscles  are  badlj-  contused  and  lacer- 
ated, the  following  wash  has  taken  the  precedence  above  all  other 
remedies,  and  by  far  supersedes  carbolic  acid.  It  acts  as  an  anti- 
septic, and  prevents  excessive  granulation.  Take  1  oz.  white  vitriol 
or  sulphate  of  lime,  to  16  oz.  water.  Syringe  the  parts  out  well 
with  the  lotion,  after  being  well  cleansed,  twice  a  day.  By  taking 
1  oz.  of  white  vitrol  to  4  oz.  of  water,  and  penciled  on  the  parts 
with  a  camel's-hair  brush  two  or  three  times  a  day,  it  will  cut  doAvn 
the  excessive  granulations  commonly  called  "proud  flesh." 


982  DISEASES   AND   THEIE   TREATMENT. 

For  a  healing  ointment,  the  following  is  unrivaled: — 

2 1  pounds  palm  oil, 

2  pounds  lard, 

>  pound  gum  turpentine, 

J  pound  beeswax, 

1  pound  calamine. 
Simmer  all  together  over  a  slow  fire,  and  it  will  be  fit  for  use.      Put  a 
little  in  the  wound  once  a  day.      Wash  the  wound  with  warm  water  and  cas- 
tile  soap  before  applying  the  ointment. 

This  is  the  favorite  prescription  of  one  of  the  best  practitioners 
in  the  country,  and  is  among  the  very  best  for  the  cure  of  cuts, 
pricks,  and  incised  wounds  in  the  feet,  etc.  It  sets  the  wound  to 
running  yellow  matter  quickly,  and  produces  a  healthy,  granulat- 
ing process. 

Turpentine  and  hog's  lard,  equal  parts,  simmered  together, 
with  a  small  quantity  of  powdered  verdigris  stirred  in,  is  also  a 
fine  healing  preparation  for  cuts  and  wounds. 

The  following  is  also  a  fine  healing  preparation,  good  for  old 
sores  or  injuries  in  the  feet,  etc. : — 

1  oz.  tincture  of  myrrh, 

2  oz.  tincture  of  aloes, 

1  pint  water.  • 

To  be  ap2>lied  once  a  day. 

Healing  ointment  for  cuts,  galls,  etc: — 

4  drachms  oxide  of  zinc,  pulverized  fine, 

6  grains  carbolic  acid, 

1  ounce  lard. 
Melt  the  lard  and  stir  in  the  zinc.      Add  the  carbolic  acid  and  mix  thor- 
oughly.     Apply  once  a  day.      Will  cause  a  healthy  discharge  from  a  foul 
ulcer. 

Magic  healing  powder: — 

^  oz.  burnt  alum, 
1  oz.  prepared  chalk, 

1  drachm  piilverized  gum  camphor, 

2  drachms  calamine,  pulverized. 
Mix,  sprinkle  on  the  sore. 

When  a  wound  will  not  heal,  or  there  is  not  skin  enough  to 
cover  it,  dust  on  a  little  of  this  powder,  and  it  will  cicatrize  it 
quickly.  It  is  good  for  galls,  saddle  wounds,  or  other  parts  where 
the  skin  is  thin  or  broken,  providing  there  is  no  inflammation  and 
condition  requiring  healing  astringents.     This  is  the  original  recipe 


INJUEIES  OF  THE  TONGUE.  983 

foT-  the  famous  magic  healing  powder-  and  has  been  sold,  as  a 
great  secret,  for  ten  dollars  or  more. 

A  good  healing  preparation,  especially  for  cuts  or  incised 
wounds  in  the  feet:  Tar  and  hog's  lard,  equal  parts,  melted  to- 
gether, removed  from  fire  and  stirred  till  cold. 

The  following  hoof  ointment  has  been  in  use  in  the  British 
army,  and  used  by  British  farriers.  It  is  highly  recommended  by 
our  most  eminent  veterinaries  of  this  country: — 

2  parts  mutton  tallow, 

2  parts  white  resin, 

2  parts  barbadoes  tar, 

1  part  yellow  bees  wax, 

1  part  castor  oil. 
Melt  the  resin  and  bees  wax  together,  then  add  the  tallow.     When 
melted,  add  the  tar  and  castor  oil,  then  remove  from  the  fire  and  stir  until 
cold. 

This  ointment  is  mostly  used  for  diseased  conditions  of  the 
feet.  It  is  also  effectual  for  the  cure  of  many  of  the  most  trouble- 
some skin  diseases.  Blotches  and  cracks  of  the  heels,  to  which  so 
many  horses  are  liable  in  winter,  is  cured  by  nothing  so  readily 
as  by  this  ointment,  well  rubbed  in,  after  the  parts  have  been  thor- 
oughly washed  with  warm  water  and  soap.  This  ointment  is  also 
good  for  cattle,  sheep,  and  sporting  dogs. 

Injuries  of  the  Tongue. 

The  tongue  is  often  injured  by  violence,  pulling  it  out  in  giv- 
ing medicines,  either  by  the  restlessness  of  the  animal  or  clumsi- 
ness of  the  operator,  often  by  being  tied  up  with  a  "  hitch  "  of  the 
halter  in  his  mouth ;  by  running  back,  he  sometimes  cuts  it  nearly 
through.     A  very  common  cause  also  is  the  use  of  a  severe  bit. 

Treatment. — If  not  too  much  lacerated,  the  divided  edges 
should  be  brought  together  by  the  metallic  suture,  and  dressed  fre- 
quently with  the  following  lotion: — 

1  ounce  alum, 
1^  ounces  borax, 
1  ounce  honey, 
1  quart  water. 

If  it  is  nearly  cut  across,  it  may  be  necessary  to  remove  it,  and 
tie  the  blood-vessels,  and  dress  frequently  with  the  above  lotion. 


9«4  DISEASES   AlSfD  THEIR  TREATMENT. 

Tincture  of  marigold,  called  colendula,  is  so  good  for  bruises 
and  cuts  of  this  character,  that  I  think  it  worth  mentioning. 

When  in  PainsvUle,  Ohio,  a  horse  was  brought  in  by  a  leading 
gentleman.  He  stated  that  the  horse  had  the  habit  of  pulling 
recklessly  ahead  against  the  bit,  so  much  so  that  he  could  not  be 
stopped,  offering  to  w^ager  that  he  would  pull  eight  men  with  the 
bit.  Upon  trial,  with  a  breaking  bit  on,  he  pulled  eight  men 
around  the  ring,  causing  his  tongue  to  become  caught  under  the 
bit,  and  was  cut  fully  half  oft*  and  the  mouth  badly  bruised,  and 
became  terribly  swollen  in  a  short  time.  I  had  a  few  ounces  of 
colendula  with  me,  which  I  had  obtained  to  try  its  effect  if  op- 
portunity presented.  I  reduced  some  of  it  one-third  to  one-half 
with  water,  and  bathed  the  mouth  and  tongue  with  it  thoroughly, 
repeating  two  or  three  times  in  a  couple  of  hours. 

Being  compelled  to  leave  for  Madison  the  same  evening,  I  di- 
rected the  owner  to  bathe  the  parts  with  the  colendula  four  or 
five  times  a  da}^  at  least  until  my  return.  I  remained  at  Madison 
one  day,  went  to  Geneva  the  next,  when  I  again  returned  to 
Painsville  to  fill  my  engagement  there,  being  absent  three  days. 
Upon  examination,  I  found  all  swelling  and  inflammation  gone, 
and  the  tongue  entirely  healed. 

A  horse  having  lost  part  of  the  tongue,  cannot  drink  without 
plunging  the  head  deep  in  the  water. 

To  cure  cuts  or  bruises  of  the  cheeks,  use  inside — 

1  drachm  tannin,  to 
1|  ounces  borax,  and 
3  or  4  parts  water. 
Swab  the  inside  of  the  Avound  once  a  day. 

For  the  outside  di'essing,  use — 

1  ounce  tincture  myrrh, 

2  ounces  tincture  aloes, 
I  pint  water. 

Mix,  and  swab  the  parts  once  a  dary. 

Wash  or  sponge  the  parts  with  warm  water  and  castile  soap  be- 
fore each  dressing. 

SoRK  Mouth. 
The  lips  frequently  become  sore  at  the  angles  of  the  inouth, 


FISTULA  OF  THE  WITHERS. 


985 


from  cutting  or  bruising  of  the  bit.      Tincture  of  myrrh  and  aloes, 
equal  parts,  applied  to  the  sore,  will  soon  cause  it  to  heal. 

Fistula  of  the  Withers. 

The  principle  of  treating  fistula  of  the  withers  and  poll  evil  is 
the  same  as  for  treating  other 
deep-seated  ulcers  explained ;  the 
only  difference  is  that  they  are 
more  complicated  on  account  of 
their  location,  and  require,  if 
anything,  more  careful  treat- 
ment. 

Fistula  of  the  withers  is  caused 
by  an  injury  to,  or  bruising  the 
top  of,  the  fii'st  vertebra  of  the 
neck,  or  the  ligament  covering  it. 
At  first  there  is  simply  mflam- 
mation,  with  some  swelling,  mak- 
ing the  part  very  tender  and 
sore ;  if  this  is  not  arrested  or  dis- 
persed, mattei'  will  form  and 
penetrate  in  different  directions, 
around  and  between  the  dorsal 
vertebra,  and  under  the  shoulder  blade,  before  it  comes  to  the  sur- 
face. Consequently  the  fistula  may  extend  to  both  sides,  and  if 
neglected,  may  seriously  involve  the  bones,  in  which  case  the  cure 
will  be  proportionately  more  difficult. 

At  its  early  stage,  when 
there  is  simpl}"  inflammation 
and  soreness,  cooling  appli- 
cations, such  as  pouring  cold 
water  upon  it,  or  directing  a 
small  stream  from  a  hose 
against  it,  and  repeating,  is 
good.  The  part  can  be  kept 
wet  by  the  following  lotion, 
-Showing  a  bad  case  of  fistula.      ^^^  ^.|^g^  ^f  ^.j^p  inflammation 

does  not  abate,  give  a  dose  of  physic  and  apply  an  iodine  or 
sweating  blister: — 


Fig.  846. 


-Shoulder  in  healthy  con- 
dition. 


Fig.  847.- 


986 


DISEASES  AND   THEIR  TREATMENT. 


4  ounces  salt  petre,  1  ounce  sugar  of  lead, 

1  ounce  muriate  of  ammonia,  1  pint  common  salt, 

2  gallons  cold  water. 

Lay    on    a   few   thicknesses   of 

cloth,  and  keep  wet  with  it. 

Or  the    following   may  be 
used : — 

8  ounces  tincture  of  arnica, 
1  quart  water. 


If,  however,  matter  forms, 

the  sooner  the  abscess  is  opened 

the  better.    When  this  is  done, 

the  extent  of   the  injury,   or 

of    the    sinus,    if    any    have 

formed,  must  be  carefully  as- 

_      „  .„     T^    .  T      - .,       ..I.        T,  certain^d  with  a  probe,  or  by 

Fig.  848. — Festula  of  the  withers,  show-  r  '  J 

ing  seton.  introducing  the  finger.     If  this 

cannot  be  done  to  advantage,  then  the  pipes  must  be  destroyed  by 
the  introduction  of  caustic  tents,  as  before  explained  for  treating 
deep  seated  ulcers,  so  that  it  will  make  a  clean  sore ;  then  a  de- 
pending opening  for  the  matter  to  run  off  must  be  made  by  pass- 
ing a  seton  from  the  bottom  outward,  and  sponge  or  syringe 
it  out  once  a  day  with 
a  strong  suds  of  warm 
water  and  castile  soap. 
It  must  be  borne  in 
mind  that  if  allowed 
to  heal  over  with  pus, 
or  any  unhealthy  mat- 
ter remaining  at  the 
bottom,  matter  will 
continue  to  form,  and 
finally  break  out  anew, 
making,  if  anything,  a 
more  complicated  con- 
dition of  ulcer.  The 
point  is  to  see  that  all 
foreign  matter,  sinuses,  or  unhealthy  bone,  is  thoroughly  removed. 
Sinuses  can  be  removed  either  by  cutting  away  or  sloughing  off 


Fig.  849. — Good  method  of  covering  the  parts. 


POLL  EVIL.  987 

with  caustics  as  explained,  and  the  diseased  bone  by  scraping. 
Syringe  out  the  parts  well,  first  with  castile  soap  and  water,  then 
with  a  mild  solution  of  blue  vitriol,  or  carbolic  acid  and  water; 
after  which  treat  as  before  with  digestive  ointment,  tincture  of 
myrrh,  etc.,  as  may  be  found  advisable. 

Soon  after  my  leaving  the  road,  one  of  my  horses,  Gifford,  was 
threatened  with  fistula  of  the  withers.  When  able  to  examine 
the  case,  I  found  there  was  severe  inflammation  and  swelling  of 
the  parts,  which  was  so  painful  that  the  horse  would  not  allow  it 
to  be  touched.  The  veterinary  surgeon  in  charge  had  applied  a 
sharp  stimulant,  the  effect  of  which  was  intensified  by  covering 
the  parts  with  a  couple  of  thick  blankets.  The  horse  was  very 
fat,  and  there  were  indications  of  matter  forming,  which,  as  the 
horse  was  extremely  sensitive,  would  cause  great  trouble  in  dress- 
ing the  parts,  which  would  be  necessary  for  some  time.  I  ex- 
pressed my  fear  of  this  result,  but  the  doctor  thought  differently, 
assuring  me  that  he  had  every  reason  to  believe  the  inflammation 
would  disperse  in  time.  I  left,  giving  him  full  liberty  to  manage 
the  case  in  his  own  way,  and  was  gratified  on  being  informed 
shortly  afterward  that  the  inflammation  was  dispersed,  and  in 
this  way  a  cure  was  affected.  The  serious  condition  of  the  case, 
and  the  success  with  which  the  cure  was  affected  by  dispersing 
the  inflammation,  induced  me,  for  the  benefit  of  my  readers,  to 
write  to  the  doctor  for  the  details  of  tlie  treatment  used,  which  I 
here  include. 

''  The  treatment  pursued  in  the  management  of  Gifford  was  as 
follows:  Take  two  pounds  salts,  four  ounces  cream  of  tartar,  mix 
well,  divide  into  nine  doses,  and  give  one  dose  once  a  day  in  his 
feed.  For  the  local  treatment,  I  took  of  the  tincture  of  iodine  and 
cantharides,  equal  parts,  and  applied  to  the  shoidders  every  day 
for  ten  or  twelve  days ;  after  which,  I  used  a  stronger  solution  tAVo 
•or  three  times  a  day  for  three  or  four  weeks.  The  case  was  a  very 
bad  one." 

Poll  Evil. 

Poll  evil  is  caused  by  being  clubbed  back  of  the  ear,  striking 
back  of  the  head  against  an  obstruction,  pulling  hard  upon  the 
halter,  or  checking  the  head  high,  so  as  to  bring  undue  pressure 
upon  the  ligaments  of  the  parts,  which  will  be  shown  by  the  in- 
flammation and  swelling  over  the  first  vertebra  of  the  neck.  If 
this  inflammation  is  allowed  to  continue,  the  posterior  part  of  the 


988 


DISEASES   AND   TIIEIE   TEEATMENT. 


occipital  bone,  and  sometimes  the  atlas  bone,  also  the  strong  ten- 
don over  them,  will  be  involved,  causing  serious  ulceration  of  the 
parts,  unless  taken  in  hand  promptly.     The  principle  of  treatment 

is  precisely  that  of  fistula  of  the  Avith- 
ers.  First,  cooling  applications,  a  dose 
of  physic,  and  a  cooling,  opening  diet. 
A  favorite  prescription  for  dispers- 
ing inflainmation  of  this  kind,  used  by 
an  old  author. 


IS, 


Fig.   S50. — Method  of  checking 

that  is  liable  to  cause 

poll  evil. 


2  drachms  tartarized  antimony,  crj's- 

alized  and  finely  powdered, 
2  drachms  olive-oil, 
1  oimce  hosf's  lard. 


Vaseline  can  be  substituted  for  the 
oil  and  lard.  When  properly  rubbed 
on  the  part,  this  will  act  as  a  powerful  blister,  but  does  not  blem- 
ish. Should  matter  form,  it  must  be  opened  to  the  bottom,  and, 
after  being  cleansed  out,  ascertain  how  far  matter  has  bur- 
rowed, or  the  degree  to  which  sinuses  have  formed.  It  is  not 
prudent  to  do  any  more  cutting  at  this  part  than  simply  to 
make  a  sufficiently  deep  incision  to  give  an  opening  for  the  matter 
to  pass  off.  If  sinuses  have  formed,  caustic  tents  are  to  be  intro- 
duced, as  before  explained,  until  a  clean  sore  is  made.  If  the 
bones  are  involved,  they  must  be  scraped.  Next,  a  depending 
opening  made  by  running  a 
seton  from  the  bottom  outward. 
Sometimes  the  matter  extends 
across  the  neck  to  the  opposite 
side.  In  such  a  case,  the  best 
way  is  to  run  a  needle  across 
between  the  muscles,  and  out 
on  the  opposite  side,  making  an 
outlet  on  both  sides. 

The  after  treatment  is  the 
same  as  for  fistula  of  the  with- 
ers, being  careful  to  I'emove  all  foreign  growth,  or  diseased  bone. 
Dress  first  with  slightly  caustic  solution,  then  with  digestive  oint- 
ment, as  explained. 

I  will  include  here  a  remedy  which  is  claimed  to  be  very  ef- 


FiG.  851.- 


-The  head  as  it  should  be  given 
freedom  in  harness. 


POLIi  EYIL. 


989 


fectual  in  the  cure  of  poll  evil,  fistula  of  the  withers,  etc.  Burn 
corn,  cobs,  and  fill  the  cavity  to  the  bottom  with  the  ashes.  It  may 
be  necessary  to  repeat  two  or  three  times,  before  a  cure  is  effected. 
The  ease  with  which  this  can  be  applied  makes  it  worthy  of  trial. 
I  obtained  it  under  the  followino-  circumstances: — 

o 

When  in  Central  New  York,  during  my  last  tour  tluuugh 
that  country  several  years  ago,  a  man  said  to  me  that  ho  had  a 
simple  but  sure  cure  for  fistula  of  the  withers,  poll  evil,  etc.,  which 
was  a  secret,  but  which  he  would  give  me  if  I  would  pass  him 
into  my  class.  He  claimed  to  be  able  to  satisfy  me  as  to  the  ef- 
fectiveness of  the  remedy,  by  indorsements  from  several  well- 
known  citizens  Avho  were  pres- 
ent. I  said,  "BrinQ'on  vour 
proofs."  He  brought  for- 
ward., among  others,  a  man 
who  stated  that  he  had  a 
horse  which,  for  two  years, 
had  been  doctored  for  fistula 
of  the  withers  of  the  worst 
character,  without  doing  any 
good,  and  at  large  expense. 
He  finally  treated  the  case  as 
this  man  directed,  and  aftei- 
three  applications  the  cure 
was  complete.  Others  stated  that  the  man  had  treated  cases  for 
them,  with  the  same  success. 

The  writer  would  be  greatly  obliged  to  parties  giving  this 
remedy  a  trial,  if  they  would  report  to  him  the  results. 

Since  writing  the  above,  I  requested  a  veterinary  surgeon  of 
my  acquaintance  to  give  this  a  trial,  when  he  had  a  case  offered 
for  treatment.  A  very  bad  case  of  poll  evil  was  brought  in  from 
the  country;  there  were  two  deep  cavities,  and  he  directed  the 
owner  to  fill  them  with  the  ashes.  Some  time  afterward,  the  man 
reported  that  both  ulcers  were  healed  over,  but  one  of  them  had 
again  broken  out.  Upon  inquiry,  it  was  found  that  instead  of 
simply  filling  the  cavities,  and  leaving  them  alone  without  further 
attention,  the  man  kept  adding  more  each  day,  causing  them  to 
heal  too  quickly. 

There  is  no  doubt  that,  when  used  as  direcfettd,  it  will  be  found 


Fig.  852. — Showing  seatou. 


990  DISEASES   AND  THEIK   TEEATMENT. 

a  decidedly  effective  means  of  treatment.     Its  simplicity  and  safety 
make  it  deserving  of  a  trial  before  resorting  to  regular  treatment. 

The  following  remedy  is  used  by  veterinary  surgeons  of  my 
acquaintance  as  a  remedy  of  great  value,  and  is  kept  a  secret 
The  point  in  iising  it  is,  to  saturate  a  little  tow  with  it,  and  j^ush 
it  to  the  bottom  of  the  ulcer,  so  that  it  will  touch  every  part  of  it. 
In  about  twenty-four  hours  the  diseased  part  can  be  separated 
from  the  healthy  flesh  with  the  finger,  from  the  top  to  the  bottom, 
and  taken  out,  when  it  is  to  be  dressed  as  a  simple  wound: — 

4  ounces  accetate  of  copper  (verdegris), 
•i  ounces  sulphate  of  copper  (blue  vitriol), 
4  ounces  alum, 

1  ounce  white  precipitate  (white  mercury), 

2  ounces  nitric  acid, 
1  pound  honey. 

Diseases  of  the  Eye. 

The  eye,  or  organ  of  vision,  is  composed  of  three  tunics,  or 
coats,  and  of  the  same  number  of  humors.  To  the  external  coat 
(sclerotic  and  cornea)  it  owes  its  form.  The  middle  tunic  is  made 
up  of  the  choroid,  or  vascular  coat,  of  the  iris,  or  the  thin  curtain 
suspended  in  the  aqueous  humor,  and  perforated  in  the  center  by 
an  opening  called  the  pupil,  or  pupillary  opening,  which  in  the 
horse  is  of  an  elliptical  form ;  in  man  it  is  round.  The  inner  coat 
is  called  the  retina,  or  nervous  covering,  and  is  the  terminal  ex- 
pansion of  the  optic  nerve. 

The  humors  are  three  in  number,  and  they  serve  as  reflectors 
of  the  light.  They  are :  The  aqueous  humor,  crystalline  lens,  and 
vitreous  humor.  The  last  is  the  largest,  and  occupies  about 
four-fifths  of  the  whole  interior  of  the  globe  or  eyeball.  The  ap- 
pendages of  the  eye  are  the  eyelids,  eyelashes,  and  the  membrana 
nictitans,  generally  called  the  haw,  which  is  situated  in  the  inner 
or  lower  angle  of  the  eye.  It  is  connected  with  the  difierent  mus- 
cles of  the  eyeball.  By  the  contraction  of  the  straight  muscle  of 
the  eye,  the  haw  is  forced  outward,  and  is  one  of  the  beautiful 
arrangements  that  nature  has  provided  for  the  protection  of  so 
delicate  and  sensitive  an  organ.  The  eye  is  wholly  covered  by  a 
thin  membrane  called  the  conjunctiva. 


]KFLAM]\iATION  OF  TIIE  EYES.  991 

Simple  Ophthalmia,  or  Inflammation  of  the  Eyes, 

Is  a  common  disease  among  horses,  and  consists  of  inflammation 
of  the  conjunctival  membrane  covering  the  eye. 

Causes. — ^It  may  be  produced  by  many  different  causes,  and 
perhaps  the  most  common  is  from  the  introduction  of  a  foreign 
substance  into  the  eye,  as  a  hay  seed,  or  chaff  pickle  becoming 


Fig.  853. 

a,  Optic  nerve;  6,  Sclerotic;  c,  Choroid;  d,  Retina;  e,  Cornea;  /,  Iris;  g, 
h,  Ciliary  circle ;  i,  Insertion  on  crystalline  lens ;  j,  Crystalline  lens ;  k,  Crystalline 
capsule ;  I,  Vitreous  body ;  m,  ii,  Anterior  and  posterior  chamber ;  o,  Membrane 
of  aqueous  humor;  p,  p,  Tarsi;  q,  q,  Fibrous  membrane  of  eyelids;  r,  Elevator 
muscle  of  upper  eyelid ;  s,  «,  Orbicularis  muscle  of  eyelids ;  t,  /,  Skin  of  eyelids ; 
M,  Conjunctiva;  v,  Membrane  covering  cornea  ;  x,  Posterior  rectus  muscle  ;  y, 
Superior  rectus  muscle ;    z,  Inferior  rectus  muscle ;    iv,  Orbital  membrane. 


lodged  in  the  external  covering  (cornea),  or  by  direct  injury  to 
the  eyes,  as  from  the  blow  of  a  whip,  or  something  of  the  kind. 
When  from  a  blow  or  direct  cause  of  injury,  but  one  eye  will  be 
affected,  while  if  from  cold,  etc.,  both  eyes  will  be  involved.  It  is 
also  caused  by  allowing  horses  to  stand  in  foul  stables,  especially 
in  the  summer  months,  whereby  ammoniacal  gases  are  generated, 


992 


DISEASES  AND  THEIE  TEBATMENT. 


proving  very  injurious  to  the  eye-sight.    It  proceeds  from  exposure 
to  cold,  and  is  often  an  accompaniment  of  catarrh. 

Symptoms.- 
The  eyes  are 
weak ;  the  con- 
junctiva,  or  in- 
ner lining  of  the 
lids,  inflamed ; 
water  running 
from  the  eyes; 
the  lids  partly, 
if  not  wholly, 
closed,  accord- 
ing to  the  se- 
verity of  the 
Ciliary  case.  Bluish  or 
white  film,  the 


Fig.  854. 

1,   Sclerotic  coat;    2,  4,  Veins  of  the  choroid;    3, 
nerves;    5,  Ciliary  ligament;    6,  Iris. 


result  of  inflammation,  comes  over  the  cornea,  extending  no  deeper 
than  the  surface,  and  may  vary  from  a  slight  cloudiness  to  entire 
opacity. 

Treatment. — This  must,  in  a  great  measure,  depend  upon  the 
cause;  therefore  it  is  of  the  greatest  importance  to  make  a  careful 
examination,  especially  if  but  one  eye  is  affected. 

If  there  is  any  foreign  matter  in  the 
eye,  remove  it  promptly,  which  can 
be  done  either  by  means  of  a  feather 
or  a  pair  of  forceps.  The  eye  should 
be  fomented  with  tepid  or  warm  wa- 
ter, and  the  horse  kept  in  a  darkened 
stable  or  loose-box;  next,  the  eye  may 
be  kept  constantly  moist  by  means  of 
a  sponge  or  cloth,  wet  with  tepid  or 
cold  water,  and  applied  over  the  eye ; 
or  better,  Goulard's  extract,  used  in 
the  proportion  of  1  drachm  to  a  pint 
of  watei'.  If  accompanied  by  great  pain,  the  following  lotion 
should  be  applied  around  the  eye  several  times  a  day : — 

1  ounce  watery  infusion  of  opium, 
4  ounces  Goulard's  extract, 
12  ounces  water. 


Fig.  855. — Capillaries  of  the 

vascular  layer  of  the 

retina. 


INFLAMMATION  OF  THE  EYES. 


993 


When  the  cloudiness  or  opacity  of  the  cornea  is  tardy  in  being 

removed,  the  eye  should  be  stimulated  daily  with  the  following 

collyriuni : — 

5  grains  nitrate  of  silver, 
1  ounce  distilled  water. 
Apply  by  means  of  a  feather  or  camers-hair  unish. 

•  If  he  must  be  used  or  kept  hi  the  sunlight, 
the  eye  should  bo  kept  covered  with  a  l)hu' 
cloth  tied  loosely  over  it.  It  is  very  impoi'tant 
to  attend  to  any  such  form  of  local  inflamma- 
tion promptly ;  not  only  treating  properly,  1  )ut, 
if  possible,  take  him  from  all  work,  since,  if 
neglected,  or  the  inflaunnation  aggravated  by 
heating  the  blood,  the  sight  is  liable  to  be  de- 
stroyed, or  run  into  periodic  opthalmia.  It  is 
somewhat  wonderful  how  much  injury  the  eye 
will  recover  from,  when  treated  with  any  kind 
of  care. 

Twenty  years  ago,  when  diiving  hoi'ses 
without  reins  was  regarded  as  a  great  feat,  in 
training  them  to  drive  in  this  wa}',  it  was  sometimes  necessary  to 
use  the  whip  very  severely  over  the  head,  wlien  the  eye  was  lia- 
ble to  be  struck,  and  so  seriously 
injured  as  to  close  it  and  make  it 
entirely  white  from  inflaunnation 
in  a  short  time.  Yet,  in  every 
case,  by  bathing  with  cold  watei", 
keeping  in  a  dark  place,  and  if 
moved,  keeping  the  eye  covered 
with  a  cloth,  in  a  few  days  the 
eye  entirely  recovered. 

Once,  while  trainmg  Gifford, 
one  of  my  old  paii-  of  trained  horses,  he  ran  incidentally  against 
the  corner  of  a  stair,  striking  the  eye  so  severely  as  to  instantly 
destroy  his  power  of  sight;  the  eye  was  entirely  closed,  and  red 
with  inflammation.  In  this  case  I  simply  kept  the  eye  covered 
with  a  cloth  kept  constantly  wet  with  water,  in  which  was  tinct- 
ure of  aconite  in  the  pro])ortion  of  about  40  drops  to  half  a  pint 
of  Avater.     There  was  entire  lecovery  within  a  week.     This  jnild 

63 


ui.  856. — Goodraeth- 
1x1  (if  covering 
the  eye. 


Fig.  857.^ — Reversed.view  of  tlie  above. 


994 


DISEASES  AND  THEIR  TREATMENT. 


preparation  lias  proved  fui-  me  very   efficient  in   reducing   local 
inflammation. 

Specific,  or  Periodic  Ophthalmia, 

Is  the  most  severe  afl^^ection  to  which  the  horse's  eye  is  liable,  and 
is  very  common  in  this  country.  The  parts  principally  and  pri- 
marily involved  are  the  internal  structures  of  the  eye,  and  the 
changes  which  occur  vaiy  in  degree  to  the  severity  of  the  attack. 
Causes. — The  great  cause  of  this  affection  can  be  traced  to  an 

hereditary  predispo- 
sition, always  ready 
to  burst  forth  when 
exposed  to  certain  ex- 
citing causes,  such  as 
injui-ies  of  any  kind, 
as  before  explained, 
being  kept  in  very 
dark  and  ill-venti- 
lated stables,  and  then 
suddenly  exposed  to 
the  glare  of  a  hot 
sun;  and,  like  simple 
ophthalmia,  it  may  fol- 
low continued  expos- 
ure to  cold. 

Symptoms.  — 
Among  the  first 
symptoms  is  a  watery  discharge  from  one  or  both  eyes,  and  on  be- 
ing exposed  to  the  sunlight  he  exhibits  a  peculiar  uneasiness,  with 
a  partial  closure  of  the  affected  eye.  As  the  disease  advances,  the 
eyelids  become  swollen,  and  if  turned  upward,  the  conjunctiva 
appears  reddened  and  injected ;  the  eye  looks  smaller,  and  retracted 
into  its  socket;  the  interior  of  the  eye  reveals  a  peculiar  muddy 
or  turbid  appearance,  showing  floating  flakes,  and  a  yellowish  or 
whitish  deposit  at  the  bottom  of  the  chamber.  Fig.  860  is  designed 
to  show,  on  an  enlarged  scale,  something  of  this  change.  The 
symptoms  are  very  like  tho.se  of  simple  ophthalmia,  and  often  leads 
to  the  supposition  that  the  eye  has  received  a  blow  or  other  injury. 
The  above  symptoms  become  more  and  more  aggravated,  and 


Fig.  85S. 


-Physiological  papillae,  as  seen  with  the 
ophthalmoscope. 


SPECIFIC,  OE  PEEIODIC  OPHTHALMIA. 


995 


tliG  patient  becomes  affected  constitutionally;  the  circulation  is 
increased,  the  mouth  hot,  and  the  appetite  impaired.  These  symp- 
toms may  continue  for  several  days,  and  then  gradually  disap- 
pear, or  they  may  be  prolonged  for  weeks,  and  ead  only  with  the 
destruction  of  the  eye.  A  prominent  and  well-marked  symptom 
of  this  disease  is  its  shifting  from  one  eye  to  the  other;  in  many 
cases,  one  eye  has  no  sooner  recovered  than  the  other  becomes  af- 
fected. At  other  times,  recovery  is  rapid,  and  to  all  appearances 
the  eye  looks  per- 
fectly healthy  ; 
in  a  short  time, 
however,  the  dis- 
ease returns,  and 
often  with  in- 
creased severity. 
These  occur- 
rences or  shift- 
ings  take  place 
in  from  three 
weeks  to  a  month 
or  more.  As  the 
disease  advances 
still  farther,  the 
eye  begins  to 
clear,  the  cornea 
becoming  trans- 
parent, leaving  a 
slight  muddiness 
in 


Fig.  859. — Inflammation  of  optic  nerve. 

a,  Papilla  of  the  optic  nerve  conjested;  6,  Enlarged 
veins,  connected  by  exhudation  round  the  papilla;  c,  rather 
diminished  arteries. 


the    anterior 

part  (chamber)  of  the  eye;  the  pupil  diminishes  in  size,  and  the 
disease  gradually  terminates  in  more  or  less  opacity  of  the  chrys- 
talline  lens  or  its  capsule,  constituting  cataract. 

Treatment. — As  a  general  rule,  the  treatment  of  specific 
ophthalmia  is  very  unsatisfactory,  but  still  medicinal  remedies  are 
found  beneficial  in  palliating  the  disease.  The  horse  should  be 
placed  in  a  comfortable  and  darkened  loose-box,  Avith  a  plentiful 
supply  of  pure  air.  .A  brisk  dose  of  purgative  medicine  should  be 
administered,  and  if  much  constitutional  fever  is  present,  ten 
drops  of  the  tincture  of  aconite  should  be  given  every  three  hours, 


996 


DISEASES  AND  THEIE  TEEATMENT. 


until  six  or  eight  doses  are  given.  Bleed  from  the  facial  vein,  and 
follow  by  fomentations  of  hot  water  to  the  eye.  After  the  third 
or  fourth  day,  cold  applications  are  preferable  to  hot.  The  ex- 
tract of  belladonna  may  be  applied  around  the  orbits,  and  also  ad- 
ministered internally,  in  doses  of  two  scruples,  three  times  a  day. 
When  the  acute  inflammatory  symptoms  are  somewhat  abated, 


Fig.  860. — Generalized  atrophical  choroidites. 

a,  Papilla  of  the  optic  nerve,  preserving  its  rosy  color ;  6,  c,  Atrophied  choroid, 
showing  the  white  tint  of  the  uncovered  sclerotic;  d,  e,  Blood-vessels  of  the  retina; 
/,  Pigmentary  deposits  of  the  choroid. 

the  absorption  of  the  effused  products  should  bo  aided  by  a  stimu- 
lating collyrium,  as, — 

10  grains  sulphate  of  zinc, 
1  ounce  distilled  water, 

Or  any  of  the  eye  waters  advised  under  that  head. 

The  following  simple  treatment,  used  by  a  very  successful 
practitioner,  has  by  special  request  been  written  out  for  me: — 


AMAUKOSIS,  OR  GLASS  EYE.  997 

"  When  the  Uds  are  swollen,  and  not  due  to  any  disease,  such  as 
Pink  Eye  etc  ,  but  to  a  cold,  and  injuries  of  numerous  descriptions, 
the  eye  should  first  be  bathed  off  with  hot  salt  water  for  a  few  min- 
utes, then  turn  the  lower  lid  down  and  drop  on  the  lid  and  eye- 
ball,'with  an  eye-dropper,  the  following  collyrium:— 

"  10  grains  sulphate  of  atropio, 
1  drachm  sulphate  of  zinc, 
6  ounces  aqua  rosae, 
"  Drop  on  the  diseased  eye  15  to  20  drops  two  to  three  times  a  day. 
This  remedy  is  a  certain  cure  in  most  all  eye-troubles. 

"  In  diseases  of  the  eye  due  to  liver  complaint,  first  give  a  strong 
cathartic  combined  with  1  to  2  drachms  of  calomel,  and  treat  the 
eye  as  above." 

Amaurosis,  or  Glass  Eye, 

Consists  in  either  partial  or  complete  paralysis  of  the  optic  nerve, 
or  its  terminal  expansion,  the  retina. 

Causes. — Injuries  to  the  brain,  causing  an  extravasation  of 
blood  upon  the  deep  origin  of  the  special  nerve  of  sight  (optic), 
from  disease  of  the  internal  coat  of  the  eye  (retina).  It  occasion- 
ally occurs  as  a  sequel  of  stomach  staggers  or  indigestion.  We 
have  also  known  it  to  occur  in  pregnant  mares.  Percival  men- 
tions several  cases  of  amaurosis  occurring  in  mares  with  foal,  where 
vision  was  perfectly  restored  after  parturition. 

Symptoms.— The  eye  has  a  peculiar  glassy  appearance;  the 
horse  carries  his  head  very  high,  and  is  continually  moving  his 
ears,  and  his  action  is  high,  lifting  his  feet  as  if  he  were  stepping 
over  some  obstacle.  He  is  easily  alarmed  by  any  noise.  The  pu- 
pil is  dilated,  and  loses  its  natural  elliptical  form.  If  the  glare  of 
a  lighted  candle  is  brought  to  bear  upon  the  eye,  the  pupil  refuses 
to  contract,  thus  showing  that  nervous  influence  is  lost. 

Treatment.— The  horse  should  have  rest,  and  a  strong  dose  of 
purgative  medicine  given.  If  supposed  to  arise  from  effusion  or 
pres^sure  on  the  nerve  (optic),  blisters  and  setons  to  the  poll  are 
recommended,  and  diuretics  should  be  used.  In  some  instances 
the  powdered  nux  vomica,  in  doses  of  one  scruple  twice  a  day,  has 
been  used  with  advantage.  If  amaurosis  has  continued  for  a 
lengthened  period,  it  is  incurable,  and  treatment  in  such  cases 
would  be  entirely  useless. 


998  DISEASES  AND  THEIE  TEEATMENT. 

Cataract 

Is  the  name  applied  to  a  deposition  of  a  pearly  white  substance 
within  the  eye,  and  is  a  very  common  affection  in  this  country. 
It  consists  in  an  effusion  of  lymph,  either  on  the  middle  humor 
(crystalline  lens),  or  on  its  capsule,  and  is  variable  in  size,  some- 
times not  larger  than  the  head  of  a  pin,  while  in  other  cases  it 
covers  the  whole  lens. 

Causes. — It  is  generally  a  result  of  repeated  attacks  of  specific 
ophthalmia,  or  it  may  even  supervene  upon  a  first  attack;  it  may 
follow  a  severe  injury  to  the  eye. 

Symptoms. — The  eyesight  is  either  partially  or  completely 
gone,  and  when  covering  the  greater  part  of  the  lens,  it  is  easily 
known  by  its  pearly  white  appearance.  "When  small,  it  is  some- 
what difiicult  of  detection ;  the  eye  is  smaller  than  in  health,  and 
the  pupil  becomes  greatly  contracted  when  exposed  to  light.  It 
may  be  detected  by  placing  the  animal  in  a  bright  light,  and  care- 
fully examining  the  eye;  if  the  eye  appears  smaller  than  the 
other,  it  indicates  something  amiss  with  it.  He  should  then  be 
placed  in  a  darkened  stable,  and  allowed  to  stand  quietly  for  ten 
or  fifteen  minutes  before  being  subjected  to  an  examination.  Stand 
in  front  of  him,  and  bring  a  lighted  candle  close  up  to  the  front 
of  his  eye,  when  any  alteration  in  the  structure  of  the  lens  can  be 
readily  detected. 

Treatment  on  the  horse  is  useless,  as  when  permanently  es- 
tablished, it  cannot  be  removed.  When  the  cataract  is  confined 
to  one  eye  only,  it  interferes  but  little  with  the  horse's  usefulness 
for  ordinary  work. 

The  cornea  is  frequently  injured  from  the  puncture  of  a  nail, 
allowing  the  aqueous  humor  to  escape,  and  perhaps  injuring  the 
crystalline  lens,  completely  destroying  vision.  When  the  injury 
is  confined  to  the  cornea,  the  humor  may  be  reproduced.  The 
part  should  be  diligently  bathed,  either  with  hot  or  cold  water,  and 
the  fomentations  must  be  applied  several  times  a  day;  and  the  eye 
supported  by  means  of  a  wet  sponge  or  cloth,  which  tends  to  sub- 
due the  acute  inflammation  and  allay  the  pain,  and  by  keeping 
the  eyelids  closed,  it  supports  the  lacerated  parts. 

After  a  few  days  it  may  be  necessary  to  stimulate  the  part, 


DROPSY  OF  THE  BELIA'".  999 

when  any  of  the  stimulating  applications  recommended  for  simple 
ophthalmia  may  be  used. 

The  membrana  riictitans,  or  haw,  sometimes  becomes  enlarged, 
the  result  of  an  injury,  or  from  being  implicated  in  other  diseased 
conditions  of  the  eye.  -Even  in  its  healthy  state,  we  have  known 
it  mistaken  (b}^  ignorant  persons)  for  an  abnormal  structure,  and 
barbarously  removed.  It  is  not  an  imusual  circumstance  to  hear 
persons  boast  of  the  rapidity  with  which  they  can  remove  this 
beautiful  and  most  essential  appendage  to  the  eye. 

Dropsy  of  the  Belly  (Ascites). 

Ascites  consists  of  a  collection  of  serous  fluid  in  the  cavity  of 
the  belly.  It  is  not  very  often  seen,  unless  in  connection  with 
some  other  disease. 

Causes. — It  is  usually  the  result  of  chronic  peritoneal  inflam- 
mation, or  a  sympathetic  extension,  or  accompaniment  of  "  water 
in  the  chest "  (hydrothorax),  chronic  disease  of  some  important  or- 
gan contained  in  the  belly,  which  it  invests.  Occasionally  it  oc- 
curs in  conjunction  with  enlarged  liver  or  spleen.  Sometimes  also 
from  impeded  circulation,  consequent  on  abnormal  tumors  press- 
ing on  some  important  vessels;  and,  unquestionably,  as  in  the  hu- 
man subject,  some  animals  have  a  dropsical  tendency  (diathesis). 

Symptoms. — The  animal  is  observed  to  be  dull  and  inactive, 
the  bowels  are  costive,  and  the  urine  scanty ;  he  is  always  thirsty, 
watery  swelling  appears  between  the  fore  legs,  which  soon  extends 
backward  along  to  the  sheath  or  udder;  the  belly  is  large,  and 
when  struck,  emits  a  dull,  heavy  sound.  As  it  goes  on,  the 
breathing  becomes  rapid,  and  the  pulse  quick  and  small,  the  thirst 
intense,  the  appetite  fails,  the  enlargement  of  the  belly  becomes 
more  perceptible,  the  external  swelling  greater,  and  the  breathing 
much  increased;  as  death  approaches,  the  pulse  becomes  impercep- 
tible, and  as  Blaine  remarks,  "the  peritoneal  inflammation  pro- 
duces colicky  symptoms  frequently,  and  in  this  way  being  occa- 
sionally but  little  disturbed,  and  at  other  times  very  ill,  a  few  ac- 
tive symptoms  carry  ofl'the  poor  beast." 

Treatment. — When  the  watery  effusion  is  extensive,  few 
cases  recover ;  however,  much  can  be  done  to  arrest  it  in  the  early 
stages;  the  prospects  of  recovery,  of  course,  depend  a  good  deal 
on  the  cause  of  the  complaint:  when  accompanied  by  hydrothorax, 


]()()()  DISHASKS    AND    'rUKIK    'IMMvATMENT. 

it  almost  invariably  proves  fatal.  Tlu;  strength  from  the  fii-st 
must  b(;  harliored,  stimulants  must  be  given  from  the  beginning; 
open  the  bowels  by  an  active  purgative,  smart  friction  being  fre- 
quently applied  to  the  belly,  or  if  the  swelling  is  considerable,  it 
should  be  supported  by  bandages;  should  the  state  of  the  patient 
permit,  walking  exercise  should  be  persevered  in.  The  following 
ball  should  be  given  <laily: — 

1  drachm  iodine, 

1  drachm  iodide  of  potassium. 
Linseed  meal  and  soft  soap  sufficient  to  fonn  a  ball. 

Occasional  doses  of  sweet  nitre  and  waiiii  beer  should  be  o'iven. 
Free  scarifications  with  a  lancet  or  sharp  knife  should  be  made  in 
the  swelling. 

Tonics  should  be  more  early  used  than  they  generally  are;  a 
very  good  tonic  ball  in  these  cases  consists  of — 

2  drachms  sulphate  of  iron, 
•                           1  drachm  iodine. 

Made  into  a  ball  with  linseed  meal  and  soft  soap.      Or, 

2  drachms  ginger, 
2  di-achms  gentian, 
2  drachms  sulphate  of  iron, 
Molasses  sufficient  to  make  a  ball. 

When  medical  treatment  fails,  temporar}'  relief  may  be  ob- 
tained by  tapping,  which  consists  in  puncturing  the  belly,  in  the 
line  between  the  navel  and  the  sheath  (or  udder),  taking  care  not 
to  injure  the  liowels,  or  any  important  vessels,  in  doing  which  the 
belly  must  he  tightly  bandaged,  and  kept  compressed. 

Anasarca,  or  Swelled  Legs. 

If  plethoric,  fat  legs  and  sheath  swelled.  When  standing  in 
stable  without  any  of  the  usual  symptoms,  should  first  be  given  a 
sti-ong  cathartic,  and  twenty-four  to  thirty-six  hours  after  give 
th(!  following  poM'ders  in  the  feed  morning  and  night: — 

1^  ounces  sulphate  of  iron, 
2  ounces  powdered  digitallis  leaves, 
6  ounces  nitrate  of  potass. , 
\  ounce  powdered  nux  vomica. 
Make  into  twelve  powders,  and  give  in  feed  morning  and  night  as  above 
directed,  until  the  animal's  feces  becomes  of  a  lilackish   color,  then  stop. 


tkfijAmmation  of  the  veins. 


1001 


By  this  time  the  horse  should  be  well.  If  the  case  is  weak 
and  debilitated,  omit  the  physic  and  powders,  and  give  good,  nu- 
tritious food.  In  the  meantime  the  horse  in  either  case  should 
have  gentle  exercise. 

It  is  bad  practice  to  bandage.  The  application  of  bandages 
with   stimulating  liniment  prevents  the  free   circulation  of  the 


Fig.  8G1.— The  leg 

in  its  natural 

condition. 


Fici.  SG;3.— The  leg  as 
it  appears  when  "fill- 
ed" or  swelled. 


blood,  thereby  causing  not  only  debility  of  the  capillaries,  or  small 
blood-vessels,  but  also  irritates  the  skin.  It  in  all  cases  gives 
temporary  relief,  but  not  a  cure.  The  treatment  before  given  is 
the  only  one  to  be  depended  upon. 

Inflammation^  of  the  Veins  (Phlebitis). 

Owing  to  the  practice  of  bleeding  horses  for  all  ailments,  which 
is  still  very  common  among  people  through  the  countr}',  phlebitis 
is  not  uncommon.  It  consists  of  inflammation  of  the  coats  of  the 
vein,  involving  the  surrounding  cellular  tissues  also. 

Causes. — When  it  occurs,  it  almost  invariably  follows  the 
operation  of  bleeding,  arising  from  some  mismanagement  in  per- 
forming it,  or  securing  the  integuments  after.     Rusty  fleams,  care- 


1002  DISEASES   AND   THEIR   TREATMENT. 

lessness  in  pinning-  it  up, — as  in  pulling  the  skin  out,  allowing 
blood  to  filtrate  the  cellular  tissues, — bringing  the  edges  unevenly- 
together,  or,  as  in  cases  we  have  known,  pinning  the  vein  itself  to 
the  skin.  Certain  states  of  constitutional  predisposition  of  the 
veins  to  take  on  inflammatory  action  are  said  to  exist. 

Symptoms. — It  is  easily  distinguished  by  the  inverted  edges 
of  the  wound,  which  are  red  and  swollen,  and  discharge  thin 
serum,  which  soon  gives  place  to  pus.  The  vein  above  the  inci- 
sion is  hard,  hot,  and  tender,  and  considerably  enlarged.  The 
swelling  extends  upward  to  the  head ;  the  inflammation  extends 
to  the  surrounding  tissues;  the  side  of  the  neck  is  swollen;  the 
neck  is  stiff",  and  the  head  extended.    The  systomatic  fever  runs  high. 

Treatment. — The  head  should  be  tied  up,  and  almost  constant 
fomentations  of  hot  water  applied  for  several  days.  The  lips  of 
the  wound  should  be  touched  with  the  cautery  or  lunar  caustic. 
A  full  dose  of  purgative?  medicine  should  be  given.  When  the 
acute  fever  has  subsided,  it  should  be  blistered  thi'oughout  its  en- 
tire extent,  and  repeated  if  required,  the  head  being  kept  elevated, 
and  his  feed  placed  within  his  reach. 

These  cases  often  terminate  in  complete  obliteration  of  the 
vein ;  but  in  course  of  time  the  smaller  vessels  of  the  neck  enlarge, 
and  take  the  place  of  the  lost  jugular.  He  is  not  suited  to  be 
turned  to  pasture,  as  the  head  is  apt  to  swell.  He  can  never  after 
be  passed  as  a  sound  horse. 

Thrombus. 

Thrombus  is  the  name  given  to  a  round  tumor  which  some- 
times occurs  around  tlie  puncture  made  in  bleeding. 

Causes. — It  is  usually  the  result  of  pinning  up  the  wound  by 
drawing  the  skin  out,  allowing  the  blood  to  be  extravasated  into 
the  cellular  tissues;  also  from  the  opening  in  the  skin  not  being 
opposite  the  opening  in  the  vein,  or  too  small  to  allow  the  blood 
to  escape  freely ;  often  from  the  tissues  being  irritated  by  repeated 
striking  of  the  fleam,  or  "  perhaps  from  spontaneous  inflammation 
and  serous  eflfusion  in  the  divided  integuments  and  membranes 
themselves." 

Symptoms. — It  is  easily  recognized  by  the  appearance  of  a 
round  full  swelling  surrounding  the  opening  a  short  time  after 
bleeding. 


LAMPAS.  1003 

Treatment. — It  should  be  re-opened,  the  coagula  squeezed  out, 
and  the  edges  of  the  wound  again  brought  together,  and  a  j)ad,  or 
sponge,  saturated  with  a  strong  solution  of  Goulard's  lotion,  or  cold 
water  constantly  applied  for  an  hour  at  a  time,  the  pad  being 
supported  by  a  broad  bandage  round  the  neck.  The  head  must 
be  tied  up  for  at  least  twenty-four  hours.  It  usually  subsides  in 
a  day  or  two.  Should  swelling  remain,  it  should  be  blistered  and 
^iTeated  as  in  phlebitis. 

Lampas. 

Lampas  is  the  name  given  to  a  slight  enlargement  of  the  bars 
or  ridges  on  the  palate  behind  the  incisoi-  teeth.  It  is  mostly  con- 
fined to  young  horses,  and  is  a 
natural  congestion  of  these  parts, 
consequent  on  the  shedding  of  the 
teeth.  It  is  not  so  much  a  dis- 
ease as  a  natural  and  salutary 
process,  which  in  general  is  best 

let  alone,  and  in  which  cruel  rem-  ^      „„„     r,,,    ,    ,  .^   -,   ,. 

Fig.  863. — The  barbarous  method  often 

edies,  such  as  firing,  should  never         resorted  to,  of  burning  out 
for  a  moment  be  thought  of.     If  *^^  ^'^^^P^'- 

much  inflamed,  a  slight  scarification,  with  sloppy  feed  for  a  few 
weeks,  will  suffice  to  remove  it.  In  older  animals,  similar  swell- 
ings are  sometimes  seen  arising  from  indigestion ;  a  slight  physick- 
ing will  generally  remove  them,  without  resorting  to  such  out7'e 
practices  as  "  cutting  out  the  lampas." 

Diseases  of  the  Skin. 

The  skin  is  a  membrane  of  variable  thickness,  which  covers 
the  whole  body,  and  is  reflected  inward  by  all  the  natural  open- 
ings, so  as  to  line,  by  its  internal  reflections,  the  eye,  the  nasal 
cavities,  the  mouth,  etc.,  etc.  Skin  diseases  in  the  lower  animals 
generally  do  not  prove  so  inveterate  as  in  human  beings. 

Surfeit 

Is  an  afiection  of  common  occurrence  among  horses  in  the  spring 
and  summer  months,  and  is  an  eruptive  disease,  showing  itself  in 
the  form  of  small  tumors,  or  pimpleS;  and  extending  along  the 
neck,  or  over  the  whole  body. 


1004  DISEASES  AND  a^HElK  TREATMENT. 

Causes. — It  very  often  proves  a  sequel  of  some  derangement 
of  the  digestive  organs ;  as  from  feeding  for  a  lengthened  period 
on  one  kind  of  food,  and  more  particularly  if  it  is  of  a  stimulating 
or  heating  nature.  It  is  also  apt  to  occur  in  horses  that  are  in 
high  condition  when  subjected  to  violent  exercise,  causing  them 
to  sweat  freely,  and  then  being  exposed  to  sudden  chill ;  in  this 
form  it  is  often  met  with  in  colts,  when  being  first  put  to  work. 

Symptoms. — It  appeai-s  suddenly;  small  pimples  or  tumors 
arise  on  different  parts  of  the  body  and  neck,  and  jjarticularly  un- 
derneath the  mane;  in  some  instances  they  disappear  rapidly  by 
absorption,  while  in  others  they  burst  and  discharge  a  thin  fluid ; 
the  hair  comes  out,  and  small  scales  form,  which  are  easily  pulled 
off.  At  times  this  affection  proves  very  irksome  and  troublesome 
to  the  horse,  causing  him  to  rub  violently  against  his  stall,  or  bite 
at  the  parts  affected  with  his  teeth.  In  its  simple  form  it  appears 
to  inconvenience  the  animal  but  little,  and  is  generally  easily  re- 
moved. 

Treatment. — In  the  first  place  the  food  should  be  changed, 
and  a  mild  purgative  given,  as  Barbadoes  aloes,  four  to  six 
drachms ;  the  kidneys  should  be  made  to  act  freely,  and  for  that 
purpose  the  following  ball  may  be  given  daily  for  four  or  five 

days : — 

3  draclims  nitrate  of  jDotass. , 

1  scruple  camphor, 

]  drachm  oil  of  juniper, 
With  soft  soap  and  linseed  meal   sufficient   to   form   ;in   ordinarj'^  sized 
ball. 

In  inveterate  cases,  small  doses  of  calomel  and  opium  may  be 
used  with  success.  The  eruptions  should  be  thoroughly  cleaned 
with  soap  and  water,  and  afterward  dressed  with  a  mild  solution 
of  the  chloride  of  zinc,  about  twenty  grains  to  a  ^^int  of  water. 
He  should  have  regular  exercise  and  good  grooming,  using  the 
wisp  instead  of  the  curry-comb.  Surfeit  differs  from  mange,  in 
not  being  contagious. 

Urticaeia,  Nettle  Eash,  Hines,  etc., 

Shown  by  pimples,  or  elevations,  on  the  skin,  may  go  and  come 
within  twenty-four  hours,  generally  due  to  a  disturbance  of  the 
stomach,  such  as  gastric  derangement.  In  any  case  not  .serious, 
the  symptoms  are  as  follows:    The  horse  probably  not  having 


MANGE. 


1005 


taken  well  to  his  feed  (apparently  all  right),  a  few  hours  later  the 
whole  body  will  be  covered  with  little  erruptions,  or  elevations,  all 
over  the  skin. 

The  treatment  for  it  should  be  as  follows:  Give  a  cathartic, 
and  have  his  body  well  bathed  with  strong  salt  and  water.  This 
bathing  may  be  repeated  two  or  three  times  within  twenty -four 
hours ;  feed  lightly,  and  reduce  the  amount  of  grain  feed. 

This  disease  is  caused  by  over-feeding,  and  want  of  exercise. 
Is  always  common  to  fat  horses,  and  makes  its  appearance  dur- 
ing the  spring  and  summer  months. 

Mange 

Is  another  eruptive  disease,  and  is  very  contagious,  and  is  caused 
by  the  repeated  attacks  of  minute 
insects  which  burrow  into  the  skin ; 
these  insects  are  called  acari,  and 
can  be  easily  seen  by  means  of  a 
magnifying  glass.  (I  include  il- 
lustrations of  three  varieties  of 
mange  parasites.) 

Causes. — In  the  majority  of 
cases  it  is  the  result  of  contagion, 
either  from  coming  in  direct  con- 
tact with  a  mang}-"  hoi'se,  or  it 
may  be  carried  by  means  of  his 
harness  or  blankets.  It  is  also 
generated  by  uncleanliness  and  in-  ^^^-  864.— Mauge  parasite, 

sufficient  nourishment ;  the  skin,  from  being  allowed  to  become  cov- 
ered with  dh't,  loses,  in  a  great  measure,  its  highly  important  func- 
tion in  maintaining  an  animal  in  health. 

Symptoms. — Generally,  the  first  symptom  observed  is  the  an- 
imal rubbing  his  head  and  neck  against  the  stall  or  manger; 
small  pimples  appear,  and  the  hair  falls  off;  the  skin  is  dry  and 
hard,  and  upon  the  hardened  patches  may  be  seen  small  red  spots. 
A  horse  affected  with  mange  is  kept  in  a  constant  state  of  irrita- 
tion, which  soon  reduces  him  in  flesh. 

Treatment. — He  should  be  separated  from  other  animals,  and 
thoroughly  washed  with  soap  and  water  every  second  or  third 
day,  afterwards  dressed  with  the  following  application : — 


1006 


DISEASES  AND   THEIR  TREATMENT. 


4  ounces  linseed  oil, 
4  ounces  oil  of  tar, 

3  ounces  aulphur. 

Mix,  and  rub  well  into  the  affected  parts. 

No.  2. — 4  ounces  oil  turpentine, 

4  ounces  oil  tar, 

6  ounces  linseed  oil.  Mix. 

Alternately  with  the  above   application   mercurial   ointment 
may  be  used.      The  horse  should  have  a  generous  diet,  and  moder- 


FiG.  865. 


Fig.  8B6. 


Mange  parasites. 

ate  and  regular  exercise.     In  inveterate  cases  arsenical  solutions 
are  beneficial,  but  must  be  used  with  caution.     All  clothing,  har- 


Fio.  867. — One  of  the  tests  for  mange. 

ness,  etc.,  which  has  been  used  on  a  horse  affected  with   mange, 

should  be  thoroughly  cleansed  before  they  are  used  again. 

The  following  is  recommended  by  a  very  successful  veterinary. 

sui'geon : — 

"  Take  the  horse  in  tho  sun,  and  scrub  him  tlioroughly  all  over 
with  castile  soap  and  water,  then  wash  him  well  from  head  to  tail 
with  gas  water,  in  which  ^^"t  2  drachms  white  hellebore  to  the  gal- 


HEN-HCE.  1007 

Ion.  Ho  must  now  be  put  in  another  stall,  distant  from  the  one  in 
which  he  has  been  standing.  Thus  treated,  it  rarely  requires  more 
than  one  washing  to  effect  a  permanent  cure.  The  harness  should 
be  thoroughly  scrubbed,  and  put  away  for  six  or  eight  weeks. 
These  precautious  are  necessary  to  success  in  this  otherwise  trouble- 
some disease." 

Hen.  Lice. 

•  It  is  not  known  to  many  that  heu  lice  and  common  human 
body  lice  grow  on  horses  with  great  rapidity.  Hen  lice  especially 
are  sometimes  very  troublesome.  Prof.  Bouley,  in  1851,  first 
called  attention  to  them. 

Symptoms. — When  a  horse  is  taken  suddenly  with  irresistible 
itching,  sometimes  acting  half  frantic  in  his  efforts  to  relieve  him- 
self by  scratching,  biting,  striking  up  with  his  hind  feet,  and 
stamping,  examine  him  carefully  for  hen  lice.  This  trouble  is  to 
be  particularly  looked  for  where  hens  have  access  to,  or  roost  in, 
the  stable.  There  is  lia,ble  to  be  an  eruption  of  very  small  vesicles 
under  the  skin,  the  haii"  falling  off  in  small,  circular  spots.  In  a 
few  days  these  spots  are  liable  to  extend. 

When  neglected,  or  not  attended  to,  the  horse  is  liable  to  lose 
bii^  appetite,  grow  thin  and  weak,  on  account  of  the  constant  an- 
noyance and  irritation  to  which  he  is  made  subject. 

Treatment. — Remove  the  cause.  Hens  should  never  be  kept 
near  a  horse  stable,  nor  allowed  to  roost  in  it.  Wash  the  animal 
with  a  decoction  of  tobacco,  or  staphysgia;  whitewash  the  stable, 
and  observe  cleanliness.  If  subject  to  human  lice,  and  the  animal 
is  poor,  with  long  hair,  clip  it  off,  and  wash  the  animal  with  a  de- 
coction of  stavesacre,  one  ounce  of  the  powdered  seeds  to  a  pint  of 
water,  taking  care  that  the  animal  does  not  lick  himself  for  some 
time  after  the  remedy  has  been  applied. — J7illianis. 

An  ounce  of  arsenic  to  a  pail  of  soft  water,  with  wliich  wash 
the  horse  thoroughly  in  a  warm  place,  is  claimed  to  be  a  sure 
remedy  for  destroying  either  kind  of  lice. — Somerville. 

RiNG-WOKM. 

This  is  not  a  common  disease  among  horses.  It  consists  in  a 
parasitic  growth  of  organic  cells  in  the  surface  of  the  skin.  Ring- 
worm is  a  common  affection  in  man,  and  is  said  to  be  communica- 
ble from  him  to  the  lower  animals.  Like  other  diseases  of  the 
skin,  it  is  also  generated  by  uncleanliness. 


1008  DISEASES  AND  THEIK  TEBATMENT. 

Symptoms. — The  hair  falls  off  on  various  parts  of  the  body, 
especially  about  the  face,  eyelids,  cheeks,  neck,  and  thighs,  leav- 
ing small  and  apparently  ulcerated  patches,"  which  appear  white 
and  scaly,  and  have  a  peculiar  tendency  to  spread;  the  animal 
loses  flesh,  and  his  coat  becomes  dry  and  dirty  looking. 

Treatment. — Ring- worm,  if  attended  to  in  the  early  stage,  is^ 
easily  cured.       The  affected  parts  should  be  well  cleansed,  and 
touched  with  a  mild  caustic,  and  dressed  daily  with  the  following 
ointment : — 

1  di-achm.  iodine, 
1  ounce  lard. 

Or,  in  place  of  the  ointment,  a  liniment  composed  of — 

1  ounce  sulphur, 
6  drachms  iodide  of  potassium, 
3  drachms  iodine, 
10  ounces  oil  of  tar  ; 
May  be  used  daily. 

Scratches,  Mud  Fever,  and  Cracked  Heels 

Are  very  common  occurrences  among  horses,  especially  in  the 
spring  and  autumn  months,  and  the  hind  legs  are  oftener  affected 
than  the  fore  ones. 

Causes. — They  are  very  often  the  result  of  keeping  horses 
standing  in  damp  or  filthy  stables.  Clipping  the  hair  from  off 
the  legs  is  regarded  as  a  very  serious  cause  of  scratches,  as  it 
leaves  the  skin  so  ])are  that  it  cannot  as  readily  resist  the  efiects 
of  irritants  of  any  kind  as  when  protected  by  its  natural  covering; 
but  the  most  common  cause  is  the  habit  of  washing  the  legs  with 
cold  water,  and  not  drying  them  thoroughly  afterwards.  The 
sebaceovis  glands  in  the  hollow  of  the  pasterns  become  inflamed, 
their  secretion  is  increased,  the  skin  cracks  and  discharges  an 
ichorous  matter. 

Symptoms. — They  usually  cause  lameness,  more  or  less  severe, 
according  to  the  severity  of  the  attack,  always  mos.t  painful  for 
the  first  few  steps.  The  hollow  of  the  pasterns  are  swollen,  red, 
hot,  and  tender,  with  ti-ansverse  cracks  which  open  at  every  step, 
and  often  l)leed,  especially  in  cold  weather.  (A  good  illustration 
of  this  is  shown  by  Figs.  868  and  869. 

Treatment  must  be  regulated  according  to  the  extent  and 


OKACKED  HEELS. 


1009 


duration  of  tlie  disease.  lu  all  cases  the  liorse  should  be  kept  in 
a  dry  place,  with  an  abundance  of  clean  litter;  the  heels  should 
be  thoroughly  cleansed,  and  if  painful,  poultices  of  linseed  meal 
apphed  for  several  days.  If  the  horse  is  in  high  condition,  and 
the  legs  much  swollen,  a  full  dose  of  purgative  medicme  must  be 
given,  followed  by  two  or  three  doses  of  diuretic  medicine,  as, — 

3  draclims  nitrate  of  potash, 
'3  drachms  resin, 
With  soft  soap  sufficient  to  make  an  ordinary  sized  hall. 


Fio.  SOS. — A  very  bad 
case  of  scratches. 


Fig.  869. — Au  ordinary 
case  of  scratches. 


After  poulticing,  the  parts  should  be  dressed  once  or  twice  a 
day  with  the  following  lotion: — 

6  drachms  sulphate  of  zinc, 
1  ounce  acetate  of  lead, 
1  pint  water. 

Occasionally  scratches  prove  very  troublesome  and  difficult  to 
cure;  if  the  ulcerations  extend,  it  will  be  necessary  to  change  the 
dressing,  and  dry  powders,  such  as  oxide  of  zinc,  calomel,  etc., 
should  bo  tried. 

The  following  is  included  from  a  very  successful  practitioner, 
as  J  lis  favorite  treatment : — 

•  First  wasli  tlio  parts  off  well  with  wurin  Avutci-  uiid  soup,  dry 
thoroughly,  and  ai^ply  the  folloAviiig  ointment  twice  a  day:— 

6t 


1010 


DISEASES  AND  THEIR  TEEATMENT. 


**  3  ounces  oxide  of  zinc, 
2  drachms  carbolic  acid, 
10  ounces  lard. 


Mix. 


"  If  the  case  is  serious,  internal  remedies  must  be  resorted  to. 
First  give  a  laxative,  then  feed  twice  a  da}^  one  of  the  following 
powders: — 

' '  Ij  ounces  sulphate  of  iron, 
3  ounces  gentian  root,  pulverized. 
"  Make  into  eight  powders. "  _ 

The  prescription  given  below  was  obtained  b}^  the  writer  un- 
der the  following  circumstances,  which  will  illustra.te  its  value: 

When  traveling  through  Ohio,  dur- 
ing the  winter  of   1866,  in  conse- 
quence of    deep   mud,    Turco's  feet 
became  badly  affected  with  scratches, 
or  cracked  heels.     In  spite  of  all  that 
could  be  done,  the  ulcerations  con- 
tinued to  spread,  in  connection  with 
deep  cracks  across  the  heels,  which 
would  bleed  whenever  he  was  moved. 
Persons  who  had  been  in  the  army 
who  saw  him,  stated  that  his  feet 
were  affected  as  were  those  in  the 
array,  when  they  lost  their  hoofs. 
While  trying  to  drive  him  one  morn- 
ing, a   drunken   fellow,  who  intro- 
duced himself  as  the  local  horse  doc- 
tor, claimed  that  ho  had  a  remedy 
that  would  cure  the   horse  completely  in  two  weeks.     Having 
no  confidence  whatever  in  the  fellow,  I  paid  no  attention  to  him, 
but  was  finally  induced,  mainly  to  free  myself  from  his  annoy- 
ance, to  buy  the   prescription.      Next   day  he  followed   me   to 
the  adjoining  toAvn,  when  he  again  assured  me,  if  I  would  try 
the  medicine,  he  would  warrant  it  to  cure  the  case.     To  get  rid 
of  him,  I  finally  told  him  he  might  go  and  make  as  much  medicine 
as  he  pleased,  and  I  would  pay  him  for  it.     He  prepared  the  med- 
icine, and  it  was  applied  by  the  groom  to  the  horse,  as  directed, 
that  night.     Next  morning  there  was  such  a  decided  improvement 
that  I  was  encouraged  to  persevere  in  its  use,  and  in  two  weeks 
both  legs  were  entirely  cured. 


Fig.  aiO. — ybuwiiig  the  legs  in 
healthy  condition. 


CEACKED   HEELS.  lOH 

I  regard  the  prescription  very  valuable,  and  mention  this  fact 
as  proof  of  its  effectiveness: — 

2  ounces  resiii, 
2  ounces  copperas, 
2  ounces  alum, 
1  ounce  beeswax, 

1  pint  tar, 

Tallow,  size  of  hen's  egg. 
Boil  over  a  slow  fire,  skim  off  the  filth,  and  add  a  handful  of  the  scrap- 
ings of  sweet  elder.     When  cool,  it  is  fit  for  use. 

Another  remedy,  for  Avbich  much  is  claimed,  is  the  follow- 
ing:— 

6  ounces  sweet  oil, 

2  ounces  borax, 

2  ounces  sugar  of  lead.  Mix. 

First  wash  clean  with  soft  water  and  castile  soap.  When  dry,  apply 
once  a  day. 

Sometimes  a  horse  will  irritate  or  break  the  skin  by  getting  a 
rope  or  strap  around  the  leg,  which,  if  neglected,  will  cause  a 
great  deal  of  trouble  by  inducing  scratches  or  cracking  of  the 
skin.  The  leg  should  be  immediately  poulticed  with  flax  seed 
meal,  until  all  inflammation  subsides.  The  horse  in  the  meantime 
should  have  bran  mashes,  with  a  small  dose  of  physic. 

If,  however,  it  has  been  neglected,  and  scratches  or  ulceration 
of  the  skin  follow,  it  must  be  treated  the  same  as  for  an  ordinary 
case  of  scratches.  I  have  found  that  tying  a  thickness  or  two  of 
flannel  loosely  around  the  part  for  a  few  days  after  treatment,  is 
very  beneficial. 

Mr.  J.  F.  Beaver,  of  the  firm  of  Beaver  &  Williams  Livery,  Bat- 
tle Creek,  Mich.,  gave  me  the  remedy  below,  which  he  claims  to 
be  the  best  thing  he  ever  used  for  cracked  heels.  That,  twelve 
years  ago,  he  bought  a  very  fast  trotter  that  was  regarded  worth- 
less on  account  of  his  heels  cracking  so  badly  that  he  could  not  be 
speeded.  Every  effort  to  cure  him  previously  having  failed,  a 
careful  application  of  this  remedy  cured  him  perfectly.  He  has 
used  it  on  a  number  of  bad  cases  since  then,  always  with  success. 
He  thinks  it  the  best  ever  used  for  the  cure  of  cracked  heels,  and 
would  not  be  without  it  for  one  hundred  dollars.  The  prescription 
was  obtained  of  one  of  the  best  known  and  successful  veterinary 
surgeons  in  the  country.  Mr.  B.'s  statement  was  fully  corrobo- 
rated by  friends  who  were  acquainted  with  all  the  facts,  and  is  un- 


1012  DISEASES  AND  THEIK   TEEATMENT. 

doubtedly  a  remedy  of  great  value.     I  include  the  prescription, 

with  directions,  as  given  me  :— 

"  The  immediate  causes  of  cracked  heels,  though  various,  may 
be  summed  up  under  the  general  heads  of  neglect  and  mismanage- 
ment. Any  very  sudden  change  from  heat  to  cold,  or  from  cold  to 
heat,  is  very  likely  to  derange  the  secretions  of  the  skin.  Hence 
washing  the  legs,  esj)ecially  with  hot  water,  is  very  apt  to  induce 
cracked  heels.  The  use  of  caustics  and  active  astringents  fre- 
quently does  irreparable  mischief.  "  Gummj^-legged  "  horses,  i.  e., 
those  whose  legs  are  disposed  to  fill,  are  predisjjosed  to  cracked 
heels.  Though  this  affection  is  usually  associated  with  neglect  or 
mismanagement,  we  occasionally  find  it  in  animals  receiving  the 
best  of  care.  Horses  well  groomed  and  regularly  exercised  some- 
times suffer  from  cracked  heels.  The  process  of  sweating  induces 
the  affection.  The  sweat  runs  down  into  the  hollow  of  the  heels, 
and  the  evaporation  of  the  perspiration,  strongl}''  impregnated  as 
it  is  with  the  salts  of  the  blood,  may  possibly  lead  to  disease.  In 
regard  to  treatment,  first,  the  cause,  if  it  can  be  discovered,  must 
be  removed.  The  heels  should  be  washed  ever}^  night  with  warm 
water,  and  carefully  enveloped  in  flannel  bandages.  Soap,  though 
commonly  used  along  with  the  water,  is  injurious,  because  the  al- 
kali contained  in  it  spoils  the  material  thrown  out  for  the  repara- 
tive process.  Ointments  of  various  kinds  are  used.  The  following, 
if  properly  prepared,  is  an  excellent  remedy:  Take  of  oxide  of 
zinc,  one  drachm ;  Veterinary  Cosmoline,  one  ounce ;  powdered 
gum  benzoin,  ten  grains ;  camphorated  spirits,  one  drachm ;  mix 
thoroughly.  The  mode  of  application  is  a  matter  for  attention.  It 
should  be  gently  rubbed  upon  the  cracks  with  the  finger,  so  as  to 
distribute  it  in  a  moderately  thick  layer  over  the  whole  of  the  af- 
fected part,  and  to  insinuate  it  as  much  as  possible  under  any  crusts 
that  may  be  fonned  in  the  disease.  Once  properly  applied,  it  will 
prevent  further  crust  from  collecting,  while  it  serves  the  several 
purposes  of  a  new  cuticle  to  the  abraded  skin,  a  water-dressing,  and 
a  barrier  to  the  oxidizing  action  always  present  in  inflammation. 
The  heels  must  not  be  washed  after  the  application  of  the  oint- 
ment ;  they  may  be  wiped  with  a  soft  napkin  as  much  as  may  seem 
necessary,  but  when  the  ointment  is  once  applied,  it  should  not  be 
removed  by  Avashing  without  good  reason.  Or  the  following  lini- 
ment may  be  successfully  applied :  Take  of  Goulard's  extract,  En- 
glish glycerine,  and  skunk  oil,  two  parts  each ;  liquor  ammonia, 
half  a  part ;  mix.  Agitate  before  using,  and  apply  with  a  soft 
brush  twice  a  day." 

See  also  hoof  ointment  on  page  983,  which  Prof.  Gamgee,  of 

Edinburgh,  Scotland,  says  is  one  of  the  very  best  remedies  for 

scratches  or  cracked  heels. 

Grease. 

This  may  be  considered  as  an  aggravated  condition  of  scratches, 
and  is  induced  by  the  same  general  causes.     In  the  early  stage,  it 


GEEASE. 


1018 


consists  in  inflammation  of  the  sweat  glands,  foMfewed  by  an  of- 
fensive, white,  oily  discharge  from  the  heels.  The  acrid  character 
of  the  discharge  often  causes  large  portions  of  the  skin  to  slough 
away,  leaving  ugly  sores  behind. 

Symptoms. — There  is  genei'ally  more  or  less  swelling  of  the 
legs,  which,  if  not  speedily  relieved,  is  followed  by  a  discharge; 
the  hair  falls  oft',  and  the  skin  is  reddened  and  inflamed.  The 
parts  are  very  painful  and  hot,  and  in  many  cases  the  least  press- 
ure of  the  hand  will  make  the  horse  twitch  up  his  leg,  and  con- 
tinue to  hold  it  up  for  some  time. 
In  other  cases,  when  made  to  move 
about  in  his  stall,  or  when  taken 
out  of  his  stable  in  the  morning, 
he  will  keep  twitching  up  his  legs 
as  if  he  were  aflfected  with  string- 
halt.  Exercise  appears  to  relieve 
the  pain,  as  after  being  walked 
for  ten  or  fifteen  minutes,  he  goes 
quite  free.  As  the  disease  ad- 
vances, the  skin  cracks,  and  the 
discharge  increases,  becoming  more 
and  more  purulent  and  offensive. 
(A  good  illustration  of  its  appear- 
ance at  this  stage  is  given  in  Fig. 
871.)  The  swelling  increases,  not 
being  confined  to  the  heels,  but  in-  ^i^^-  8~i.— A  bad  condition  of  grease, 
volving  the  front  of  the  fetlock  joint,  and  in  some  cases  extending 
uj)wards  to  the  hock.  The  cracked  condition  of  the  legs  and  heels 
undergoes  a  change  of  structure,  and  fungoid  granulations  spring 
up  similar  in  form  to  a  bunch  of  keys;  this  is  called  the  "orapy 
stage,"  which  may* vary  considerably  in  structure,  at  one  time  be- 
ing very  vascular,  bleeding  readily  when  touched,  in  other  in- 
stances it  loses  its  vascularity,  and  becomes  hard  and  horny ;  from 
between  the  crevices  of  the  grapes  an' ichorous,  glairy  discharge 
continues. 

There  is  a  small  parasite,  called  sarcoptes  hippopodus,  which  is 
sometimes  found  in  chronic  grease,  an  illustration  of  which  I  here 
give  largely  magnified,  from  Williams,  who  says  this  class  of  insect 
may  be  also  common  to  mange.     The  disease  induced  by  it  is  called 


lOU 


DISEASES  AND  THEIR  TREATMENT. 


foot  mange,  iibtention  is  drawn  to  a  horse  with  this  disease  by  his 
rubbing  his  fore  legs,  or  striking  constantly  with  the  hind  ones 
during  the  night.  The  seat  of  the  disease,  and  the  ready  detec- 
tion of  numerous  parasites  in  clusters  where  crusts  or  scabs  form 
about  the  horse's  heels,  suffice  to  enable  us  to  diagnose  the  malady. 
Treatment. — Without  cleanliness,  all  medicinal  remedies  are 
useless.      The  heels  should  be  washed  with  soap  and  water  every 

day,  and  the  general  comfort 
of  the  animal  attended  to.  If 
the  patient  is  in  high  condition, 
a  dose  of  purgative  medicine 
must  be  given,  and  the  animal 
restricted  to  a  cooling  diet,  as 
carrots,  bran,  etc. ;  or,  if  in  sum- 
mer, green  food  is  preferable. 
The  following  lotion  may  be 
applied  daily,  which,  in  mild 
cases,  will  generally  suffice: — 

30  grains  chloride  of  zinc, 
1  pint  water. 

In  cases  of  long  standing,  the 
hair  must  be  cut  off,  and  the 
parts  softened  with  linseed  meal 
poultices;  to  which  may  be 
added  charcoal,  yeast,  or  bleach- 
ing powder.  After  removing 
Fig.  872.-Sarcoptes  hippopodus.  the   poultices,    dust    the    parts 

over  with  oxide  of  zinc  powder,  or  apply  the  following  ointment 
every  morning,  to  be  washed  off  at  night: — 
1  scruple  acetate  of  lead, 
4  drachms  soft  soap, 
4  drachms  lard. 

As  in  other  skin  diseases,  small  doses  of  Fowler's  solution  of 
arsenic  is  generally  attended  with  beneficial  results. 

Tumor  on  the  Shoulder. 

Very  often,  in  consequence  of  continued  chafing  of  the  collar, 
which  may  be  neglected,  serious  inflammation  is  caused,  some- 
times followed  by  a  deep  cyst  of  matter,  beneath  the  large  flat 


TUMOE  ON  THE  SHOULDER 


1015 


Fig.  873.- 


-Showing  tumor  on  elbow 
and  shoulder. 


muscle  which  covers  the  front  of  the  shoulder.     The  tissues  around 
the  part  become  thickened  and  indurated  so  that  it  is  frequently 

difficult  to  detect  any  fluctu- 
ation of  matter,  yet  it  may 
be  assumed,  when  there  is  con- 
siderable swelling,  that  has 
continued  for  some  time,  and 
matter  exists,  there  will  not 
be  recovery  until  it  has  been 
removed.  In  slight  cases  only, 
a  little  nut-like  induration 
usually  forms  without  matter. 
Treatment.-In  cases  where 
injury  is  recent,  if  the  horse 
must  be  used,  change  the  col- 
lar, so  that,  if  possible,  no  chaf- 
ing or  pressure  will  be  brought 
upon  the  part.  Bathe  the  shoulder  with  hot  and  cold  water  ac- 
cording to  the  severity  of  the  case,  or  two  or  three  thicknesses  of 
wet  blanket  may 
be  slung  over  the 
shouldei'.  Bathing 
the  part  thor-.^Sjl, 
oughly  with  arn-  jii,',/  ^'*\\: 
ica  which  has  been 
reduced  about  one- 
third  with  water, 
is  a  favorite  rem- 
edy for  chaffs  and 
bruises.  The  fol- 
lowing liniments ' 
for  external  in- 
flam  mation  are 
very  good: — 

2  ounces  wonn-wood, 
1  quart  New  England    Fig.  874. — A  good  method  of  covering  shoulder  with  wet 
rum.  cloths  or  poultices,  when  seriously  chaffed  or  inflamed. 

Steep  the  womi-wood  in  the  liquor,  and  apply  the  preparation  thor- 
oughly to  the  shoulder.     Or, 


loir; 


DTSRASES  AND  TIIKTR  TUKATM  KXT. 


1  ounce  Goulard's  extract, 

2  o\mces  vinegar, 

3  ounces  spirits  of  wine, 
Hi  pints  water. 

Cover  the  part  Avith  two  or  three  thicknesses  of  cloth  kejit  wcit  with  tliis. 

An  excellent  remedy  for  bruises  and  soreness,  caused  1\y  kicks, 
etc.,  is  made  by  putting  all  the  camphor  into  whisky  which  it 
will  cut  or  dissolve.     Bathe  the  part  thoroughly  with  this. 

If  a  tumor  forms,  open  it  with  a  knife,  and  treat  like  an  or- 
dinary wound ;  or  the  matter  can  be  drawn  off  with  a  trochar 
and  canula,  until  the  sac  is  reduced,  when  it  can  be  opened.  If  a 
solid  tumoi-  forms,  a  straight  verticle  incision  is  to  be  made 
through  the  skin  over  the  mass,  and  dissected  out,  when  the  skin 
is  to  be  brought  together  witli  stitches,  and  treated  as  a  simple 
wound. 

Tumor  ox  Point  of  the  Elbow 

These  are,  in  most  cases,  caused  by  the  heels  of  the  shoe  when 

the  horse  lies  with 
his  fore  limbs  bent 
under  him. 

Treatment.  —  If 
in  its  acute  stage, 
hot  or  cold  applica- 
tions may  be  used; 
if  very  much  swol- 
len, bathincr  with  hot 
Avater  will  be  best. 
W  hen  the  acute  stage 
passes  off,  apply  an 
iodine  or  biniodide  of 
mercury  blister  ;  if 
serum  is  secreted,  it 
is  recommended  as 
the  simplest  treat- 
ment, to  draw  it  off 
with  a  canula  and 
trochar,  and  inject 
the  sac  with  compound  tincture  of  iodine,  diluted  Avith  twice  the 
quantity  of  Avatei-.     Or,  open  the  sac  freely  at  the  lower  part,  and 


Fio.  87."). — A  good  method  of  ruveriiiir  or  poultic- 
ing tlic  elbow  when  injured. 


SAT.LENDEPuS.  1017 

heal  like  a  common  wound.  If  a  hard  mass  is  left  beneath  the 
skin,  it  is  to  be  dissected  out,  and  the  skin  brought  together  with 
a  couple  of  stitches,  and  treat  as  a  simple  wound. 

Sallenders 

Is  a  name  given  to  an  eruption  on  the  front  of  the  hock  joint,  con- 
sisting in  a  scurfiness  of  the  skin,  accompanied  by  an  ichorous  dis- 
charge and  falling  oitt  of  the  hair. 

Causes. — High  feeding  without  exercise,  disorder  of  the  di- 
gestive system,  uncleanliness,  and  bad  grooming.  In  stallions  of 
the  heavy  draught  breed  they  are  a  very  common  affection,  and 
prove  difficult  to  remove. 

Treatmeiit. — Dress  the  parts  with  mercurial  or  iodine  oint- 
ments, keep  the  legs  dry  and  clean,  and  give  regular  but  not  se- 
vere exercise,  and  occasionally  a  dose  of  laxative  medicine.  When 
only  slight,  the  following  lotion  may  remove  them : — 

20  grains  corrosive  sublimate, 
1  pint  water. 
Apply  twice  a  day. 

Mallenders 

Is  the  name  given  to  a  similar  affection  located  at  the  back  of  the 
knee.      The  treatment  must  be  the  same  as  for  sallenders. 

Saddle  and  Collar  Galls, 

A  very  common  occurrence  among  horses,  are  caused  by  uneven 
pressure  of  the  saddle  or  collar;  the  skin  becomes  excoriated,  and 
the  hair  falls  off.  Large  inflammatory  swellings  appear,  which 
may  form  into  abscesses,  or  the  skin  may  become  indurated  and 
thickened. 

Treatment. — The  parts  should  be  fomented  with  warm  water, 
and  some  simple  or  cooling  lotion  applied,  as, — 

1  ounce  acetate  of  lead, 
1  pint  water. 

If  abscesses  form,  they  must  be  freely  opened,  and  well  fo- 
mented or  poulticed.  When  the  skin  becomes  indurated,  forming 
what  are  called  sitfasts,  thev  must  be  dissected  out. 

The  following  is  said  to  be  an  excellent  healing  lotion  for  sad- 
dle or  collar  galls: — 


1018  DISEASES   AISTD   THEIK   TEEATMENT. 

Ij  ounces  sulphate  copper, 
1  ounce  sulphate  zinc, 
Ij  ounces  sugar  of  lead. 
Put  in  three  pints  of  water.      Swab  on  the  parts  tv/o  or  three  times  a 
da3\      Reduces  inflammation,  and  sets  uj)  healing  granulation  of  parts. 

Tenotomy. 

As  the  name  indicates,  it  consists  in  division  of  the  tendons  in 
cases  of  morbid  contraction,  ^ivino-  rise  to  knudcUng-  over  the  fet- 
lock,  causing  the  whole  weight  to  be  thrown  on  the  toe.  It  is 
only  applicable  to  cases  in  which  we  have  no  anchylosis  of  the 
joints. 

The  horse  being  cast  and  properly  secured,  the  leg  is  taken  out 
of  tlie  hobbles,  and  a  rope  attached  to  the  foot,  which  is  held  by 
assistants.  A  lono-itudinal  incision  is  made  about  an  inch  in 
length,  a  little  in  front  of  the  tendons,  and  below  any  point  of 
thickening  that  may  exist.  A  common,  small  bladed  scalpel,  or 
the  curved  tenotomy  knife,  is  passed  in,  care  being  taken  to  avoid 
the  artery  vein  and  nerve,  and  the  tendons  are  divided ;  the  skin 
behind  must  not  be  cut,  as  the  ends  of  the  tendon  may  protrude, 
giving  rise  to  fungus  growths.  The  foot  should  now  be  easily 
brought  into  its  natural  position ;  if  not,  some  force  should  be  used 
to  bring  it  back  "  by  placing  the  knee  against  the  front  or  pro- 
jecting part  of  it,  at  the  same  time  laying  hold  of  the  foot  with 
one  hand,  and  the  upper  part  of  the  leg  with  the  other,  and  using 
considerable  force."  This  is  sometimes  necessary  to  break  up  ad- 
hesions which  may  have  formed.  A  stitch  or  two  should  be  put 
in  the  wound,  and  a  thick  woolen  bandage  kept  constantly  wet 
with  cold  water  should  be  applied  for  some  days.  If  much  in- 
flammation ensues,  a  poultice  should  be  applied,  and  some  purga- 
tive medicine  given. 

If  the  fetlock  descends  too  much,  the  heels  should  be  raised. 
If  adhesions  take  place  during  recovery,  a  tipjjed  shoe  should  be 
put  on  the  foot.  In  from  two  to  three  months  he  will  be  fit  for 
work. 

In  a  conversation  with  Dr.  Hamill  about  this  operation,  in  ex- 
plaining the  simplicity  and  success  of  the  operation,  he  referred  to 
a  case  in  point.  To  make  the  matter  more  clear  to  the  general 
reader,  I  made  the  request  that  he  would  write  out  a  statement  of 


TEi^OTOMY. 


1019 


the  method  of  treatment  used  by  him,  with  a  drawing-  showing 
the  position  of  the  foot  before  being  operated  upon ;  also  drawings 
of  his  method  of  adjustment  for  holding  the  foot  in  position  after 
the  operation,  which  are  here  given: — 

"  Tenotomy,  or   Division  of  the  Tendons. 

"  This  is  one  of  the  simplest,  as  well  as  one  of  the  most  useful 
operations  in  equine  surgery,  as  it  will  restore 
to  normal  position  and  strength  a  limb  which  has 
been  so  much  deformed  by  contraction  of  the 
great  flexor  tendon  of  the  foot,  as  to  leave  an 
otherwise  good  horse  utterly  useless.  This  con- 
traction causes  Avbat  is  known  as  knuckling,  or 
descending  forward  and  downward  of  the  fetlock 
joint  towards  the  ground. 

"  The  operation  is  as  follows :  The  horse  is 
secured  (in  some  cases  throwing  down  is  unnec- 
essary), the  leg  is  flexed  or  bent  at  the  knee,  a 
very  small  incision  is  made  through  the  skin  on 
the  inside  of  the  leg,  at  the  inner  border  of  the 
tendon,  whez-e  it  stands  out  freest  from  the  '  can- 
non bone.'  (See  Fig.  876.)  Then  insert  a  probe 
pointed  tenotomy  knife,  keeping  it  pressed  as 
close  to  the  tendon  as  possible  to  avoid  cutting 
the  arteiy,  which  may  be  better  protected  by 
pressing  with  the  fingers  of  the  left  hand  towards 

the  bone,  all  the 


Fig.  876. — Showing 
the  position  of  the 
foot  before  being 
operated  upon. 


soft  tissues  ]y-        a,   Point  to  enter 
ing  in    front  of  the  knife  for  cutting 
the     tendon,    the  tendons. 
Press  the  knife 

in  until  the  skin  is  reached,  but 
not  cut  on  the  opposite  side; 
turn  the  edge  towards  the  ten- 
don, cut  carefully  backward, 
while  an  attendant  straightens 
the  limb,  until  both  tendons  are 
severed,  if  necessary,  to  let  the 
limb  out  straight.  But  a  small 
wound  is  best  for  the  healing 
process.  And  where  adhesions 
have  taken  j)lace,  force  is  re- 
quired to  straighten  out  the  foot, 
with  the  b7-ace  or  sfcq/  shoe.  (See 
Fig.  878.)  With  a  little  antisep- 
tic dressing  occasionally  to  the 
wound,  recovery  will  take  place  early.  As  a  much  better  '  set ' 
limb  can  be  had  with  use  of  stai/  shoe,  it  may  be  added  that  one  can 
be  easily  made  by  welding  a  bar  of  the  desired  length  on  the  old 


Fig.  877.  — Drawing  of  the  shoe  and  bar 

used  for  the  treatment  of  the 

case  referred  to. 


1020 


DISEASES  AND  THEIE  TKEATMENT. 


shoe,  setting  it  to  the  position  of  the  sound  limb,  then  packing  and 
bandaging  all  together  jiist  above  the  point  of  operation.  (See  il- 
lustrations below.) 

"  The  adjustable  brace  shoe,  shown  in  Fig.  877,  is  also  simjjle, 
which  is  taken  from  the  very  shoe  actually  in  use  on  one  of  the 
worst  cases  of  contraction  of  the  flexor  tendon  ever  in  New  York 

City.  A  horse  belong- 
ing to  Messrs.  Smith  & 
McWilliam,  Manhat- 
tan Gas  Works,  N.  Y., 
was  a  large,  powerful 
draught  horse,  be- 
tween fourteen  a  n  d 
fifteen  hundred 
weight,  used  at  very 
h  ea vy  work .  T  h  rough 
some  sprain  to  the  off 
hind  limb,  he  kept 
walking  on  the  toe  for 
about  five  or  six 
months.  Every  known 
remedy  was  tried  to 
prevent  knuckling, 
both  as  regards  medi- 
cal  treatment  and 
Fig  878.^D^wing  of  model  shoe  and  bar  designed  shoeing.  Heavy  plates 
for  this  purpose,  and  its  adjustment.  of  steel  were  welded  in 

front  of  the  toe  of  the 
shoo.  During  another  six  months,  he  kept  going  over,  until 
finally  he  walked  on  the  anterior  face  of  the  hoof,  with  the  fetlock 
joint  resting  on  the  ground.  Fig.  87G  shows  the  position  in  which 
the  foot  was  carried.  The  limb  appeared  to  bo  paralyzed  above  the 
joint.  When  he  was  down,  he  was  quite  hel])less,  had  to  be  helped 
up,  and  in  the  end  could  hardly  be  made  to  stand  alone.  The  own- 
ers decided  to  have  him  destroyed,  although  only  eight  years  old, 
but  first  acquainted  their  veterinary  surgeon.  He  advised  tenot- 
omy, which  was  performed  in  the  month  of  March,  1878.  In  a 
fcAv  weeks  the  horse  worked  on  Mr.  Smith's  farm  at  heavy  plough- 
ing, and  other  farm  work.  Shortl}^  after,  he  was  taken  back  to 
the  city,  put  to  the  same  heavy  work  again,  when  he  worked  for 
two  j^eai-s,  and  never  afterward  showed  the  slightest  lameness,  or 
even  weakness  in  that  lecc." 

In  1865,  I  purchased  a  pair  of  finely  matched  stallions.  After 
being  trained  carefully,  the  first  time  exhibited  they  were  driven 
to  a  new  wagon.  In  turning  short  around,  the  wheel  caught  into 
the  rub-iron,  and  being  on  sideling  ground,  it  caused  the  wagon 
to  upset,  when  the  horses  got  away  and  ran  into  their  stable  close 
by.     Upon  examination,  it  was  found  that  the  sharp  corner  of 


TENOTOMY.  1021 

the  tire  on  the  fore  wheel,  in  striking  one  of  the  horse's  hind  leos, 
entirely  severed  the  tendons  about  three  and  a  half  to  four  inches 
above  the  point  of  the  fetlock,  allowing  the  foot  to  turn  up,  and 
the  ankle  to  rest  upon  the  ground.  I  supposed,  of  course,  the 
horse  was  ruined,  and  beyond  help.  At  that  time  I  knew  noth- 
ing at  all  about  the  treatment  of  sickness  or  lameness,  and  there 
being  no  veterinary  surgeon  in  all  that  region  of  country,  was 
consequently  thrown  upon  my  own  resources.  The  horse  being  a 
valuable  one,  and  the  injury  to  him  breaking  up  a  fine  team,  I 
was  bound  to  save  him  if  I  could,  and  succeeded  in  doing  so  as 
follows : — • 

I  had  the  horse  put  in  slings;  next  had  the  shoe  taken  off  the 
foot,   to  which   I   had   a    piece  of    strong  iron 
welded  on  at  the  toe.      I  then  took  a  piece  of 
leather,  di-ew  it  around  the  fetlock,  and  fast- 
ened through  a  loop  in  the  iron,  as  shown  in 
Fig.  879.     The  part  was  simply  dressed  as  an 
ordinary  wound.     Excessive  inflammation  was 
kept  down  by  showering  with  cold  water.     In 
about  five  weeks  the  parts  seemed  to  be  entirely 
healed,  leaving  considerable  enlargement;    but  Fig.  S79.— Thefootas 
fearing  that  by  giving  him  entire  freedom,  the      ^*'  ^^^  supported, 
tendons  might  be  torn  apart,  I  kept  him  in  slings  a  little  over 
seven  weeks.  ♦ 

I  kept  a  man  with  this  horse  night  and  day,  with  instructions 
to  let  him  stand  upon  his  feet  easily  an  hour  oi-  so  at  a  time,  then 
alternating  by  shortening  the  slings,  so  as  to  rest  his  weight  prin- 
cipally upon  them.  It  was  also  so  arranged,  by  an  ftctra  strap 
behind,  as  to  pull  forward  and  upward  like  a  breeching.  Every 
precaution  was  taken  to  nur.se,  by  giving  nourishing  and  easily 
digested  food.  Indeed,  without  this  precaution,  I  think  he  could 
not  have  been  saved,  as  the  weather  was  very  warm,  and  very 
trying  for  a  horse  to  stand  so  long  in  a  warm  stable.  As  it  was, 
he  Avas  very  much  emaciated  when  taken  out  of  tlie  slings,  tliough 
he  soon  regained  his  strength  and  flesh,  and  seemed  to  be  as  well  as 
ever.  The  enlargement  gradually  subsided,  so  that  at  the  end  of 
a  year  it  was  scarcely  noticeable.  There  was  at  first  a  little  want 
of  mobility  in  the  limb,  but  it  soon  disappeared. 

I  would  here  add  that  it  would  have  facilitated  the  absorption 


1022  DISEASES  AISTD  THEIE  TEEATMENT. 

of  the  enlargement,  to  have  used  a  slight  absorbant,  with  moder- 
ate pressure  of  a  light  woolen  bandage. 

Castration. 

The  following  article  was,  by  special  request,  written  by  Dr. 
Chas.  A.  Meyer,  who  is  an  expert  in  the  performance  of  this  oper- 
ation : — 

"  Castration  by  the  Latest  Method. 

"  Advances  and  progress  have  been  made  in  all  branches  of  the 
sciences  and  arts,  and  the  art  and  science  of  surgery  has  been  one 
of  them.  The  nature,  tcmj^erament,  and  disposition  of  the  horse 
is  better  understood,  and  the  educated  veterinarian  often  risks  his 
life  for  the  benefit  of  stock  raisers.     We  tt"!!!,  therefore,  speak  of 


yiQ.  880. — Miles'  Ecraseufe. 

the  most  improved  method  of  casti'atmg  the  staUion,  as  it  is  now, 
and  will  in  the  future  be  performed,  with  more  ease  and  success. 
The  old  method  of  castrating  the  stallion,  which  so  often  injures 
the  animal  by  breaking  his  back,  injuring  his  limbs,  spraining  his 
muscles,  and  frequently  disabling  him  for  life,  is  now  prevented. 
The  method  as  now  performed  is  to  castrate  the  animal  standing, 
using  no  ropes  to  tie  his  legs,  no  hard  usage,  no  clamps,  and  less  lia- 
ble to  cause  tetanus,  eryseplas,  sclerous  cord,  etc.  The  operation  is 
as  follows : — 

"■  Put  a  halter  on  the  anunal,  speak  to  him  kindly,  lead  him  to 
a  corner,  and  quietly  back  him  into  it.  Have  the  groom  hold  the 
halter-rope  with  the  right  hand,  rather  short,  and  place  his  left 
hand  or  arm  over  the  face  of  the  horse,  and  turn  the  animal's  head 
to  the  left,  or  nigh  side.  The  operator  should  have  a  sharp  castrat- 
ing knife,  a  pair  of  scissors,  and,  the  most  important  instrument  of 
all,  the  ecraseure  (as  shown  in  Pig.  880),  called  Miles'  Ecraseure. 
The  operator  should  stand  on  the  nigh  side,  midAvay  between  the 
fore  and  hind  legs  (say  nothing  to  the  horse),  grasp  the  scrotum 
gently  in  the  left  hand  above  the  testicles,  now  with  the  knife  held 
about  8  to  10  inches  from  the  scrotum,  make  a  slash  into,  and 
throng  the  coverings  of  the  testicles,  cutting  into  them  pi'oper. 
While  the  cut  is  made  with  the  fore  fingers  at  the  back  of  the  scro- 


CASTEATION.  1023 

turn,  raise  the  severed  coverings,  and  the  tosticles  pop  out.  This 
must  bo  done  quickly.  Then  step  back,  apply  the  chain  of  the  ec- 
raseure  about  an  inch  above  the  testicle,  and  quickly  tighten  the 
chain.  "When  a  finn  tortion  is  on  the  chain,  gradually  tighten  the 
same,  when  a  peculiar  grating  sensation  will  bo  felt.  Do  not  cut 
clear  through  the  cord  with  the  chain.  Then  take  your  scissors 
and  cut  below  the  chain,  Avhen  the  testicle  will  fall  to  the  ground. 
Gradually  loosen  the  chain,  v/hich  should  require  about  half  a  min- 
ute, and  repeat  the  same  operation  on  the  second  testicle.  You 
will  not  have  any  bleeding,  and  the  animal  will  stand  perfectly 
quiet. 

"  This  was  at  one  time  performed  by  a  few  men,  who  ti*aveled 
through  the  country  castrating,  and  v*^ho  captivated  the  stock  rais- 
ers by  their  clever  way  of  operating,  and  who  look  upon  it  as  a  se- 
cret, of  which  there  is  no  such  thing.  The  whole  secret  lies  in 
this :  The  testicles  ai'O  endowed  with  a  profuse  plexus  of  nerves, 
and  is  a  highly  sensitive  organ.  By  making  a  sharp,  quick  incis- 
ion in  the  testicle,  the  pain  is  so  intense  that  the  animal  becomes 
unnerved,  and  is  under  complete  control  of  the  operator.  In  this 
lies  the  whole  secret.  In  some  cases,  the  stallion  makes  a  few 
sharp,  quick  kicks  v/ith  one  leg,  but  they  are  so  as  not  to  get  in 
close  proximity  with  the  operator,  being  straight  out  behind. 
There  is  no  danger  to  either  the  operator  or  the  horse,  ifothing 
is  applied  to  the  vfounded  jDai-t,  which  is  to  be  left  alone,  and  a 
slight  swelling  v,'i!l  bo  visible  for  a  few  days,  which  is  natural,  and 
must  be  to  produce  a  healing  of  tho  parts.  The  percentage  of  loss 
is  very  slight,  and  only  then  duo  to  complications,  such  as  colds, 
etc.  I  have  never  ^'^et  seen  an  animal  die  from  being  operated  upon 
by  this  method." 

The  Old  Method, 

As  practiced  by  an  old  man  named  Gould,  who  is  a  resident  near 
Bath,  Steuben  Co.,  N.  Y.  He  is  known  in  that  and  surrounding- 
counties  for  his  success  in  castrating  horses,  claiming  to  have  never 
lost  a  case,  and  that  there  was  but  little  swelling  after  the  opera- 
tion. The  writer  took  particular  pains  to  see  the  old  man  operate, 
and  learn  his  secret. 

The  horse  was  laid  down,  and  tied  in  the  usual  manner.  He 
washed  the  parts  thoroughly  with  warm  water,  and  then  greased 
with  lard.  The  clamps  were  of  the  usual  kind.  It  is  the  prepa- 
ration he  put  on  the  clamps  that  made  his  success,  he  said. 

He  put  on  the  clamp,  first  rye  flour  paste ;  on  this,  sifted  on 
equal  portions  of  red  precipitate  and  corrosive  sublimate,  mixed 
together  in  powder.  In  24  hours  the  clamps  were  taken  off". 
This  method  of  treatment  has  been  pursued  for  many  years  by  a 


1024  DISEASES   AND    THEIE    TREATMENT. 

frieud  of  the  author,  and  he  claims,  with  uufaiUng  success, 
never  having  lost  a  case,  and  is  followed  by  no  appreciable  swell- 
ing. 

Injuries  and  Diseases  (jf  the  Penis. 

Causes. — The  penis  or  yard  of  the  stallion  more  particularly 
is  liable  to  injury,  from  being  kicked  in  covering,  or  sometimes  it 
gets  injured  by  awkwardness  of  the  groom  in  serving  mares;  also 
from  being  cruelly  struck  with  a  whip  or  stick  while  in  a  state  of 
erection.  Warts  and  excrescences  frequently  cover  the  surface  of 
the  organ. 

Symptoms. — We  may  have  injuries  of  more  or  less  severity 
fi'om  a  slight  scratch  to  deep  and  severe  laceration  of  its  sub- 
stance; or,  on  the  other  hand,  the  blow  may  have  merely  bruised, 
withovit  breaking,  the  skin,  producing  want  of  power  to  retract  it> 
and  often  accompanied  by  enormous  swelling  of  the  organ.  When 
long  out,  the  glans  assumes  a  icddish-brown  coloi',  and  the  sur- 
face is  cold,  with  very  little  sensibility.  This  is  known  as  ^9a7'a- 
jjhymosis.  Sometimes  these  swellings  subside,  but  thickening  and 
enlargement  of  the  lower  part  remains,  preventing  retraction 
within  tiie  sheath,  proving  very  troublesome  and  unsightly. 
Warty  excrescences  are  easily  recognized,  and  may  occur  on  any 
part  of  the  organ. 

Treatment. — Injuries  from  kicks  and  blows  must  be  treated 
on  the  general  principles  of  subduing  inflannnation.  If  it  hangs 
pendulous,  it  must  be  supported  by  a  broad  bandage  round  the 
body,  and  copious  affusion  with  cold  water,  or  iced  water  in  sum- 
mer, constantly  applied ;  if  very  hot  and  tender,  accompanied  by 
fever  and  constitutional  disturbance,  hot  fomentations  may  be 
more  applicable ;  whichever  is  employed  must  be  persevered  in  for 
•some  length  of  time.  Purgatives  should  be  given,  and  low  diet, 
for  some  time. 

Unless  there  is  extensive  laceration  of  the  substance  of  the  or- 
gan, nothhig  more  than  cold  applications  are  required;  should  it 
prove  tardy  in  liealing,  Goulard  lotion,  or  a  mild  solution  of  sul- 
phate of  zinc  will  prove  beneficial.  When  it  continues,  and  the 
tumefaction  increases,  fi-ee  and  deep  longitudinal  scarification 
must  ])e  made  on  its  surface,  and  i-epeated  in  a  few  <lays,  if  neces- 
sary. Sometimes  charcoal  poultices  are  required  to  cleanse  the 
wounds  and  soothe  the  part. 


SHEATH  AXD  YAED.  1025 

Foulness  of  the  Sheath  and  Yard. 

In  geldings  the  penis  becomes  diminished  considerably  in  size, 
and,  from  want  of  the  sexual  desire,  seldom  protrude  it  without 
its  covering,  the  sheath,  consequently  tlie  sebaceous  secretion  of 
the  glands  in  the  prepuce  accumulate,  forming  a  black  soft  foetid 
substance,  with  a  strong  persistent  mic  odour.  This  sometimes 
becomes  irritating,  and  gives  rise  to  uneasiness,  and  should  be  oc- 
casionally washed  out  with  warm  water,  and  a  soft  sponge,  tak- 
ing care  not  to  scratch  or  bruise  the  inner  surface,  as  troublesome 
swellings  sometimes  ensue. 

More  trouble,  however,  arises  from  the  accumulation  of  little 
round  "beans,"  (as  horsemen  call  them,)  of  a  soft  clayish  appear- 
ance, in  the  cavity  in  the  head  of  the  penis,  surrounding  the  end 
of  the  urethra;  sometiiues  obstructing  the  passage  of  the  urine,  by 
pi-essing  on  the  urethra,  or  even  stopping  up  the  orifice  itself,  giv- 
ing rise  to  difficultv  in  stalino-,  and  uneasiness. 

The  sheath  .should  be  washed  out  with  soap  and  water,  and 
the  hand,  well  oiled,  should  be  passed  up,  and  the  penis  drawn 
out,  when  the  accumulation  should  be  removed,  taking  care  not  to 
scratch  oi-  Ijruise  the  parts. 

Parturition  or  Foaling. 

The  period  of  gestation  in  the  mare  varies  from  eleven  to  thir- 
teen months.  Usually  about  ten  days  before  foaling  she  begins 
to  "  make  bag,"  the  udder  enlarges,  and  a  thin  milky  fluid  can  be 
drawn  from  the  teats,  and  a  glairy  discharge  escapes  from  the 
vagina,  giving  warning  that  the  foal  is  about  to  be  dropped. 
When  the  time  approaches,  she  becomes  uneasy,  getting  up  and 
down  frequently.  Presently  the  true  labour  pains  begin,  the 
womb  contracts  on  its  contents,  assisted  by  the  diaphragm  and 
abdominal  muscles;  the  whole  body  is  convulsed  with  the  effort; 
the  mouth  of  the  womb  becomes  dilated ;  the  water-bag  appears 
and  bursts ;  and  when  the  presentation  is  natural,  a  few  efforts 
force  it  out — sometimes  enclosed  in  the  hiembranes,  which  must 
be  immediately  removed ;  and  if  the  cord  does  not  give  way  itself, 
it  being  sometimes  thick  and  strong,  a  ligature  should  be  put  on 
it  about  four  inches  from  the  belly,  and  the  remainder  cut  away. 
In  general,  mares  are  best  left  to  themselves  at  this  important 

85 


1026  DISEASES  AND  THEIR  TREATMENT. 

period,  but  care  should  be  taken  that  they  do  not  got  into  awk- 
ward positions,  as  against  a  wall,  or  the  sides  of  the  box. 

Abnormal  Presentations. 

The  natural  position  of  the  foal  at  birth  is  with  the  head  rest- 
m<r  on  the  two  fore-legs.     When  in  this  position,  and  the  parts 
natural,  it  soon  comes  away  without  very  much  exertion.      In 
many  cases,  however,  the  foal  is  found  in  such  positions  as  to  pre- 
vent its  escape  without  assistance.     In  all  cases  of  protracted  la- 
bour, where  the  pains  continue  without  effect,  assistance  ma}?-  be 
required.     The  hand  being  raised  in  temperature  by  washing  in 
warm  water,  should  be  introduced  to  ascertain  the  cause.     In 
some  cases  the  neck  of  the  womb  will  be  found  not  sufficiently 
dilated,  but  the  foal   is  found  in  its  natural  position.     In  such 
cases,  it  may  be  gently  dilated  with  the  hand,  or  left  alone,  when 
nature  will  often  overcome  it  herself.     In  cases  of  natural  presen- 
tion,  we  must  not  be  in  too  much  hurry  to  deliver;  harm  is  often 
done  by  injudicious  interference.     One  or  both  fore-legs  may  be 
doubled  back,  with  the  head  presenting.     In  this  case,  push  it 
back,  and  pass  the  hand  down  the  leg  if  possible;  get  them  up 
into  the  passage,  either  by  the  hand  or  looped  cords  passed  round 
the  fetlock,  when,  by  slight  traction,  it  will  generally  be  brought 
away.     The  legs  may  be  presented  in  the  passage,  and  the  head 
either  doubled  down  under  the  brim  of  the  pelvis,  or  turned  over 
the  shoulder  down  on  the  flank.     In  this  case,  it  should  be  pushed 
bodily  back,  and  the  head  sought  for,  when  a  loop  must  be  placed, 
if  possible,  on  the  lower  jaw;  it  must  now  be  pushed  back,  while 
the  head  is  to  be  pulled  forward,  and  brought  into  the  passage. 
This  case  is  often  very  troublesome,  from  the  difficulty  sometimes 
experienced  in  reaching  the  head.     It  is  sometimes  necessary  to 
remove  one  of  the  legs  by  cutting  the  skin  round  the  fetlock,  and 
with  the  embryotomy  knife  dividing  the  skin  of  the  leg  as  far  as 
the  shoulder,  and  separating  it  with  the  fingers,  when  it  can  be 
removed.     A  cord  should  be  attached  to  the  loose  skin  to  aid  in 
traction,  when  the  head  can  in  most  cases  be  reached.     Wo  have 
had  occasion  to  remove  both  legs  in  the  same  manner  before  de- 
livery could  be  effected. 

Sometimes  the  buttocks  and  tail  are  only  to  be  felt ;  this  is 
often  a  troublesome  case,  especially  when  the  legs  dip  under  the 


BLISTEES.  1027 

pelvis.  It  must  be  pushed  well  in,  and  the  hind  feet,  if  possible, 
secured  and  brought  into  the  passage.  Often,  however,  it  is  very 
difficult  to  do,  when,  as  recommended  by  Prof.  Dick,  "  the  con- 
tents of  the  abdomen  must  be  removed  at  the  rectum ;  the  pelvis 
divided  at  the  symphysis,  when  a  cord  being  attached,  and  force 
used,  the  hind  legs  will  get  into  the  place  of  the  viscera,  and  the 
qviarters  collapse  so  as  to  allow  of  extraction."  The  whole  four 
feet  may  be  presented  in  the  passage ;  th<3  simplest  way  of  deliver- 
ing in  this  case  is  to  feel  for  the  hocks,  and  slip  loops  on  the  hind 
feet;  and  by  pushing  back  the  fore  ones,  it  may  be  removed  by 
the  hind  legs. 

It  is  impossible  to  describe  minutely  the  details  of  procedure 
in  these  cases,  as,  from  difference  in  collateral  circumstances,  such 
as  size,  age,  length  of  time  she  has  been  in  laboia-,  swelling  of  the 
parts,  etc.,  etc.,  different  plans  of  treatment  must  suggest  them- 
selves to  the  operator.  The  principles  to  be  observed  are  these: 
endeavor  to  get  it  into  its  natural  position,  in  which  position  it  is 
easiest  delivered ;  failing  in  that,  to  get  it  into  the  next  easiest, 
viz.,  the  hind  legs  first — that  impracticable,  to  remove  those  parts 
of  the  foal  which  offer  most  resistance,  care  being  taken  in  so  do- 
ing not  to  bruise  or  lacerate  the  mare.  In  no  circumstances  are 
tact,  coolness,  and  steady  perseverance  moi-e  required  than  in  a 
protracted  case  of  labour;  however,  the  dictates  of  humanity  no 
less  than  professional  duty  demand  that  we  shrink  not  from  the 
most  difficult. 

Blisters. 

Before  a  blister  is  applied,  the  hair  must  be  cut  off  from  the 
part  as  closely  as  possible.  The  blistering  ointment  is  then  to  be 
well  rubbed  into  the  part  with  the  hand ;  and  after  this  has  been 
continued  about  ten  minutes,  some  of  the  ointment  may  be 
smeared  on  the  part.  In  blistering  the  legs,  the  tender  part  of 
the  heel,  under  the  fetlock  joint,  is  to  be  avoided;  it  may  be  better 
to  rub  a  little  hog's  lard  or  vaseline  on  it,  in  order  to  defend  it 
from  any  of  the  blisters  that  may  accidentally  run  down  from  the 
leg.  When  the  legs  are  blistered,  all  the  litter  should  be  removed 
from  the  stall,  and  the  horse's  head  should  be  carefully  secured,  to 
prevent  his  rubbing  the  blistered  parts  with  his  nose.  On  the 
third  day  he  may  have  a  cradle  put  around  his  neck,  and  be 


102S  DISEASES  ANT)  THEIE  TEEATMENT. 

turned  loose  into  a  large  box,  or  a  paddock,  or  an  orchard.  In  a 
field  he  would  be  apt  to  take  too  much  exercise.  About  a  week 
or  ten  daj^s  after  the  blister  lias  been  applied,  the  parts  should  be 
oiled  with  some  olive-oil  or  vaseline.  If  flies  are  troublesome,  and 
make  the  horse  restless,  they  may  be  kept  off  by  the  tar  ointment, 
or  tar  and  train  oil  mixed. 

Counter  Ikritants. — Their  Uses,  How  to  Employ 
Them,  etc.,  from  Williams. 

"  In  all  painful  affections,  warm  fomentations  or  poultices  must 
as  a  rule  be  prescribed.  In  the  course  of  some  days,  however,  if 
the  ]>aiu  is  subsiding,  and  the  parts  seeminglj^  relaxed,  much  bene- 
fit will  be  obtained  by  making  a  change  to  cold,  mild  astringents 
and  bandages,  to  promote  absorption  of  the  exudate. 

"The  congested  ca])illaries  maybe  relieved  by  local  bleeding, 
but  the  parts  upon  which  such  an  operation  is  performed  are  verj'- 
few,  except  about  the  coronet  or  the  foot.  An  incision  into  the 
coronary  plexus  will  reach  the  vessels  at  once;  the  utility  of  this 
is,  however,  very  doubtful,  except  in  rare  cases.  Bleeding  at  the 
toe,  although  much  practiced  by  many,  is  not  to  be  commended, 

"  Purgatives  are  very  useful  during  the  first  stages  of  lameness, 
reducing  the  inflammation,  A  full  dose  of  aloes  may  be  given  with 
advantage,  the  diet  being  properlj^  regulated  and  restricted  to  bran 
mashes,  a  little  hay,  and  the  water  to  be  chilled. 

"  After  the  acute  signs  of  inflammation  have  subsided,  if  the 
lameness  still  remains,  the  application  of  the  so-called  counter  irri- 
tants will  be  rendered  necessary.  These  consist  of  rubefacients, 
blistex's,  setons,  and  the  actual  cautery.  The  actions  of  these  reme- 
dies differ  only  in  degree,  in  rapidity,  and  in  performance,  not  in 
the  nature  of  the  exudation  which  they  produce.  Without  enter- 
ing into  any  speculative  discussion  upon  the  question,  superficial  ir- 
ritants are  beneficial  in  all  cases  of  chronic  lameness,  whether  it  be 
caused  by  disease  in  bone,  cartilage,  ligament,  tendon,  or  any  other 
structure;  and  they  are  often  more  decided^  beneficial  when  ap- 
])licd  to  the  diseased  structure  itself  than  to  the  skin  covering  it. 
.For  example,  a  lameness  arises  from  bone  spavin;  its  eradication  is 
much  more  certain  and  rapid  when  a  pointed  cautery'-  is  applied  to 
the  diseased  bones  than  when  the  hock  is  fired  in  the  orchnary 
way.  Again,  a  spavin  has  been  fired  and  blistered  repeatedly 
without  benefit;  the  bones  are  "punched  "  (a  barbarous  operation, 
and  only  to  be  performed  in  extreme  cases),  violent  inflammation 
is  excited  in  the  diseased  bones,  which  for  a  time  increases  the 
lameness;  but  this  gradually  subsides,  and  the  original  lameness  is 
foimd  to  bo  removed. 

"  I  am  of  the  opinion  that  the  curative  action  of  external  irri- 
tants is  not  due  to  their  producing  metastasis  or  counter  irritation; 
but  that  they  excite  within  thje  originally  fli8eas"ed  structure  a  re- 


COUNTEE  IRRITANTH. 


1029 


parative  inflammation,  jjartaking  in  its  nature  of  what  is  described 
by  Virchovv  as  the  "secretory  inflammation,"  which,  superseding 
the  original  diseased  process  (whether  that  be  inflammation  pure 
and  Bimple  or  its  eff'ects,  ulceration,  caries,  or  a  formation  of  a  low 
form  of  fibrous  tissues),  excites  the  formation  of  reparative  material 
by  which  the  breaches  are  united,  ulcers  healed,  and  diseased  action 
removed. 

"  To  illustrate  this  view,  I  will  bring  forward  two  familiar  ex- 
amples: 1.  The  healing  of  a  sinus  or  fistula,  after  the  aiiplication 
of  a  blister,  or  of  the  actual  cautery  to  the  skin  contingent  to  it; 
and  2.  The  removal  of  phlebitis  (inflammation  of  the  vein  in  the 
neck  after  bleeding)  by  a  blister. 

"  In  the  first  instance,  we  find  that  a  sinus  heals  after  a  blister 
or  cautery,  by  the 
formation  of  an  or- 
gan iz  able  exudate, 
which  completely 
fills  up  the  cavity  of 
the  sinus;  and,  in  the 
second,  we  find  that 
a  blister  assists  in  the 
obliteration  of  the  in- 
flamed vein,  not  by 
romovin«-  the  inflam- 
mation from  it,  but 
by  promoting  the 
ibrmation  of  a  large 
quantity  of  re]:)arn- 
tive  lymph,  and  hast- 
ening its  further  de- 
velopment   into    fi-  Fig.  881.— The  Aspirator.* 

brous  tissues,  b}'  which  the  vessel  is  transformed  at  the  inflamed 
part  into  a  fibrous  cord.  'Now  if  the  curative  action  were  due 
to  the  removal  of  inflammation,  we  should  find  that  in  the  first 
case  the  relief  Avould  be  only  of  a  temporary-  nature,  the  sinus 
would  still  remain,  being  generally  the  cause,  and  not  the  cuect 
of  the  morbid  action;  and  in  the  second,  that  the  inflammation 
being  removed  from  the  coats  of  the  veins,  the  vessel  Avoiild,  upon 
removal  of  the  clot,  become  pervious.  But  such  is  not  the  case. 
Let  the  clot  be  removed  ever  so  often,  it  is  sure  to  form  again,  and 
nothing  has  the  power  of  overcoming  the  inflammation  of  the  ves- 
sel until  it  has  been  transformed  into  an  organized  cord,  a  process 
most  materially  hastened  b}'  the  application  of  a  blister. 

"  I  think  it  may  therefore  be  accepted  that  extei-nal  irritants 
• — whether  they  be  simply  rubefacients,  producing  a  mere  redness 

*  This  cut  belongs  in  article  on  windgalls,  page  778 ;  but  on  account  of  not  be- 
ing ayailable  when  tlie  matter  for  that  article  was  put  in  type,  it  is  inserted  here. 
It  was  furnished  by  John  Picynders  &  Co.,  Manufacturers  of  Surgical  and  Veterinary 
Instruments,  etc.,  303  Fourth  Avenue,  N.  T. 


1030  DISEASES  AND  THEIR  TREATMENT. 

of  tlio  skin,  vesicants  or  blisters,  Avhicli  cause  elevations  of  the  cnti- 
cle  hy  fluid  underneath  it,  or  cauterization  and  setons,  which  pro- 
mote the  sujjpurativo  action — remove  lameness  by  assisting  nature 
in  a  process  of  repair. 

<'  Ruhpfacients  may  bo  employed  in  the  less  severe  forms  of 
lameness,  in  sj^i'^iiif*  of  tendons,  or  in  slight  affection  of  joints,  along 
with  rest  and  fomentations,  after  the  more  acute  symptoms  have 
passed  uwaj'. 

"It  is  usual  to  apply  blisters  in  all  cases  of  some  standing,  Avhen 
organic  changes  in  the  parts  involved  are  suspected.  Before  a  blis- 
ter is  applied,  the  hair  should  be  clipped  from  the  part,  which,  if 
dirty,  ought  to  be  washed,  and  Avhen  dry,  the  blister  to  be  applied 
Avith  smart  friction  for  about  ten  minutes.  To  obtain  the  full  effect 
of  a  blister,  a  quantit}'  of  ointment  is  to  be  thickly  laid  on  after  the 
rubbijig  ill  is  completed, 

"  The  best  agent  is  cantharides,  in  the  form  of  acetate,  tinctui'e, 
or  ointment,  to  the  limbs,  the  ointment  in  preference  ;  one  part  of 
cantharides  to  twelve  parts  of  lard  or  palm-oil.  If  pre^^ared  with 
a  temperature  equal  to  the  b  jiling  point  of  water  (212°),  it  will  be 
sufficiently  strong  and  will  never  blemish.  It  is  a  mistake  to  think 
that  the  powdered  flies  should  be  mixed  with  the  vehicle  when  it 
is  nearly  cold.  An  ointment  ko  prepared  will  require  three  times 
the  quantity  of  cantharides.     The  heat  molts  the  canlharidine. 

"  Hints  ujion  hlistering  generally. — No  more  than  two  legs  are  to 
be  blistered  at  one  time,  and  thi-eo  weeks  at  least  must  be  allowed 
to  elapse  before  the  others  are  blistered,  and  between  each  re-ap- 
plication. It  is  bad  practice  to  blister  extensively  in  very  hot 
weather ;  and  it  is  a  mistake  to  suppose  that  blisters  to  the  loins 
and  back  are  more  apt  to  irritate  the  urinary  organs  than  when 
applied  to  any  other  part  of  the  body,  provided  that  it  be  carefull}' 
and  properly  done, 

"The  evil  results  of  blistering  arc:  1st.  The  production  of 
strangury,  by  the  absorbed  eantharidino  irritating  the  iirinary 
passes.  This  is  a  ver}^  rare  occurrence,  provided  the  blister  has 
been  applied  to  a  moderate  extent  of  svirface;  but  if  four  legs,  or 
even  two,  be  extensively  blistered  at  one  time,  the  occurrence  of 
such  may  be  laid  down  to  the  indiscretion  of  the  practitioner.  In 
some  cases,  however,  very  moderate  blistering  may  be  followed  by 
stranguiy,  and  Avhen  it  docs  occui",  it  is  best  treated  thus:  First 
wash- the  blistered  surface  with  warm  water,  in  which  a  little  alkali 
has  been  dissolved;  dress  it  with  oil,  give  the  animal  demulcents  to 
drink,  such  as  cold  linseed  tea,  and  administer  a  few  doses  of  opium 
and  bicarbonate  of  soda. 

"  2d,  The  production  of  a  considerable  amount  of  nervous  irz'i- 
tability,  fidgetiness,  quickened  pulse,  and  injected  mucous  mem- 
branes, with  loss  of  appetite.  These  B3nnptoms  are  due  to  a  nerv- 
ous temperament;  and  if  not  very  severe,  had  better  not  be  inter- 
fered with.  Should  they  become  alarming,  the  animal  must  be 
treated  as  in  the  first  instance;   the  fomentations  being  continued 


COUNTER  lERITANTS.  1031 

for  a  longer  period  to  the'legs.     It  mtiy  be  here  mentioned  that  fo- 
mentations should  not  be  hot,  but  soothingly  warm. 

"  Sometimes  blisters,  no  matter  how  carefully  applied,  produce 
excessive  swellings  of  the  limb  or  limbs,  with  a  tendency  to  sup- 
puration and  sloughing  of  the  skin.  These  results  are  generally 
due  to  the  animal's  being  in  bad  health,  and  in  a  condition  tending 
to  anasarca  or  to  erysipelatous  disease.  The  treatment  must  con- 
sist of  purgatives  or  diuretics,  as  the  case  maybe;  fomentations, 
astringent  lotions,  and  gentle  exercise,  as  soon  as  the  pain  is  suffi- 
ciently subsided  to  admit  of  the  animal's  being  moved  about.  In 
man}^  cases  the  swellings  involve  the  sheath  of  the  penis,  and  the 
under  surface  of  the  abdomen.  Punctures  are  very  useful  in  such 
parts,  by  allowing  the  escape  of  the  contained  fliiid.  1  have  seen 
tetanus  arise  from  a  very  limited  blister  to  one  fore  leg. 

''  If  the  effects  are  not  sufficiently  apparent  in  about  thii-ty 
hours  after  the  blister  has  been  applied,  a  very  little  more,  or  what 
is  remaining  on  the  skin,  which  may  be  sufficient,  should  be  gently 
rubbed  in  ;  and  in  about  fortj^-eight  hours  after  the  application  the 
part  is  to  be  Avashcd,  and  every  trace  of  the  blister  removed ;  a  lit- 
tle oil  being  now  applied,  or,  what  suits  perhaps  better,  an  emulsion 
of  sweet-oil,  carbonate  of  potash,  and  water.  It  is  a  mistake  to 
keep  the  parts  soft  too  long ;  the  eschars  should  be  allowed  to  ac- 
cumulate, and  to  desquamate  gradually. 

'■'■Firing,  or  the  application  of  the  actual  cautery,  is  a  much 
more  severe  irritant  than  a  blister,  and  often  removes  pain  very 
rapidly  when  repeated  blisters  have  failed  to  do  so.  In  bone  dis- 
eases, and  in  all  cases  of  chronic  lameness,  it  is  of  great  benefit,  and 
seems  to  act  by  powerfully  exciting  the  healing  process  in  the  part 
diseased.  The  fii'ing  may  be  in  lines,  and  superficial,  the  transverse 
method  being  the  least  calculated  to  blemish  ;  or  it  may  be  in 
points,  and  deep,  by  pyro  puncture  (see  treatment  for  spavins, 
ring-bones,  etc.)  into  the  diseased  structure.  This  latter  method 
is  the  more  easily  performed,  and  the  more  eifective. 

"  jSTothing  is  more  calculated  to  dispel  the  idea  of  the  correct- 
ness of  the  counter-irritation  theor3''  than  the  dissection  of  a  part 
which  has  been  recently  fired  (say  three  days  after  the  operation), 
when  it  will  be  found  that  the  skin,  subcutaneous  tissue,  and  the 
bones, — when  they  are  superficially  situated,  such  as  those  of  the 
hock,  pastern,  etc., — are  involved  in  the  inflammatory  action  so 
produced.  Thus  a  bone  spavin  lameness  is  removed  by  the  inflam- 
mation excited  by  the  cautery  in  the  diseased  bones,  providing  a 
supply  of  material  for  the  pui'pose  of  uniting  them  together  into  one 
immovable  mass ;  or  as  in  caries  of  a  ginglymoid  joint,  for  the  re- 
pair of  destroyed  structure,  as  alrcad}^  explained. 

'' Setons  act  very  satisfactorily  in  some  cases  of  bone  diseases, 
especiall}^  in  those  accompanied  by  external  heat  of  the  part;  they 
produce  a  discharge  of  pus,  and  their  action  can  be  continued  for 
a  much  longer  time  than  that  of  blistering  or  firing.  In  tendenous 
or  ligamentous  lamenesses,  with  much  thickening  of  the  integu- 
ments and  subcutaneous  structures,  setons  should  not  be  employed, 


1082  DISH^ASES  AND  TKKni  TREATMENT. 

as  they  leave  imicli  uddilioiial   iliiekening,  and  wvc  not  so  cft'eeLuul 
as  tlie  actuiil  fauteiy."' 

Hot  Fomentations. 

This  is  so  often  advised  for  acute  inflammation,  sprains,  etc., 
notwithstanding  the  simplicity  of  its  application,  I  think  it  advis- 
able to  give  such  details  as  will  serve  to  aid  the  owner  in  its  use. 
The  use  of  hot  and  cold  water  alone,  intelligently  applied,  will  be 
found  a  very  safe,  simple,  and  effective  remedy  for  allaying  in- 
flammation, pain,  and  congestion. 

The  principle  is  to  apply  all  the  heat  the  animal  will  bear,  but 
not  enough  to  scald  or  burn.  It  is  best  accomplished  by  wring- 
ing through  a  common  clothes  wringer  a  woolen  blanket  (a  com- 
mon horse-blanket  will  do)  out  of  boiling  hot  watei*,  fold  it  quickly 
into  four  or  more  thicknesses,  and  place  it  over  the  affected  part. 
Cover  the  hot  cloth  well  with  dry  blanket.  If  continued  or  re- 
peated long  enough  to  relax  the  skin,  cold  is  to  be  applied  to  tone 
it  up,  when,  if  necessary,  the  heat  is  to  be  again  continued. 

For  Acute  Pleurisy. — To  relieve  the  pain,  apply  hot  fomenta- 
tions over  the  seat  of  the  pain,  from  one  to  three  hours,  or  till  the 
pain  subsides.  The  fomentations  should  be  rencAA'^ed  every  five  or 
ten  minutes,  and  at  the  conclusion  should  be  followed  with 
a  heavy,  cold  compress  for  about  ten  minutes.  Ice  compresses  in- 
stead of  the  fomentations  will  sometimes  afford  relief  when  all 
other  means  fail.  After  ice-compresses  have  been  applied  for  an 
hour,  they  should  lie  followed  by  a  hot  fomentation,  and  then  apply 
the  cold  compress  again  until  the  pain  subsides. 

For  Golic. — Apply  hot  fomentations  sufiiciently  large  to  cover 
the  abdomen  or  belly  of  the  horse,  in  quick  succession,  for  an 
hour  or  so,  till  relief  is  obtained.  And  at  the  same  time  give  a 
copious  injection  of  hot  water  into  the  rectum,  of  from  110  to  118° 
F.  A  gallon  or  two  of  water  should  be  used  for  this  purpose. 
Any  kind  of  a  syringe  will  do,  but  the  Fountain  Syringe  is  much 
to  be  preferred  above  all  othei's.  Sometimes  the  fomentation  is  all 
that  is  necessary  to  give  i-elief,  and  sometimes  injections  alone  will 
give  great  relief. 

For  Strains  and  Sprains. — Apply  hot  fomentations  vigor- 
ously, changing  them  every  five  or  ten  minutijs  till  the  pain  and 
swelling  subside.     Apply  a  cold  compress  for  the  last  application, 


HOT   FOMENTATIONS.  1083 

and  the  compress  can  be  left  on  continuously,  but  it  should  be  cov- 
ered with  the  woolen  cloth. 

For  a  Cold. — If  the  cold  is  located  in  the  head,  a  fomentation 
can  be  applied  to  the  head,  and  should  be  extensive  enough  to 
cover  most  of  the  neck.  This  can  be  done  by  folding  a  blanket 
lengthwise  about  four  thicknesses,  and  just  winding  it  spirally 
around  the  horse's  head  so  as  not  to  cover  the  eyes ;  and  if  one 
blanket  is  not  sufficient,  another  blanket  can  be  wound  around 
the  head  and  down  the  neck  in  the  same  manner.  The  fomenta- 
tion should  be  well  covered  with  a  dry  blanket,  and  if  it  is  so  hot 
that  the  horse  cannot  bear  it,  the  hot  folded  blanket,  after  being 
wrung  out  of  hot  water,  should  be  folded  in  a  dry  one,  so  as  not 
to  burn  him.  In  this  case,  it  is  not  necessary  to  add  another  dry 
blanket  over  the  fomentation. 

If  the  cold  seems  to  be  settled  all  over  the  horse,  several  blan- 
kets may  be  joined  at  the  edges,  and  thrown  over  the  horse  so 
that  the  edges  hang  down  to  the  ground,  forming  a  kind  of  tent 
for  the  horse  to  be  under.  The  edges  of  the  blanket  behind  and 
before  the  body  can  be  pinned  together.  Then  place  a  vessel  with 
hot  water  under  the  horse,  and  a  hot  brick  or  hot  flat-irons  can 
be  thrown  into  the  water  to  produce  a  vapor,  which  should  be 
continued  until  the  horse  is  in  a  profuse  sweat.  Then  he  can  be 
sponged  off,  beginning  with  cool  water,  and  ending  with  cold  wa- 
ter, or  sprayed  with  cool  water,  then  with  cold;  or  the  water  can 
be  poured  over  the  body,  if  it  is  not  convenient  to  spray.  The  an- 
imal should  then  be  warmly  blanketed,  and  in  the  course  of  20 
minutes  if  he  does  not  sweat,  or  has  ceased  to  sweat,  should  then 
be  dried  thoroughly  by  wiping  with  cloths  and  rubbing  with  the 
hand,  until  perfectly  dry.  Care  should  be  taken  that  the  tempera- 
tui'c  of  the  room  in  which  this  treatment  is  given  should  not  fall 
much  below  50°,  and  would  be  better  to  be  about  65°  or  70°,  and 
there  should  be  no  draught.  The  treatment  can  be  made  much 
more  effective  by  placing  the  horse's  feet  into  as  hot  water  as  he 
will  bear,  while  the  vapor  is  being  given. 

Another  method  is  a  hot-blanket  pack,  which  is  sometimes 
more  convenient,  and  is  just  as  effectual.  The  hot-blanket  pack 
can  be  given  by  wringing  a  heavy  blanket  out  of  hot  water,  and 
folding  it;  then  folding  it  into  a  dry  blanket  and  putting  it 
around  the  body  of  the  horse.     It  will  require  at  least  two  such 


1034  DISEASES  AND   THEIE   TEEATMENT. 

blankets  to  reach  over  the  body  of  the  horse.  He  showkl 
then  be  veiy  heavily  blanketed,  .so  as  to  keep  the  heat  of  the  hot 
cloths  in,  and  produce  perspiration.  The  hot-blanket  pack  should 
be  followed  by  cool  sponging,  spraying,  or  pouring,  the  same  as 
after  the  vapor  bath.  The  after  treatment  should  be  the  same  as 
after  the  vapor  bath. 

Poultices. 

The  simplest  and  cheapest  poultice  can  be  made  by  pouring 
boiling  water  on  about  a  peck  of  bran,  so  as  to  make  a  very  thin 
mash ;  or  linseed  meal  could  be  added  to  it.  Boiled  turnips  make 
a  good  poultice,  which  would  also  be  improved  by  the  addition  of 
a  little  linseed  meal. 

Poultices  are  generally  too  small,  confined,  and  dry.  A  poul- 
tice should  be  made  large,  so  as  to  cover  the  parts  thoroughly,  and 
keep  them  moist.  When  a  horse  gets  a  nail  in  the  foot,  or  it  is 
calked,  or  when  there  is  any  local  inflammation  from  an  injuiy, 
covering  the  parts  with  a  warm  poultice  will  be  found  a  Vv  ry  sim- 
ple and  good  way  of  keeping  down  inflammation.  If  it  is  desired 
to  poultice  the  leg  for  a  sprain  of  the  tendons,  a  flannel  bag  can 
be  made  for  the  purpose,  or  an  old  pant's  leg,  if  convenient,  can  be 
pulled  up  over  the  leg ;  tie  a  string  loosely  around  the  foot  below 
the  fetlock,  and  fill  the  bag  with  the  poultice  above  the  knee 
which  can  be  kept  up  by  tying  a  piece  of  listing,  or  a  stiip  of  flan- 
nel over  the  shoulder.  Poultices  are  also  useful  applications  for 
promoting  suppuration  in  inflamed  tumors;  and  when  thero  is  ir- 
ritation or  inflammation  in  the  heels,  such  as  scratches,  cracks,  or 
grease.  The  poultices  conmionly  employed  for  these  purposes  are 
of  an  emollient  character.    The  following  is  a  standard  formula: — 

1  pound  linseed  meal, 

2  quarts  bran, 

2  to  4  oimces  hog's  lar  J. 
Boiling  water  enough  to  make  a  soft  poultice. 

Or,  turnips  tlioroughly  boiled  and  mashed,  any  quantity,  lin- 
seed meal  enough  to  form  the  poultice.  A  good  poultice  can  be 
made  of  carrots,  grated  finely.  Either  of  these  simple  poultices 
may  be  converted  into  an  anodyne  poultice  by  the  addition  of 
opium ;  into  a  fermenting  poultice  by  the  addition  of  yeast,  and 
by  substituting  oatmeal  for  linseed  meal;  into  an  astringent  poul- 


THE  PULSE.  1035 

tice  by  the  addition  of  Goulard's  extract,  sugar  of  lead,  or  pow- 
dered alum;  and  into  a  detergent  poultice  by  the  addition  of  white 
or  blue  vitriol. 

In  obstinate  cases  of  virulent  grease,  where  there  is  much  pain, 
and  a  stinking,  dark  colored  discharge,  and  especially  when  emol- 
lients a}'e  found  ineffectual,  the  detergent  poultice  has  quickly 
cured  the  disease,  and  in  such  cases  even  a  solution  of  corrosive 
sublimate  has  been  used  with  the  best  effect.  But  emollients 
should  always  be  fairly  tried,  and  some  diuretic  medicine  given. 

The  Pulse. 

The  arteries  are  the  vessels  which  convey  the  blood  from  the 
heart  to  the  system.  "  The  blood  nowhere  passes  through  an  ar- 
tery so  rapidly  as  it  is  forced  into  it  by  the  ventricles  of  the  heart, 
on  account  of  the  resistan  e  offered  by  all  the  tubes  against  which 
it  is  forced.  The  consequence  is,  that  when  it  receives  the  wave 
of  blood,  both  the  diameter  and  the  length  of  t':e  vessel  is  in- 
creased, and  this  is  followed  by  a  recoil  and  recovery  of  its  previ- 
ous position,  owing  to  the  elasticity  of  the  tube;  these  operations 
constitute  the  pulse,  which  is  felt  when  the  finger  slightly  com- 
pi-esses  an  artery." — Bennett.  Hence  the  pulsations  rf  the  artery 
correspond  with  the  beatings  of  the  heart,  and  consequently  indi- 
cate the  irritability  of  that  organ,  or  the  system  generalh^  The 
average  pulse  of  the  horse  is  from  thirty-two  to  foriy-two  beais 
per  minute.  The  smaller  and  more  nervous  the  horse,  the  quicker 
the  pulse;  while  the  larger  and  coarser  bred,  the  slower.  The 
most  convenient  places  to  feel  the  pulse  are  at  the  arm,  on  the 
inside  where  the  artery  (radial)  passes  over  the  head  of  <he 
bone,  or  on  the  under  part  of  the  lower  jaw.  It  can  be  felt 
easiest  and  best  at  the  lower  jaw,  a  little  behind,  where  the  sub- 
maxillary artery  comes  up  and  winds  round  to  gain  the  clKek, 
(See  No.  13,  in  Fig.  882.)  Pass  the  finger  down  the  jaAV  up  near 
the  neck  on  the  inner  edge,  and  a  cord-like  ridgo  will  bo  felt, 
which,  upon  gently  and  firmly  pre  ^sing  it  with  the  end  of  the  fin- 
ger, will  plainly  be  felt  to  throb  and  beat.     (See  Fig.  883.) 

"  Frequent  reference  is  made  to  the  state  of  the  pulse  in  differ- 
ent diseases,  such  as  colic,  pneumonia,  laminitis,  etc.,  etc.  Hence 
it  should  be  studied  carefully.  For  example,  during  the  eai-ly 
stage  of  colic,  the  pulse  will  be  hardly  affected,  and  the  ears  and 


1036 


DISEASES  AND  THEIR  TREATMENT. 


legs  will  bo  natural  in  temperature;  while  in  inflainination  of  the 
bowels  the  pulse  Avill  be  quick  and  wirj,  ears  and  legs  cold,  etc. 
In  fever  it  is  quick,  wiry,  and  light,  indicating  the  extreme  or  not 
of  disturbance  in  the  circulation." — Youatt. 

There  are  four  general  principles,  or  points,  which  must  in- 
fluence the  course  of  treatment  in  all  diseases.     If  there  is  high 


Fig.  883, — Showing  the  pulse. 
1  and  12,  Carotid  artery  and  its  branches;    13,  Submaxillary  artery, 

temperature,  102  to  107  (107  to  108  is  fatal),  the  first  point  is  to 
reduce  the  fever.  In  first  stage,  aconite  internally  is  best ;  exter- 
nally, wrapping  the  body  and  extremities  to  equali;5o  the  tem- 
perature. 

The  heart's  action  is  the  next  great  point.  34  to  40  beats  to 
a  minute  is  normal ;  below  that  indicates  debility.  If  it  is  a  quick, 
wiry,  or  thready  pulse,  it  indicates  inflammation  of  the  intestines 


THE  PULSE. 


1037 


or  abdominal  organs,  which  calls  immediately  for  sedatives.  Take, 
for  example,  general  colic  treatment.     Usual  colic  dose: — 

1  to  2  ozs.  laudanum, 

1  to  2  ozs.  sweet  spirits  nitre, 

1  to  2  drachms  tincture  belladonna, 

I  to  a  pint  of  linseed  oil. 

If  tympanitis  (flatulent  colic),  would  add  to  the  above  one- 
half  to  one  ounce  tincture  Jamaica  ginger,  and  one-half  to  one 
ounce  aromatic  spirits  of  ammonia,  with  a  few  drops  tincture  nux 
vomica,  every  one-half 
hour,  until  relieved. 

Quick  and  feeble  pulse 
indicates  the  lungs  being 
involved.  Moderately 
rapid,  and  throbbing  or 
bounding  pulse  would  in- 
dicate inflammation  of 
the  extremities,  such  as 
laminitis,  and  to  be 
treated  as  such.  "While 
an  irregular  pulse-beat, 
whether  fast  or  slow, 
would  indicate  the  heart 

itself    being    involved, 

,  .   ,      .       ,.,        .         .     -,  Fiu.  883. — Feeling  the  pulse. 

which   IS   to   be  treated 

by  giving  medicines  that  act  upon  the  heart,  such  as  alcoholic 
stimulants,  belladonna,  and  digitallis.  The  first  two  stimu- 
late the  heart,  the  last  is  a  heart  sedative.  Of  alcohol,  brandy, 
etc.,  give  2  to  4  ounces,  with  same  quantity  of  water,  for  a  dose; 
tincture  of  belladonna,  10  to  12  drops,  which  may  be  given  in 
small  doses  every  hour  for  an  unlimited  time,  or  in  1  to  2  drachm 
doses  twice  a  day,  not  to  be  longer  than  a  few  days.  Digitallis 
being  a  heart  sedative,  must  be  used  with  greater  caution ;  from 
15  to  60  drops  of  the  tincture  may  be  given  twice  a  day  for  two 
to  four  days,  or  until  the  heart's  action  becomes  slower.  This 
drug  has  accumulative  properties — that  is,  it  may  not  seem  to  act 
for  some  time ;  and  then  act  with  such  great  force  as  to  be  fatal. 
— Ilarmll. 


1038 


DISEASES   AND  THEIE  TP.EAT.MEXT. 


Giving  Balls. 

Medicine  is  most  commonly  given  to  horses  in  the  form  of  a 
ball  or  bolas,  the  size  of  Avhich  should  not  exceed  that  of  a  hen's 


FiCx.  884. — Bad  method  of  giving  ball. 


egg.  Though  named  a  hall,  it  is  generally  rolled  up  in  a  cilindri- 
cal  form,  about  one  inch  in  diameter,  and  two  and  a  half  in  length. 
In  giving  a  ball,  the  horse's  tongue  is  drawn  out  on  the  off  or  right 
side,  and  held  firmly  with  the  left  hand,  while  with  the  right  the 


Fig.  885. — Approved  method. 

ball  is  quickly  passed  over  the  tongue  into  the  pharynx,  or  top  of 
the  gullet.  The  hand  should  be  kept  as  near  to  the  roof  of  the 
mouth  as  possible  in  giving  the  ball ;  there  will  then  be  much  less 
danger  of  being  Wounded  by  the  teeth.     The  moment  the  right 


GIYING  BALLS. 


1039 


hand  is  withdrawn 
from  the  mouth,  the 
tongue  is  let  loose, 
and  the  ball  genei'ally 
swallowed. 

Balls  cannot  be 
conveniently  given 
unless  wrapped  up  in 
paper;  but  for  this 
purpose  the  softest 
and  thinnest  should 
be  chosen.     In  hold- 


FiG.  886.— After  giving  ball. 


injTf    the    tonirue  with    the    left  hand,    wliile    the    ball    is    intro- 
duced,  great  care  is  recj^uired,  as  the  rough  and  violent  manner  in 


Fig.  887. — Giving  a  drench. 

which  this  is  sometimes  done  often  inj  ures  the  tongue,  or  lacerates 
the  under  part  of  it.     The  muscles  by  which  swallowing  is  effected 


1040  DISEASES  ASD  TUEIE  TKEATME]S^T. 

may  also  be  seriously  injured  in  this  way.  In  violent  colds, 
stranofles,  etc.,  there  is  often  so  much  soreness  of  the  throat  as  to 
render  swallowing  very  painful  and  difficult;  in  such  cases,  neither 
balls  nor  drenches  should  be  given,  as  they  are  sure  to  do  mischief 
by  irritating  the  throat,  and  may  even  suffocate  the  animal  by 
getting  into  the  windpipe. 

Physicking. 

It  is  always  best,  if  possible,  to  prepare  the  horse  for  physic  by 
giving  a  bran  mash  twenty-four  hours  previously,  as  the  medicine 
will  act  more  favorably,  and  there  is  less  danger  of  superpurga- 
tion.  Five  drachms  of  aloes  (Barbadoes  aloes  are  always  used  for 
horses)  will  act  as  forcibly  after  a  mash  as  seven  without.  Again, 
the  quantity  of  physic  should  be  adapted  to  age  and  size.  The 
rule  is  to  give  one  drachm  for  each  year  up  to  seven.  Eight 
drachms  is  the  largest  given  at  one  dose. 

PHYSIC    BALL. 

7  drachms  Barbadoes  aloes,  pulverized, 
4  drachms  bar  soap, 
1  drachm  ginger. 
The  usual  way  is  to  mix  the  ingredients  in  this  proiiortion,  then  reduce 
to  the  weight  intended,  and  give. 

For  Alternative  Balls  simply  give  from  one  to  two  or  three 
drachms  of  mass,  as  above  prepared,  two  or  three  times  a  week,  for 
a  week  or  two.     The  following  are  the  details  advised : — 

The  horse  should  be  fed  with  bran  mashes  for  two  or  three 
days,  and  have  moderate  but  regular  exercise,  or  be  worked  with 
moderation.  He  should  be  allowed  only  a  moderate  quantity  of 
hay,  especially  if  he  has  a  voracious  appetite;  and  if  inclined  to 
eat  his  litter,  he  should  be  prevented  by  a  muzzle,  or  by  being  tied 
up  to  the  rack  in  the  day-time,  or  what  is  still  better,  by  having 
his  litter  removed  during  the  day,  and  by  applying  the  muzzle  at 
night  after  he  has  eaten  his  allowance  of  hay.  If  in  low  condi- 
tion, some  oats  may  be  mixed  with  the  bran  mashes;  but  eight  to 
ten  pounds  of  good  hay  are  a  sufficient  allowance  for  a  day  and 
night.  On  the  morning  when  the  physic  is  given,  neither  hay  nor 
mashes  should  be  allowed,  imtil  two  or  three  hours  after  it  has 
been  taken.  Some  practitioners,  however,  direct  a  small,  thin 
mash  of  bran  only,  to  be  given  about  an  hour  after,  for  the  pur- 


PHYSICKING.  ■  104X 

pose  of  dissolving  or  mixing-  with  the  physic.  This,  however,  is 
unnecessary,  though  supposed  to  render  the  effect  milder  and  more 
expeditious.  But  this  is  not  the  case;  physic  should  be  given  fast- 
ing. During  the  day  the  horse  may  have  walking  exercise  for 
about  half  an  hour,  and  once  only,  and  be  fed  with  bran  mashes, 
and  have  the  chill  taken  off  his  water.  Grooms  generally  con- 
sider exercise  unnecessary  or  improper  on  the  day  the  physic  is 
given;  and  on  the  following  day,  when  the  medicine  generally 
operates,  they  are  apt  to  give  too  much  exercise.  But  as  soon  as 
the  purging  has  taken  place  in  a  sufficient  degree,  which  is  genei- 
ally  the  case  about  the  afternoon  of  the  day  after  it  is  taken,  ex- 
ercise is  unnecessary  and  improper.  And  should  the  purging  con- 
tinue, or  be  found  to  be  going  on  the  following  morning  (that  is, 
on  the  morning  of  the  third  day,  including  tliat  on  which  the 
medicine  was  given),  it  should  be  restrained  by  gruel  made  of  ar- 
row-root or  fine  wheat  flour,  with  which  the  horse  should  be 
drenched  if  he  refuses  to  drink  it.  Should  the  purging  continue 
after  this,  about  half  an  ounce  of  tincture  of  opium  may  be  given 
with  a  little  gruel. 

Horses  sometimes  appear  sick,  and  refuse  their  food,  after  tak- 
ing physic,  either  during  the  afternoon  or  evening  of  the  same 
day,  or  the  following  morning.  This  is  generally  caused  by  a  neg- 
lect of  the  preparation  above  directed,  by  the  stomach  being 
loaded  at  the  time  the  physic  is  given,  or  by  the  horse  feeding  im- 
properly too  soon  afterwards ;  and  not  unf requently  by  the  physic 
being  too  strong.  When  this  sickness  is  observed,  the  horse  should 
have  walking  exercise ;  and  if  it  be  on  the  same  day  the  physic  is 
taken,  and  the  uneasiness  be  considerable,  let  a  clyster  be  admin- 
istered ;  nothing  more  is  necessary.  Should  it  continue,  however, 
the  following  mornuig  let  him  be  again  exercised,  and  have  some 
water  with  the  chill  off ;  and  if  the  purging  does  not  come  on,  and 
he  appears  to  make  fruitless  efforts  to  dung,  let  the  clyster  be  re- 
peated, which,  with  a  repetition  of  the  exercise,  will  generally 
pi'oduce  the  desired  effect.  A  horse  should  be  clothed,  and  not 
exposed  to  rain  or  cold  wind  during  the  operation  of  physic;  and 
when  its  operation  has  ceased,  he  should  be  gradually  brought 
bads  to  his  usual  diet  and  work. 

Cathartics  improve  digestion  and  chylification  by  cleansing 
the  intestines  and  unloading  the  liver,  and  if  the  animal  is  after- 

66 


1042  DISEASES  AND  THEIE  TKEATMENT. 

wards  properly  fed,  will  improve  his  strength  and  condition  in  a 
remarkable  degree.  Diuretics  carry  off  the  excrementitious  mat- 
ter of  the  blood  by  the  kidneys,  and  thereby  produce  a  similar  ef- 
fect, but  not  in  so  essential  or  permanent  a  manner;  for  if  the  sys- 
tem of  feeding,  which  renders  the  blood  impure,  be  continued,  it 
will  soon  return  to  its  original  state.  Cathartics  are  always  use- 
ful when  the  appetite  and  digestion  are  bad,  and  this  is  known  by 
a  voracious  oi-  depraved  appetite,  both  for  food  and  for  water; 
rumbling  of  the  bowels,  and  a  frequent  discharge  of  wind  from 
the  anus.  This  is  the  case  in  a  remarkable  degree  with  broken- 
winded  horses,  and  generally  in  such  as  have  chronic  cough,  or 
are  crib-biters.  Cathartics  should  not  be  given  too  strong  or  too 
frequently,  as  they  may  thereby  weaken  instead  of  strengthen  the 
digestive  organs,  and  produce  the  effect  they  were  intended  to  re- 
move. Cathartics  .should  always  be  made  with  soap,  in  the  fol- 
lowing manner,  and  then,  if  given  upon  an  empty  stomach,  they 
will  be  carried  off,  and  will  not  be  dissolved  until  they  get  into  the 
large  bowels,  where  their  effect  is  intended  to  be  produced :  that 
is,  carrying  off  all  the  excrementitious  matter  that  may  be  lodged 
in  them.  When  given  in  this  way,  they  never  produce  sickness 
or  pain  in  the  stomach,  but  always  operate  without  pain  or  dan- 
ger. 

CATHARTIC    BALL. 

4  drachms  to  1  oz.  Barbadoes  aloes,  powdered, 

3  to  4  drachms  hard  soap, 

1  drachm  ginger, 

1  drachm  water, 

10  drops  oil  of  cloves. 
Beat  the  soap,  oil  of  cloves,  and  water  together  in  a  mortar,  so  as  to 
form  a  paste,  and  if  necessary  use  more  water.     This  being  done,  add  the 
powdered  aloes  and  ginger,  and  beat  the  whole  into  a  ball. 

Bleeding,  or  Phlebotomy. 

The  operation  of  blood-letting  is  now  almost  discarded  in  mod- 
ern practice.  It  is  simple,  and  can  be  performed  by  almost  any 
one  with  a  steady  hand.  For  its  performance  a  fleam  and  blood- 
stick  are  required;  the  star  of  the  fleam  should  be  large  at  the 
shoulder,  to  make  a  sufficient  opening  to  allow  a  free  flow  of  blood, 
and  the  blade  should  be  broad,  to  prevent  its  sinking  in  when  the 
vein  is  deep.     The  jugular  vein  of  the  neck  is  usually  selected  to 


BLEEDING. 


1043 


bleed  from.     The  head  should  be  moderately  raised  and  slightly 
to^d  off,  the  eye  next  the  operator  being  covered  by  the  hand  of 


Fig.  888. — Raising  the  vein. 

the  assistant  holding  the  head.     The  left  side  is  easiest  operated 

on;  the  vein  is  raised  by  the  pressure  of  the  third  and  little  fin- 


FiG.  889— Method  of  placing  the  fleam. 

gers  o£  the  left  hand,  ^vhich  holds  the  flean>.  It  is  most  superfi- 
dal  about  two  inches  from  the  angle  of  the  jaw,  consequently  tte 
point  is  usually  selected  for  the  operation.     The  vem  tang  raised, 


1044  DISEASES  Al^D   THBIE   TEEATMENT. 

and  the  hair  smoothed  down  by  the  moistened  finger,  the  star  of 
the  fleam  is  placed  in  a  line  -with  the  course  of  the  vein,  with  one 
smart  tap  of  the  blood-stick  the  vein  and  coats  of 
the  vein  are  punctured,  and  the  blood  will  flow. 
Whc!n  sufficient  has  been  abstracted,  the  edges  of  the 
wound  should  be  carefully  taken  together,  and  hairs 
and  clot  carefully  wiped  away ;  a  small  pin  is  passed 
through  them,  and  a  little  tow  wound  round  it,  and 
the  point  of  the  pin  cut  off.  The  head  should  be 
riG.890.— The  ^^^^  ^^p  f^j,  g^  f^,^  hours  to  prevent  his  rubbing  the 

orifice  closed.        .        ^r. 
pm  on. 

Setons. 

Setons  are  similar  in  their  action  to  rowels,  and  are  used  for 
much  the  same  purposes.  They  are  usually  made  of  broad  white 
tape.  In  inserting  a  seton,  the  skin  is  cut  with  the  rowelling 
scissors  as  above.  A  seton  needle,  which  should  be  large  and  well 
polished,  is  passed  in  and  pushed  under  the  skin  as  far  as  is  neces- 
sary ;  another  cut  is  then  made  in  the  skin,  through  which  it  is 
passed  out;  the  needle  in  its  course  should  separate  the  skin  on 
each  side  from  its  cellular  attachments.  The  lower  opening 
should  always  be  so  placed  that  the  matter  will  have  a  dependent 
outlet.  The  ends  of  the  seton  should  be  tied  to  circular  j)ieces  of 
leather,  so  as  to  prevent  its  being  pulled  through.  It  is  necessary 
to  wash  it  frequently  with  warm  water,  and  pull  it  up  and  down 
often,  to  keep  it  open,  dressing  it  occasionally  with  digestive  oint- 
ment to  keep  up  the  discharge. 

The  Rowel. 

Rowels  are  used  as  counter-irritants  in  treating  deep-seated 
inflammations ;  and  whenever  any  morbid  disease  is  to  be  stopped, 
as  in  grease  and  in  thrushes,  they  have  long  been  favorite  reme- 
dies among  horsemen. 

In  applying  a  rowel,  the  skin  is  to  be  taken  up  between  the 
finger  and  thumb,  and  a  cut  is  made  in  the  skin  with  the  rowel- 
ling scissors,  and  with  the  hook  on  the  handle  of  the  scissors  it  is 
separated  from  its  cellular  connections  for  about  two  inches,  and 
a  dossil  of  tow,  or  a  circular  piece  of  leather,  with  a  hole  in  it,  pre- 
viously dipped  in  digestive  ointment,  is  inserted,  which  must  be 


TRACHEOTOMY. 


1045 


cleaned  and  moved  every  day.     A  discharge  is  soon  set  up,  which 
has  a  tendency  to  remove  any  deep-seated,  morbid  action.       ^ 

Tracheotomy. 

It  sometimes  happens  that  from  the  tumefaction  of  strangles, 
the  impaction  of  foreign  bodies,  and  other  sudden  causes  of  ob- 
struction, the  life  of  the  patient  is  threatened  from  suffocation.  It 
is  found  necessary  to  open  the  windpipe  to  avert  the  untoward  i-e- 
sult,  until  the  cause  of  the  obstruction  be  removed. 

It  consists  in  making  an  incision  through  the  skin,  and  muscles 
in  the  mesian  line  down  on  the  trachea,  or  V\^indpipe,  cutting 
through  two  rings  of  this  tube,  and  inserting  a  bent  tube,  which  is 
usually  made  of  block-tin,  with  a  broad  flange,  to  which  tapes  or 
straps  are  attached  to  tie  it  round  the  neck.  It  is  usually  em- 
ployed to  give  temporary  relief ;  but  I  have  known  horses  to  work 
with  a  tube  in  the  windpipe  for  years.  It  must  be  frequently 
taken  out  and  cleaned.  When  the  cause  of  the  obstruction  is  re- 
moved, the  tube  is  Avithdrawn,  and  the  edges  of  the  skin  being 
scarified,  they  are  carefully  brought  together,  and  treated  as  a 
simple  wound. 

Docking,  Nicking,  etc. 

This  was  a  very  common  operation  thirty  years  ago,  but  has 
now  gone  into  en- 
tire disuse.  Like 
high  checking,  it 
is  not  only  need- 
less, but  cruel. 
There  are,  how- 
ever, some  cases 
in  which  it  may 
be  resorted  to  with 
advantage,  and  on 
this  account  I  in- 
clude illustrations 


Fig.  891. — Showing  the  methods  of  severing  the 
depressing  ligaments,  from  the  French. 


showing  the  method  of  doing  it.  The  principal  one  is  when  the 
hor.se  switches  and  becomes  dangerous  when  the  rein  is  caught 
under  the  tail.  The  action  being  involuntary,  it  cannot  practic- 
ally be  broken  up  by  treatment  In  such  a  case  raising  the  tail 
will  be  found  efFectual, 


1046 


DISEASES   AND    THEIE   TEEATMENT. 


Iji  performing-  it,  the  joint  at  which  it  is  to  be  amputated  be- 
i§^  determined  upon,  the  hair  above  it  is  shed  back  and  tied  with 
a  cord,  the  part  is  cHppcd  close,  and  the  tail  being  held  out  by  an 
assistant,  with  one  cut  of  the  docking  shears  it  is  severed.  The 
bleeding  is  stopped  by  lightly  searing  Avith  a  hot  iron  with  a  hole  in 
the  center  so  as  not  to  burn  the  bone.  Some  practitioners  ampu- 
tate it  so  as  to  leave  flaps  to  cover  the  bone;  by  this  method  the 
stump  is  entii'ely  covered  by  hair,  and  though  more  troublesome, 
is  preferable.     Too  mucli  searing  is  to  be  avoided,  as  exfoliation 


Fig.  892. — Ordinary  method  of  putting  the  horse  in  pnlleys  to  raise  the  tail, 
of   the  bone  sometimes  follows   the  injudicious  use  of  the  firing 


n'on. 


Nicking  and  pricking  are  one  and  the  same  operation,  the  lat- 
ter being  an  improved  method  of  performing  it.  The  object  is  to 
cause  the  tail  to  be  carried  in  an  elevated  position,  which  is  much 
admired  in  road  horses.  It  is  also  performed  to  set  the  tail  straight 
when  carried  awry,  which  is  a  serious  eyesore  to  a  good-looking 
horse.  Pricking  is  nothing  more  or  less  than  tenotomy  of  the  de- 
pressor muscles  of  the  tail. 

It  is  best  to  secure  him  with  a  twitch  and  side  line ;  the  hair 
at  the  end  of  the  tail  is  firmly  tied,  and  a  loop  formed,  to  which 
the  weight  is  to  be  attached.      The  only  instrument  used  is  a  long- 


EiM:BROCATIONS. 


1047 


bladed  scalpel,  or  the  common  pricking  knife.  The  tail  is  raised 
with  the  left  hand,  while  with  the  right  the  center  of  the  bon^s 
felt  for,  and  the  knife  is  passed  in  (with  its  flat  surface  next  the 
skin)  to  the  opposite  side,  when  the  cutting  edge  is  turned  toward 
the  bone,  and  the  muscles  carefully  divided.  When  simply  to 
sti-aighten  a  wry  tail,  if  the  faulty  tendons  are  discovered  and 
divided,  one  incision  may  be  sufficient;  but  in  "setting  up  "  a  tail 


Fig.  893. — The  French  method  of  keeping  the  tail  elevated. 

two,  and  sometimes  three,  are  required.  The  muscles  having  been 
thoroughly  divided,  the  tail  is  supported  by  means  of  the  double 
pulley  over  the  back  part  of  the  stall;  the  cord  attached  to  the 
end  of  the  tail  is  passed  through  the  wheels  of  the  pulley,  and  suf- 
ficient weight  attached  to  keep  the  tail  elevated,  to  prevent  read- 
hesion  of  the  divided  muscles.  He  should  be  taken  out  of  the  pul- 
leys twice  a  day  and  gently  exercised;  but  the  pulleys  must  be 
continued  until  the  parts  have  thoroughly  healed,  and  he  carries 
the  tail  in  the  manner  desired. 

Embrocations 

Are  external  applications  in  a  liquid  form,  that  are  rubbed  on  a 
diseased  part,  as  in  strains  and  indolent  swellings,  and  as  an  aux- 
iliary in  the  treatment  of  internal  inflammation.  They  are  of  a 
stimulating  nature,  and  are  greatly  assisted  by  friction.  Of  this 
kiad  are  opodeldoc,  soap  liniment,  etc. 

EMBROCATONS    FOR    HART),    INDOLENT    TUMORS. 

No.  1.- — 4  ounces  olive-oil, 

<t  drachms  camphor.  Mix. 


1048  BTSEASKS   AN])   THEIK  TREATMENT. 

^^  No.  2.  — 2  ounces  mercurial  ointment, 

2  drachms  each  of  olive-oil  and  camphor. 

Embrocations  of  a  more  stimulating  kind  are  sometimes  em- 
ployed in  swellings  of  the  joints,  old  strains,  or  other  local  affec- 
tions, such  as  soap  liniment  with  liquid  ammonia,  olive-oil,  oil  of 
turpentine,  and  liquid  ammonia;  but  blisters  in  such  eases  are 
generally  more  effectual. 

Embrocations  ai'e  often  improperly  employed,  as  in  recent 
strains,  or  inflamed  tumois,  and  other  cases  where  emollient  or 
cooling  applications  are  required.  Both  strains  and  bruises  are 
at  first  attended  with  a  degree  of  inflammation  proportionate  to 
the  violence  of  the  injury,  and  the  susceptibility  of  the  injured 
part;  therefore  they  require,  at  first,  such  treatment  as  is  calcu-^ 
lated  to  subdue  inflammation,  as  explained  under  head  of  Sprains, 
etc. 

ANODYNE  XINIMENT. 

4  troy  ounces  castile  soap, 
2  troy  ounces  spirits  camphor, 

1  ounce  oil  rosemary, 

2  pints  alcohol, 
4  ounces  -water. 

Good  for  sprains,  hruises,  rheumatic  pains,  etc. 

•  LINIMENT    OF   AMMONIA,    OK,   VOLATILE    LINIMENT. 

1  ounce  strong  solution  of  ammonia, 

2  ounces  olive-oil.  Mix. 

To  this,  camphor  or  oil  of  turpentine  is  sometimes  added  ;  and  the  s<  >- 
lution  of  ammonia  is,  for  some  purposes,  joined  to  the  soap  liniment. 

MUSTARD   EMBROCATION. 

4  ounces  flour  of  mustard, 

1^  ounces  liquid  ammonia, 

1  ounce  oil  of  turpentine. 
Water,  a  sufficient  quantity  to  bring  it  to   tlie  consistency  of  cream. 
Flour  of  mustard  mixed  into  a  thin  paste,  with  water  only,  is  a  powerful 
stimulant,  and  may  he  employed  with  good  effect  in  cases  of  internal  inflam- 
mation, either  of  the  bowels  or  lungs. 

SOAP  LINIMENT.  * 

1  ounce  hard  soap, 

1  ounce  camphor, 

1  ounce  oil  of  rosemary, 

1  pint  rectified  spirits. 

Cut  up  the  soap,  and  let  it  stand  with  the  spirits  mitil  dissolved,  then 
add  the  rest,     Good  for  sprains,  bruises,  etc. 


CAUSTICS.  1049 


Caustics 


Are  substances  which  burn  away  the  tissues  of  the  body  by  de- 
composition of  their  elements,  and  ai-e  valuable  to  destroy  fungous 
growth  and  set  up  healthy  action.  They  are,  consequently,  often 
required  to  destroy  proud  flesh,  kill  the  virus  in  poisoned  wounds, 
stimulate  old  ulcers,  excite  healthy  action  in  fistula,  and  remove 
warts,  tumors,  etc. 

Corrosive  sublimate,  in  powder,  acts  energetically ;  nitrate  of 
silver  is  excellent  to  lower  granulation ;  sulphate  of  copper  is  not 
so  strong  as  the  above,  but  good ;  chloride  of  zinc  is  a  powerful 
caustic,  and  may  be  used  in  sinuses,  in  solution,  7  drachms  in  a 
pint  of  water;  verdigris,  either  in  powder  or  mixed  with  lard,  is 
good  as  an  ointment,  in  proportion  of  one  to  three  parts.  Carry- 
ing this  treatment  to  extreme  implies  using  a  hot  iron,  the  actual 
cautery. 

Vegetable  Caustic. — Make  a  strong  lye  of  hickory  or  oak 
ashes,  put  into  an  iron  kettle,  and  evaporate  to  the  consistency  of 
thin  molasses;  then  remove  into  a  sand  bath,  and  continue  the 
evaporation  to  the  consistenc}'^  of  honey.  Keep  it  in  a  ground 
stopped  glass  jar. 

This  caustic  is  very  valuable  in  fistulas,  cancers,  scrofulas,  and 
indolent  ulcers,  particularly  where  there  are  sinuses,  necrosis  (or  de- 
cay of  bone),  and  in  all  cases  where  there  is  proud  flesh ;  and  also 
to  excite  a  healthy  action  of  the  parts.  It  removes  fungous  flesh 
without  exciting  inflammation,  a,nd  acts  but  little  except  on  spongy 
or  soft  flesh. 


CHAPTER    XXXVII. 


FORMULA  FOR  RECIPES  AND  PRESCRIPTIONS. 

In  this  chapter  is  given  a  list  of  prescriptions,  proved  by  ex- 
perience to  be  most  valuable.  Many  of  them  have  been  long  used 
by  the  Veterinary  Profession,  and  have  also  been  recommended 
and  used  by  the  best  authorities  in  Europe  and  this  country. 
There  are  also  included  a  large  number  of  chance  recipes,  obtained 
by  me  in  various  ways,  many  of  them  during  the  past  twenty 
years,  taken  from  my  old  book,  "  New  System,"  Avhich  have  been 
proved  valuable,  and  which  I  regard  worthy  of  a  place  here. 
Among  them  are  many  recipes  that  have  been  kept  great  secrets, 
and  sold  at  large  prices. 

Alteratives. 

POWDERS. 

No.  1.  — Tartar  emetic,         ....  2  ounces. 

Nitre  (saltpetre),         .         .  .  .     4      "  Mix. 

Divide  into  twelve  powders,  one  to  be  given  twice  a  day  in  the  food. 
Useful  in  catarrh,  influenza,  and  skin  diseases. 

No.  2. — Sulphur,  .....  3  ounces. 

Nitre, 2      " 

Antimony,      .  .         .         .  .  lo     "  Mix. 

To  be  divided  into  six  poAvders,  one  daily  in  the  food.  Useful  in  skin 
diseases. 

r.ALT,S.  ^ 

No.  1. — Barbadoes  aloes,  ...         10  drachms. 

Castile  Boap,  .         .         .         .     12        '' 

Powdered  carraway  .seed,  .  12        " 

Powdered  ginger,       .  .  .  4        " 

Molasses  or  palm-oil  sufficient  to  form  a  mass.      Divide  into  six  balls, 
one  to  be  given  every  morning  till  the  bowels  are  freely  opened.      Useful  in 
hide-bound,  costive  bowels,  and  skin  diseases. 
[1050] 


DIUEBTIC  ALTEEATIVES.  1051 

No,  2. — Barbadoes  aloes,         ...         10  drachms. 

•    Calomel, 2        '^ 

Powdered  fenugreek,  .  .         12        " 

Ginger,  .  .  .  .  .      4        " 

Oil  of  cloves,      .  .  .  .40  drops. 

Soft  soap  sufficient  to  form  a  mass.  Divide  into  four  parts,  one  every 
second  day.  While  taking  these,  he  must  have  mashes,  chilled  water,  etc. , 
and  be  carefully  preserved  from  cold  and  damp.  Useful  in  hide-bound,  grease, 
unthrifty  condition,  etc. 

No.  3.— Tartar  emetic,  ....      G  drachms. 

Calomel,     .         .         .         .  .  3        " 

Sublimated  sulphur,         .         .  .3  ounces. 

Common  mass  sufficient  to  form  six  balls  of  an  ounce  each  ;  one  daily. 
Useful  in  mange,  worms,  and  skin  diseases. 

Diuretic  Alteeatives. 

POWDERS. 

No.  1. — Resin,  finely  powdered,  .  .  2  ounces. 

Nitre, 1|    " 

Linseed  meal,         .  .  .  .  3       "  Mix. 

Divide  into  six  balls  ;  one  daily.  Hegulate  the  kidneys  and  improve  the 
coat. 

BALLS. 

No.  1. — Powdered  resin,         .         .         .         .4  ounces. 
Castile  soap,  .  .         .         .  3       " 

Venice  turpentine,     .         .         .  .     2       " 

Powdered  carraways  sufiicient  to  form  the  mass.  Divide  into  balls  of  a 
convenient  size  ;  one  daily,  till  diuresis  is  produced.  Useful  in  swelled  legs, 
dropsical  effusion,  weed,  etc. 

Antacids. 


No.  1. — Prepared  chalk,      ....  4  oimces. 

Powdered  ginger,        .         .         .         .1 


a 


Barbadoes  aloes,     .  .  .         .  1       " 

Common  mass  sufficient  to  make  six  balls  of  convenient  size  ;  one  daily. 
Useful  in  acidity  of  the  stomach  and  indigestion. 

No.  2.  — Carbonate  (bicarbonate)  soda,         .  3  ounces. 

Gentian  and  ginger,  of  each,  .         .1       '•' 

Molasses  sufficient  to  make  a  mass.  Divide  into  four  parts  ;   one  night 
and  morning. 

Antispasmodics. 

No.  1. — Sulphuric  ether,        ....      1  ounce. 
Infusion  of  opium,         .         .         .  2      '' 

Peppermint  water,     .        .         .         .      1      "  Mix. 

To  be  given  in  n  q[un.rt  of  cold  water.     Usefid  in  flatulence,  spasm,  etc. 


1052  EECIPES   AND   l^llESCEIPTIONS. 

No.  2. — Ether  and  chloroform,  of  each,        .         J  ounce. 
Tincture  of  o])ium,      .         .         .         .     2      " 
Tincture  of  cardamoms,  .         .         1      " 

To  be  given  in  a  quart  of  water.     Useful  in  colic. 

No.  3. — Spirits  of  ammonia  (aromatic),         .         2  ounces. 
Dilute  hydrocyianic  acid,      .        .         .20  drops. 
Tincture  of  ginger,  ...         2  ounces. 

To  be  given  in  a  quart  of  beer,  well  shaken.     Useful  in  spasmodic  colic. 

ANODYNE    DKAtTGHT,    OR   DRENCH. 

No.  4. — Tincture  of  opium,  .         .         .  5  to  1  ounce. 

Spirits  of  nitrous  ether,        .         .         .  1  to  2       " 

Essence  of  peppermint,*  .         .  1  to  2  drachms. 

Water,  ......  1  pint. 

ANODYNE   CARMINATIVE   TINCTURE. 

No.  5. — Best  Turkey  opium,  ...  1  ounce. 

Cloves,  bruised,  .         .         .         .  2       " 

Jamaica  ginger,  bruised,  .         .  3       " 

Old  Cognac  brandy,    ....  1  quart. — (White.) 

Let  them  be  digested  together  in  a  wellcorkeH  bottle,  and  shaken  sev- 
eral times  a  day,  for  three  or  four  weeks.  It  is  to  be  strained  through  blot- 
ting-paper, and  it  is  fit  for  use.  The  medium  dose  is  two  ounces,  which 
may  be  given  in  ale  or  warm  water. 

Either  of  these  recipes  will  be  found  a  good  remedy  for  flatulent 
or  spasmodic  colic.  In  the  anodyne  draught,  warm  beer  may  be 
substituted  for  water.  It  should  be  recollected  that  when  the  colic 
is  attended  with  costiveness,  clysters  and  oily  and  saline  laxatives 
are  necessary,  either  in  addition  to  the  anodyne,  or  after  the  ano- 
dyne is  exhibited.     For  other  prescriptions,  see  Colic,  page  886. 

Drench  for  Stomach  Staggers. 


No.  1. — Barbadoes  aloes, 

5  drs.  to  1  oz. 

Calomel,         ..... 

2  drachms. 

Oil  of  peppermint,     . 

.     20  drops. 

Warm  water, 

1  pint. 

Tincture  of  cardamoms,    .         . 

2  ounces. 

Mix,  and  give  at  one  dose. 

Astringents. 

No.  1.- — Powdered  oj^ium, 

.     1  drachm. 

Powdered  catechu. 

2       " 

Powdered  chalk. 

1  ounce. 

To  be  given  in  arrow-root,  starch,  or  thick  flour  gruel.     Useful  in  diar- 

rhoea or  superpurgation. 

*  Essence  of  peppermint  consists  of  the  essential  oil  of  peppermint  dissolved  in  spirit  of 
Tvine;  one  pnvt  of  tVie  former  to  three  of  the  latter. 


BLISTEES.  1053 

No.  2. — Powdered  catechu  and  alum,  of  each,     2  drachms. 
Powdered  opium,  .         .         .  1        " 

Powdered  ginger,     .         .         ,         .       2        " 
Oil  of  cloves,        .  .  .         .         10  drops. 

Molasses  to  form  a  ball.      Useful  in  superpurgation,  diarrhnea,  etc. 

No.  3. — Opium  and  acacia  gum,  of  each,        .       1  drachm. 
Prepared  chalk,  ...  4  ounces. 

Carefully  dissolved  in  warm  water,  and  given  in  jilenty  of  flour  or  starch 
gruel,  which,  alternated  with  linseed  tea,  is  to  be  often  repeated. 

PKYINli    POAVDEKS. 


No.  1. — Prepared  chalk,       .  .  .  .4  ounces. 

Sulphate  of  zinc,  .  .  .  1       " 

Charcoal,         .         .  .  .  .      1      " 

Armenian  bole,  .  .  .  2       "  Mix. 

To  be  finely  powdered,  and  dusted  over  raw  surfaces.      Useful  for  heal- 
ing wounds. 

No.  2. — Powdered  alum,     ....  4  ounces. 

Armenian  bole,  .         ,  .  .     1       "  Mix. 

To  be  powdered,  and  used  as  above. 

No.  3. — Sulphate  of  zinc,     ....         2  ounces. 

Oxide  of  zinc,     .         .  .         .         .     1       "  Mix. 

To  be  used  as  above. 

ASTRINGENT    LOTION. 

No.  1. — Sulphate  of  zinc,  .  .  .  G  drachms. 

Sugar  of  lead,  .  .  .  .      ]  ounce.  Mix. 

To  be  dissolved  in  a  quart  of  water.      Wet  the  wound  twice  a  day  with 
the  lotion,  well  shaken.      Useful  for  wounds,  bruises,  etc. 

ASTRINGENT    OINTMENT. 

No.  1.  — -Resin  ointment,         ....  4  ounces. 

Oil  of  turpentine,  .  .  .  1       '' 

Powdered  sulphate  of  copper,      .  .  j       " 

Mix,   and   make   an    ointment.        Useful    for  tardy    sores    and    fungus 
growths. 

Blisters. 

OINTMENTS. 

No.  1. — Lard,        ......        12  ounces. 

Canadian  turpentine,  .  .         .      2       " 

Powdered  cantharides.      .  .  3       " 

Melt  the  lard  and  turpentine,  stir  in  the  flies,  keep  stirring  till  oocl. 


1054  RECIPES  AND  PEESCRIPTIONS. 

No.  2. — Lard,      .         .  ...  .3  pounds. 

Flies, 1      " 

Eui>horbium,  ...  .4  drachms. 

Palm  oil,    .....  1  pound. 

Melt  the  lard  and  oil  over  a  slow  fire,  and  when  coolin?,  stir  in  the  other 
ingredients. 

No.  3. — Lard, 1  pound. 

Turpentine, 4  ounces. 

Powdered  flies,  .         .         .         .       3      " 

Biniodide  of  mercury,  .         .  6  drachms. 

To  be  thoroughly  incorporated.      Useful  for  splints,  spavins,  ring-bones, 
and  enlargement  of  glands. 

No.  4. — Lard, 1  pomid. 

Bee's  wax,     .....  4  ounces. 

Biniodide  of  mercury,        .         .         .      2j    " 
Melt  the  lard  and  wax,  and  the  biniodide,  and  stir  till  cold.     Useful 
for  enlargement  of  bone  or  glandular  tissues. 

LIQUID    BLISTERS. 

No.  1. — Rectified  spirits  of  wine,        .         .         15  ounces. 
Powdered  cantharides,       .         .         .      1      " 
Powdered  camphor,        .         .         .  i      " 

Macerate  for  ten  days.     To  be  used  as  a  sweating  blister. 

No.  2.— Olive-oil,  ^ 

Oil  of  turpentine,    >  equal  parts. 
Aqua  ammonia,        ) 
To  be  well  shaken.     Useful  for  sore  throat,  chronic  swelling,  and  cal- 
lous enlargements. 

Colic  Mixtures.* 

No.  1. — Linseed  oil,        .... 
Tincture  of  opium, 

Oil  of  turpentine,      .         .         .         .      2      "  Mix. 

To  be  given  as  a  drench. 

No.  2. — Linseed  oil,         .... 
Tincture  of  opium,    . 

Sweet  spirits  of  nitre,  .         ,        .    2      "  Mix. 

As  a  drench. — (Dick.) 

No.  3.  — Aromatic  spirits  of  ammonia,     . 
Whisky,         .         .         .         . 
Oil  of  peppermint,     . 
Water, 1  quart.  Mix. 


1 

quart. 

2 

ounces, 

2 

IC 

1 

pint. 

2 

ounces, 

2 

(( 

1 

ounce. 

2 

iC 

20  drops. 

1 

quart. 

*Sec  also  Antispasmodics,  page  1051. 


COLLYEIA  (EYE-WATEES).  1055 

No.  4. — Alkaline  solution  of  aloes,         .         .       4  to  6  ounces. 

Oil  of  peppermint,         ...  30  drops. 

Tincture  of  opium,     ....  2  ounces. 

Water,         .....  1  quart.  Mix. 

CoLLYRiA  (Eye-Waters). 

No.  1. — Nitrate  of  silver,        .         .         .         .     2  to  10  grains. 
Rain,  or  distilled  water,         .         .  1  ounce. 

Infusion  of  opium,     ....      5  drops.  Mix. 

To  be  applied  to  the  eye  with  a  feather  or  camel's-hair  pencil.     Useful 
in  opacity  of  the  cornea,  specific  ophthalmia,  etc. 

No.  2. — Sulphate  zinc,  .         .         .         .         h  drachm. 
Acetate  of  lead,  ....     1  drachm. 

Distilled  water,  .         ...        16  ounces.         Mix. 
To  be  used  as  above. 

Common  Mass. 

Linseed  meal,     )  ,        , 

n.«-  ,  r  equal  parts. 

Molasses,  j     ^       ^ 

Yery  useful  in  making  up  balls. 

Compound  Camphor  Liniment. 

Camphor, 2  ounces. 

Spirits  of  lavender,      .         .         .  .    1  pint. 

Liquor  ammonia,     ....  6  ounces.         Mix. 
Useful  in  sprains,  or  as  a  mild  blister. 

Compound  Iodine  Liniment. 

Iodine,  .....  1  part. 

Soap  liniment,  ....       8  parts. 

Mix,  and  shake  well.      Useful  in  s'prains,  thickened  tendons,  enlarged 
glands,  etc. 

Condition  Balls. 

No.  1. — Powdered  ginger,       ....     1  drachm. 
Powdered  gentian,         .         .         .  3       " 

Sulphate  of  iron,        .         .         .         .     2       " 
Molasses  sufficient  to  form  a  mass.      To  be  made  into  one  ball.     Im- 
proves the  appetite,  and  stimulates  digestion. 


(( 


No.  2. — Powdered  ginger,      ....  1  drachm. 

Allspice,        .....  2 

Caraway  seed,    .       .  ...  3 

Molasses  to  form  a  ball.     As  above. 


1056  KECIPES  AND  PEE8CEIPT10NS. 

^  Cordial  Drench. 

No.  1. — Good  old  be^r  (warm),  .  .  1  quart. 

Powdered  ginger,     .         .  .         .      i  ounce. 

Shake  well.  To  be  given  in  exhaustion,  and  recovery  from  debilitating 
diseases. 

No.  2. — Best  brandy,  .  .  .        .         2  to  4  ounces. 

Molasses,  .  .  .         .     3  ounces. 

Warm  water,  .  .  .         .        12      " 

As  above. 

Veterinary  Aromatic  Powder. 

Powdered  caraway  seeds,        .         .      *  6  ounces. 

Powdered  allspice,      .  .         .     4      " 

Jamaica  gingered,  powdered,  .  2      " 

Liquorice  powder,      .         .         .         .      2      "  Mix.       • 

This  is  a  good  cordial  powder,  and  may  be  given  in  a  dose  of  two  or 
three  drachms  in  warm  ale,  in  such  cases  as  require  the  use  of  cordials.  If 
the  form  of  a  ball  is  preferred,  it  may  be  obtained  by  beating  up  a  dose  of 
th©  powders  with  a  little  molasses. 

Cough  Balls. 

[  See  also  Chronic  Cough.] 

No.  1.— Calomel,     ""] 

_,  '        '^of  each,  1  drachm. 

Camphor,     [ 

Digitalis,     J 

Made  into  a  ball,  with  molasses.     One  daily,  till  six  are  given,  when  a 

gentle  laxative  should  be  administered. — (Dick.) 

No.  2. — Digitalis,         .  .  .  .  ■      i  drachm. 

Camphor,    .         .         .         .  .  1       " 

Tartar  emetic,  .         .  .  .      1       " 

Linseed  meal,     .  \       ,         .  .  1 

Nitrate  of  potass,  .        .  .  .3 

To  be  made  into  a  mass,  with  Barbadoes  tar.  Useful  in  clironic  cough. 
Used  as  above. — (Spooner.) 

No.  3. — Gum  ammon,         .         .         .         .  2  to  3  drachms. 

Powdered  squills,      .         .         .         .1  drachm. 
Camphor,      .         .         .         .         .  1       " 

Castile  soap,      .         .         .         .         .     2       " 
Oil  of  anise,  ....        20  minims. 

Sirup  a|nd  flour  sufficient  to  form  a  ball. — (White.) 


JJKCOCTIOK  OF  ALOES.  1057 

No.  4. — Barbadoes  aloes,       ....       3  ounces. 
Common  mass,     .         .         .         .  13      " 

Powdered  digitalis,  .  .         .1'' 

Make  into  sixteen.      One  daily. — ((ramger.) 

Decoction  of  Aloks. 

Barbadoes  aloes,         ....     -ii  omices. 
Bicarbonate  potass,         .         .         .         '2 
Acacia  gum,        .         .         .         .         .     - 
Boiling  water,         ....  1  pint.  Mix. 

If  required  to  keep,  two  ounces  of  alcoliol  may  be  iiddt^d.   -(Perctval.) 

Drench  for  a  Cough. 

Bruise  3  ounces  of  fresh  squills  in  a  mortar,  or  4  to  5  ounces  of  garlic, 
and  macerate  them  in  12  ounces  of  vinegar  in  a  slow  oven  or  on  a  hot  plate 
fur  one  hour  ;  strain  off  the  liquid  part,  and  add  to  it  1  pound  of  treacle,  or 
honey.  The  dose  in  bad  coughs  is  3  to  4  ounces.  If  there  exists  much  irri- 
tation, a  tablespoonful  of  tincture  of  opium  may  be  added  to  every  »i  ounces. 

Digestives 

Are  medicines  which  promote  suppuration  in  ulcers,  and  cause 
them  to  discharge  a  white,  healthy  matter.  This  term  is  com- 
monly applied  to  ointments  and  other  preparations  which  ^mpro^•(' 
the  state  or  condition  of  ulcers  or  sores,  and  cause  them  to  dis- 
charge good  matter.  Medicines  that  promote  the  digestion  of 
food  are  termed  tonics,  stomachics,  and  cordials. 

DIGESTIVE    OINTMENTS. 

No.  1. — Powdered  resin,  ....      1  pound. 

Lard, I       " 

Oil  of  turpentine,        .  ...         .      2       '"  Mix. 

Dissolve  the  resin  and  lard,  and  stir  in  the  turpentine.  I'sefnl  for  stim- 
idating  unhealthy  wounds,  keeping  up  the  action  of  blisters,  and  smearing 
setons. 

No.  2.— Hog's  lard,  .  .  )     ,        , 

^  ,  ,.  >  of  each  4 -lunces. 

Common  turpentme,       .     j 

Melt  over  a  slow  fire,  and  add  1  ounce  powdered  acetate  of  copper.     Stir 

till  cold,  and  use  as  above. 

No.  3. — Vaseline  and  strained  turpentine,  of 

each, 4  ounces. 

Verdigris, 1      "  Mix. 

(iT 


1058 


EEGIPES  AND  PEESCEIPTIONS. 


No.  4. — Hog's-lard   ox*  vaseline,    and   Venice  • 

turpentine,  of  each,         .         .  4  ounces. 

Sulphate  of  cojiper  (blue  vitriol,  2>ow- 

dered  finely),     .         .         .         .       1       "  Mix. 

No.  5. — Ointment  of  yellow  resin,     .         .       .  4  oiinces. 
Oil  of  turpentine,     .         .         .         .  1      " 
Nitric  oxide  of  mercury  (red  precipi- 
tate), finely  powdered,        .         .  1      "  Mix. 

Friar's  Balsam. 


Friar's  Balsam,  or  compound  tincture  benzoin,  is  made  in  the 


following  manner: — 


3  ounces. 
2       '' 
1       " 

1  Cl 


Benzoin,         ..... 

Storax  Balsam,  strained,     . 

Balsam  of  tolu,         .... 

Extract  of  spiked  aloes, 

Rectified  spirit,  .  .  .  .  2  pints. 
Macerate  for  fourteen  days  (seven  days,  dub.),  and  filter  or  strain 
through  blotting  paper.  The  properties  of  this  tincture  are  stimulating  and 
expectorant,  and  it  is  therefore  prescribed  by  some  in  combination  "with 
other  remedies,  in  cases  of  old  chronic  cough  or  broken  wind.  As  it  is  de- 
composed by  water,  it  should  first  be  amalgamated  with  mucilage  or  yolk  of 
egg,  in  order  to  suspend  it  in  aqueous  liquids,  when  given  internally.  How- 
ever, its  principle  use  is  that  of  a  stimulant  external  application  to  indolent 
sores  or  wounds. 

Diuretic  or  Urine  Balls. 


of  each,  ^  ounce. 


No.  1. — Soap, 

Resin,    . 
Nitre, 

One  every  second  day  till  two  or  three  are  given.     Useful  in  swelled  legs, 
grease,  etc. 


No.  2.— Nitre,         .  '      . 

3  drachms. 

Powdered  resin,     . 

4        " 

Oil  of  juniper,    .... 

1  fluid  drachm, 

Powdered  ginger, 

1  scruple. 

Soft  soap  sufficient  to  form  a  ball. 

No.  3. — Powdered  resin,        .         . 

4  drachms. 

Powdered  nitre, 

3        " 

Powdered  ginger. 

.      1 

Palm-oil  sufficient  to  form  a  ball. 


FEVER  mXTLTEES.  IO59 

Liniment  for  Bad  Thrush  and  Canker. 

Ko.  1.— Tar, 4  ounces  ;  melt,  and  add 

Muriatic  acid,     .....  6  drachms. 

Verdigris, 4        <<  j^-^ 

Continue  stirring  until  it  is  cold, 

No.  2.— Tar  melted, 1  pound. 

Strong  sulphuric  acid,  by  weight,  2  ounces. 

Stir  them  well  together  for  some  time,  and  immediately  before  the  mixt- 
ure is  used. 

Diuretic  Mass. 

Common  resin,         ....       3  pounds. 

Soft  soap, 2      " 

Melt  over  a  slow  fire,  and  when  cool  add 

Nitre  (powdered  finely),  .         .       2      " 

Venice  turpentine,       ...  10  ounces. 

To  be  made  into  balls  as  required.     Dose,  1  ounce. 

Fever  Mixtures. 

No.  1.— Nitre, 1  pound. 

Tartar  emetic,         .         .  .         .  h      " 

Camphor, 4  ounces. 

Common  mass  as  much  as  is  sufficient  to  form  a  mass.      Dose,  1  ounce, 
made  into  a  ball.     One  every  three  hours,  while  fever  lasts. 

No.  2. — Tincture  of  aconite,         ...      10  to  15  drops. 

To  be  given  every  two  hours  in  a  little  Avater  till  fever  subsides. 
No.  3. — Calomel  and  opium,  of  each,       .         .     1  drachm. 
Common  mass,        .         .         .         .  6        " 

Made  into  a  ball  as  above.     Useful  in  inflammation  of  the  lungs,  etc. 

Hoof   Ointment. 

Archangel  tar,         ....         1  pound. 

Tallow, 5      " 

Bee's  wax, 4  ounces. 

Melt  together,  and  stir  till  cool.     Useful  dressing  for  weak  feet,  keep- 
ing the  hoof  soft,  and  stimulating  the  growth  of  horn. 

Goulard's  Extract. 

Sugar  of  lead, 6  ounces  and  6  drachms. 

Litharge  (powdered),       .  .         .  4      " 

Water, li  pint. 

Boil  for  half  an  hour,  and  when  cool,  if  required,  add  water  to  make  a 

pint  and  a  half  ;  filter,  and  keep  in  well-stoppered  bottles.    Useful  in  bruises, 

inflammation  of  the  eyes,  skin  eruptions,  etc. 


1060  EBCIPES  AND  PllESCEIPTIONS. 

Iodine  Ointment. 

Iodine,         .         .         .         .         .         .1  drachm. 

Iodide  of  potassium,         .  .         .         ^  drachm. 

Lard,  ,  .....    1  ounce.  Mix. 

Useful  in  glandular    and   bony   enlargements,   jsallendera,   sallenders, 
ring-worm,  etc. 

Lice  Mixture. 

Olive-oil, 1  quart. 

Oil  of  tar, 3  ounces.  Mix. 

To  be  well  shaken.      Wash  well  with  soap  and  water,  rub  dry,  and  rub 
well  in.      At  the  same  time  feed  well. 

Mange  Ointment. 

Linseed,  or  train  oil.  ...        8  ounces. 

Oil  of  tar, 2      " 

Sulphur, 4      "  Mix. 

Shake  well,  and  wash  with  soap  and  water  ;   then  rub  the  mixture  well 
in,  washing  every  second  day. 

Purgatives. 

PUROATIVB    DRENOH. 

No.  1. — Linseed  or  castor  oil,         .  .  .        1  quart. 

PURGATIVE    DRENCH     FOR    OBSTINATE    CONSTIPATION. 

No.  2. — Linseed  oil,  ....  1  quart. 

Croton  oil,  .         .         .         .      20  drops.  Mix. 

ToNrc  Powders. 

No.  1. — Sulphate  of  iron,         .  .  .         .     3  ounces. 

Arsenious  acid,       ....         1  draclim.        Mix. 
Powder  the  iron  finely,  and  divide  into  twelve  powders ;  then  add  the 
arsenic  (five  grains)  to  each.      One  night  and  morning  in  the  feed.      LTseful 
in  loss  of  appetite  and  recovery  from  debilitating  diseases. 

No.  2.  — Sulphate  of  copper,         ...         2  ounces. 
Ginger,       .         .         .         .         ,         .     1      " 
Powder  and  divide  into   twelve ;    one  night  and  morning.      Useful  in 
farcy,  nasal  gleet,  and  chronic  discharges. 

Tonic  Mass. 

No.  1. — Ginger  (powdered)  gentian,  ) 

n  11.  ,        r  eqiial  parts. 

Oarraway  seed  and  anise  seed,      |     ^ 

Molasses  sufficient  to  form  a  mass.     Dose,  one  ounce  in  a  ball  night  and 
morning. 


WORM  POWJ^KRS. 


1U61 


No.  2. — Ginger,  gentian,  and  sulphate  of  iron, 

of  each,  ....  2  pounds. 

Lard, 1       " 

Molasses,     .  .         .         .  .  5       "  Mix. 

The  sulphate  of  iron  to  be  linely  powdered,  and  thoroughly  incorporated 
with  the  other  ingredients ;  the  lard  and  molasseis  to  be  dissolved,  and  the 
mixed  powder  to  be  stirred  in.      Dose,  one  ounce  night  and  morning. 

Worm   Puwders. 

Tartar  emetic,         ....         2  drachms. 
Linseed  meal,    .         .         .         ,         .1  ounce. 
To  be  given  night  and  morning  in  a  little  bran,  or  on  an  empty  stomach. 


2  drachms. 

11       << 


Worm  Balls. 

No.  1. — Gentian  quassia,    camphor,    sulphate 

of  iron,  of  each,         ...        2  drachms. 
Made  into  a  ball  with  common  mass. — (Ihiii.) 

No.  2. — Assafoetida,  .... 

Calomel  and  savin,  of  each, 
Oil  of  male  fern,  ...  30  drops. 

Common  mass  sufficient  to  form  a  ball  given  at  night,  and  a  purge  in 
the  morning. — (Gamgee.) 

Worm  Drench. 

Linseed  oil,         ...  .1  quart. 

Oil  of  turpentine,    ....  2  ounces. 

To  be  prepared  by  bran  mashes  for  two  days ;  allowed  to  fast  for  at 
least  eight  hours,  when  the  drench  is  to  be  carefully  given  ;  and,  if  thought 
necessary,  repeated  next  morning,  and  followed  by  a  purgative. 


SSi 


&"■ 


m 


V 


1062  RECJPES  AND  PiiESCKlFTiONS. 

RECIPES  FROM  THE  AUTHOR'S   OLD  BOOK   (TPIE  NEW 
SYSTEM),  AND  OTHER   SOURCES, 

V/hich  have  not  been  included  in  previous  chaptei's.  Among  tiiese 
are  many  recipes  valued  highly  by  persons  having  the  old  book. 
For  the  benefit  of  such  I  give  them  a  place  here. 

Charges. 

Adhesive  plasters  v/hich  are  softened  or  liquefied  in  a  ladle  by 
a  gentle  heat,  and  then  applied  to  the  legs,  from  the  knee  and 
hock  joints  to  the  foot,  as  a  remedy  for  wind  galls  and  old  lame- 
nesses, arising  from  strains  or  hard  work,  or  to  the  back  in  strains 
of  that  part.  As  soon  as  the  plaster  is  applied,  the  part  is  cov- 
ered with  short  tow,  and  the  horse  sent  to  grass. 

X    CHARGE. 

No.  1.  — 2  ounces  yellow  resin,  4  ounces  burgundy  pitch,  2  ounces  Barba- 
does  tar,  3  ounces  bee's  wax,  4  ounces  red  lead.  The  first  three  are  to  be 
melted  together,  and  then  the  latter  is  to  be  added.  The  mixture  is  to  be 
constantly  stirred  until  sufficiently  cold  to  be  api^lied  ;  and  if  it  proves  too 
thick  v/hen  cold,  it  may  be  softened  with  a  little  oil  or  lard. 

Graix  Founder. 

Take  three  pints  of  vinegar,  into  which  put  six  red  pepper 
pods,  and  boil  until  reduced  to  one  quart.  When  cool,  give  as  a 
drench.  Blanket  the  horse  warmly.  This  will  put  the  horse  in 
a  profuse  perspiration,  and  perform  a  perfect  cure.  The  gentle- 
man of  whom  I  got  this  cured  a  valuable  horse  that  got  into  his 
granary  and  ate  so  much  grain  that  he  was  in  the  morning  per- 
fectly stiff.  One,  dose  made  a  perfect  cure.  He  said  he  would  not 
be  without  it  for  one  hundred  dollars. 

Condition  Powder. 

I  lb.  grains  paradise  (ground),  -|  lb.  ground  ginger,  |  lb.  powdered  gen- 
tian, 6  oxmces  cumin  seed  (ground),  6  ounces  fenugreek  (ground),  6  ounces 
carbonate  soda,  6  lbs.  common  brown  sugar,  12  lbs.  salt.  Put  in  one  hun- 
dred pounds  of  meal.     Dose  :  one  pint  to  be  given  with  the  usual  food. 

This  is  considered  one  of  the  best  tonic  condition  powders  ever 
used.  It  is  sold  in  the  Eastern  cities  at  a  large  price,  under  the 
name  of  Condition  Food,  and  is  licld  as  a  secret  of  great  value. 
I  have  known  $50  to  be  refused  for  the  recipe. 


FOR  STRAIN   OK  INFLAMMATION.  1063 


A  Yery  Fine  Healing  Preparation  for  Cuts. 

Equal  parts  tincture  myrrh  and  balsam  copiaba."  To  be  u«ed 
once  a  day.  This  is  the  favorite  remedy  of  one  of  the  most  suc- 
cessful horsemen  in  the  country.  It  is  one  of  the  best  of  healing 
remedies. 

A  Good  Application  to  a  Putrid  Ulcer. 

To  remove  foetid  smell  of  fistulous  v^^ithers,  poll  evil,  canker, 
and  wounds,  dilute  chloride  of  lime,  with  twenty  times  its  quan- 
tity of  water,  and  dress  Avith  it  whenever  there  is  an  offensive  dis- 
charge. Mix  a  poultice  with  this  preparation,  and  put  it  on.  It 
will  remove  all  smell,  and  cleanse  by  its  action. 

For  Strain  or  Inflammation. 

Whenever  there  is  much  inflammation  fi-om  strain  or  wounds, 
take — 

1  pound  saltpetre,  1  gallon  hot  water.  When  cool,  add  1  quart  best 
whisky.  Saturate  a  sponge  or  cloth  -with  the  preparation,  and  keep  the  part 
thoroughly  wet  with  it. 

To  Cure  Cuts  or  Bruises  of  the  Cheeks.* 

They  are  liable  to  occur  in  some  peculiar  cases  when  using 
third  method  of  subjection.      Use  inside, — 

1  drachm  tannin  to  ^  oz.  borax,  3  to  4  parts  water.  Swab  once  a  day  in- 
side tlie  wound.  For  outside  dressing  use  1  ounce  tincture  of  myrrh,  2 
ounces  tincture  aloes,  ^  pint  water. 

If  the  horse  is  troublesome,  liable  to  strike,  tie  with  r.  strong 
halter,  rather  short,  to  the  manger;  then  tie  a  rope  or  strong  strap 
around  the  neck,  bring  back  between  the  fore  legs,  around  the 
near  hind  leg,  and  back  through  the  loop  around  the  neck ;  pull 
short  enough  to  laise  the  foot  from  the  ground  to  make  fast.  The 
horse  is  now  unable  to  rear,  and  will  stand  quietly  to  have  the 
parts  dressed.     Repeat  dressing  once  a  day,  until  cured. 

A  great  deal  of  trouble  will  be  prevented  when  there  is  bruis- 
ing of  the  cheeks,  as  stated,  by  bathing  with  hot  water,  and  dress- 
ing with  calendula.  The  bathing  must  be  continued  until  the  in- 
flammation is  reduced,  then  dress  with  the  calendula;  but  if  neg- 
lected, suppuration  is  liable  to  follow,  making  holes  in  the  cheeks, 
when  the  treatment  must  be  as  above. 


*  This  prescription  was  given  the  writer  by  Dr.  Braily,  chief  veterinary  surgeon 
of  the  U.  S.  Cavalry  during  the  Rebellion.  It  will  be  found  all  that  can  be  desired 
for  healing  all  wounds  inside  cheeks  or  mouth. 


1064  KKCIFES  AND  PKE«CRI  PTIONS. 


To  Grow  Hair  on  the  Mank  oh  Tail. 

Add  as  inucli  sulphur  to  castor  oil  as  will  make  it  thick  as 
cream,  and  rub  into  the  roots  of  the  hair  two  or  three  times  a 
week.  This  was  obtained  by  the  writer  nearly  twenty  years  ago 
in  Maine.  From  some  cause,  one  of  my  horses  (Turco)  rubbed 
the  hair  off  his  tail  m  as  to  spoil  it.  The  skin  was  smooth  and 
glossy,  and  apparentl}^  beyond  hope  of  new  hair  growing  in.  Some 
one  told  me  to  apply  the  above,  and  in  a  short  time  a  heavy 
growth  of  hair  started,  and  grew  to  full  length. 

In  1873,  in  defiance  of  all  that  could  be  done,  Gilford  (one  of 
my  pair  of  trained  horses)  lost  all  the  hair  from  his  tail.  The 
above  was  well  rubbed  into  the  dock  two  or  three  times  a  week, 
and  a  heavy  growth  of  hair  was  soon  started,  which,  in  time,  made 
a  fine  tail. 

Astringent  Otntments. 

No.  1. — 4  ounces  Venice  turpentine,  1  ounce  bee's  wax,  4  ounces  vase- 
line. Melt  over  a  slow  fire;  and  when  rather  cool,  hut  when  it  is  liquid, 
add  1  ounce  sugar  of  lead,  or  2  ounces  alum,  finely  powdered.  Stir  the  mixt- 
ure until  it  is  cold. 

No.  2. — 1  drachiu  red  nitrated  mercury,  commonly  Jiamed  red  precipi- 
tate, rubbed  down  to  a  very  fine  powder  ;  2  ounces  calmine  cerate,  com- 
monly named  Turner's  cerate.      Mix. 

Remark. — The  astringent  powders  and  ointments  ai-e  designed 
chiefly  as  remedies  for  the  grease,  after  the  inflammation  of  the 
part  has  been  in  a  great  measure  removed  by  proper  poultices ; 
but  the  ointment  is  applicable  onlj^  to  those  ulcerations  or  cracks 
which  are  sometimes  an  effect  of  that  disease ;  and  often  occurring 
from  other  causes. 

Goulard's  Extract. 

This  is  made  from  litharge  and  vinegar,  by  simmering  them 
together  over  "a  gentk;  fii'e,  until  the  vinegar  lias  dissolved  as 
much  as  it  is  capable  of  doing.  It  is  a  very  useful  application  iu 
cases  of  external  inflammation,  and  may  be  used  either  as  a  lotion 
or  in  the  form,  of  a  poultice.  Goulard  lotion  is  made  by  mixing- 
half  an  ounce  of  the  extract  in  a  pint  of  soft  water.  Some  add 
to  this  a  little  camphorated  spirit,  or  some  distilled  vinegar;  but 
wlien  the  lotion  is  intended  for  the  eyes,  there  must  be  a  much 
largei  portion  of  water,  not  less  than  a  quart,  and  the  lotion 
should  be  filtered. 

Goulard  poultice  is  made  by  mixing  as  much  of  the  lotion  with 
bran,  linseed  meal,  or  any  proper  materials  for  a  poultice,  as  will 
give  them  a  proper  consistence.  Goulard  is  never  used  undiluted, 
nor  is  it  given  internally. — White. 


COUGH  POWDERS.  1065 


*  Fissure,  or  Sand  Crack,  ix  Front  of  Hoof 

Is  most  common  in  the  hind  feet  of  draught  horses.  It  is  caused 
by  disease  of  the  coffin-bone ;  the  pyra-medal  process,  or  front 
of  the  bono,  being  affected.  Save  all  horn  in  toe  possible,  espe- 
cially the  bottom  clips,  to  be  taken  up  on  each  side  of  toe ;  but 
must  not  be  hammered  down  tightly  when  the  shoe  is  on.  They 
must  simply  be  tight,  without  giving  constraint. 

For  treatment,  take  1  ounce  each  of  tar  and  resin,  I  ounce 
tallow ;  melt  together.      Apply  this,  while  warm,  to  the  fissure  of 


Fig,  894. — Fissure,  or  Fig.  S95. — An  old  quar- 

toe  crack.  ter  crack. 

the  hoof  and  coronet,  then  place  a  layer  of  toAv  over  the  dressing, 
and  bind  the  ball  of  the  foot  with  a  broad,  coarse  tape,  rather 
tight.  All  tliat  can  usually  be  done  is  to  palliate,  a  cure  can 
rarely  be  accomplished. 

Mr.  Gamgee  has  given  a  great  deal  of  attention  to  this  diffi- 
culty, dissecting  a  large  number,  and  in  all  cases  found  the  bone 
diseased.  Ho  advises  the  above  treatment,  which  is  all  that  can 
be  done. 

To  riuRE  Weakness  and  Weeping  of  the  Eyes — the  Lids 
Swollen  and  thk  Eyes  Weak. — For  Horses. 

An  old  man's  remedy.  Claimed  tliat  ho  never  failed  in  curing 
with  it. 

Take  saltpetre,  l-i  oz. ;  sulphate  of  zinc,  1  oz. ;  sugar  of  lead, 
1  oz.  Mix  all  with  a  pint  of  vinegai-  and  a  quart  of  soft  water. 
Take  a  small  sponge ;  fill  with  it  and  squeeze  in  the  hollow  over 
the  eye  once  a  day  until  a  cure  is  effecteil. 

CouoH  Powders. 

An  excellent  remedy:  Licorice  root  (powdered),  fenugreek, 
lobelia,  blood-root,  camphoi-  gUm,  equal  parts.  Dose — tablespoon- 
ful  two  or   three  times  a  day  in  feed.     In  all  cases  of  acute  or 

*This  was  intended  to  follow  Quarter  Crack,  page  691,  but  was  passed  ovex 
when  tliat  matter  wns  put  in  type. 


1066 


EECIPES  AND  PKESCKTPTIONS. 


chi'onic  cough,  if  thickening  of  glands  of  neck,  stimulate  outside 
neck  sharply. 

Foil  Removing  Callouses  or  Thickenin(j,  Curbs  or 
Bunches  of  any  Kind. 

Oil  origanum,  oil  spike,  oil  amber,  spirits  turpentine  and  cam- 
phor, 1  ounce  each.  Rub  on  thoroughly  two  or  three  times  a 
week. 

AVhen   in   Ohio,   the  writer   bought   a  fine   work   horse  very 


Fig.  896.— Thickening  of  the 
tendons,  caused  b^'  bang- 
ing   or    striking    the 
part.      (Belongs    to 
article  on  p.  1001.) 


Fig.  89T. — Front  view  of  bones 
of  the  fore  foot.     (Belongs 
to   article  on  Foot- 
Lameness,    on 
page  945.) 


cheap,  on  account  of  having  a  very  bad  curb  on  one  of  his  legs, 
making  a  very  disagreeable  blemish.  He  was  purchased  late  in 
June  and  kept  constantly  to  the  hardest  pulling  as  a  wheel  horse. 
A  little  of  the  above  medicine  was  lubbed  on  about  once  a  week, 
sometimes  oftener,  and  again  would  frequently  neglect  doing  so 
for  more  than  that  time.  By  fall  the  enlargement  was  all  gone, 
and  the  leg  was  as  smooth  and  well  as  the  one  opposite. 


COEUiAL  Foil  A   HORSE.  1067 


Magic  Liniment. 

Two  oz.  oil  of  spike,  2  oz.  origanum,  2  oz.  hemlock,  2  oz. 
worm-wood,  4  oz.  sweet  oil,  2  oz.  spirits  ammonia,  2  oz.  gum  cam- 
phor, 2  oz.  spirits  turpentine,  and  ]  quart  proof  spirits- — 90  per 
cent.  Mix  well  together,  and  bottle  tight.  For  sprains,  bruises, 
lameness,  etc.,  in  man,  this  liniment,  without  turpentine,  is  un- 
rivaled. 

This  prescription  was  obtained  by  the  writer  twelve  years  ago,  in  Onondaga 
Co.,  N.  Y.  Much  was  claimed  for  it;  that  it  would  cure  lame  back,  bruises,  sprains, 
etc.,  and  with  the  turpentine  worked  well  upon  horse  flesh.  My  attention  has  been 
particularly  called  to  it  during  the  past  two  years  by  parties  who  used  it.  In  Niag- 
ara Co.,  N.  y.,  a  gentleman,  in  looking  over  his  book  after  the  school,  pointed  to 
it,  Baying:  "There  is  a  receipt  I  would  not  take  $50  for."  He  said  a  very  fine 
horse  in  that  neighborhood  a  few  years  ago  got  strained  in  the  back  so  badly  that 
he  could  not  get  up  in  consequence.  A  negro  from  Syracuse  took  the  horse  in 
charge,  made  and  applied  a  liniment  to  the  back,  bathing  it  in  thoroughly  twice 
daily.  There  was  rapid  improvement;  the  animal  being  soon  able  to  get  up,  and 
got  entirely  well.  He  ofEered  the  negro  $10  for  the  recipe,  without  avail;  that  he 
made  the  nigger  drunk  and  stole  the  recipe  from  him;  "and,"  said  he,  "that's  it 
exactly."  He  took  down  a  bottle  from  a  shelf  in  the  sitting-room  (in  Charlotte, 
Niagara  Co.,  N.  Y.),  saying:  "Here  is  some  of  it;  they  could  not  keep  house  with- 
out it  here.  For  toothache,  neuralgic  pains,  sprains,  etc.,  the  landlady  said  it  was 
indispensable;  that  they  kept  it  always  in  the  house."  This  was  corroborated  by 
others. 

At  Clifton  Springs,  Ontario  Co.,  N.  Y,,  during  my  last  tour  through  that  sec- 
tion in  1S~4,  a  gentleman  pointed  out  the  same  prescription  taken  from  my  old 
book,  and  said  he  would  not  take  $100  for  it;  that  he  had  cured  40  cases  of  neu- 
ralgia with  it;  that  he  put  up  the  medicine  as  a  specialty  for  that  purpose,  at  $1.00 
a  bottle;  first  making  it  up  for  his  wife,  who  was  troubled  with  neuralgia,  curing 
her.  It  was  used  by  others  with  the  same  result.  The  demand  becoming  so  great 
that  he  put  it  up  as  a  specialty,  and  had  thus  secured  a  large  local  sale  of  it, 

A  Good  Application  to  a  Putrid  Ulcer. 

To  remove  fetid  smell  of  fistulous  Avithers,  poll  evil,  canker,  and 
wounds,  dilute  chloride  of  lime  with  twenty  times  its  quantity  of 
water,  and  di-ess  with  it  whenever  there  is  an  offensive  discharge; 
mix  a  poultice  with  this  prejjaration,  and  put  it  on.  It  will  remove 
all  smell,  and  cleanse  by  its  action. 

Best  Cordial  for  a  Horse. 

The  following  is  the  best  cordial  for  a  horse  that  is  old.  has  lost 
his  appetite,  and  is  recovering  slowly  from  sickness,  or  for  an  old 
horse  that  has  been  worked  too  hard: — 

Four  parts  each  of  carraway  powder  and  bruised  raisins,  and 
two  eftch  of  ginger  and  palm  oil.  beaten  into  a  mass.  This  is  harm- 
less, and  is  one  of  the  very  best. 

To  Cure  Weak  Back. 

0.  J.  Madison,  livery  keeper  and  large  dealer  in  horses,  of  Mas- 
siUon,  Ohio,  a  few  years  ago,  cured  several  very  bad  cases.  One 
horse  was  so  weak  that  he  would  fall  down  and  could  not  get  up; 


1068  EECIPES  AND  PKESCRIPTIONS. 

said  it  would  cure  any  case  of  weak  back,  and  that  ho  never  knew 
it  to  fail. 

Give  one  grain  of  strychnine  night  and  morning;  next  take 
equal  parts  of  pine  tar  and  pitch,  warm  until  it  sj^reads  eusil}-,  and 
spread  over  the  small  of  the  back,  from  the  hip  forward  ten  inches, 
and  across  to  almost  the  points  of  the  hips;  then  spread  on  can- 
tharides  (should  be  well  pulverized)  until  the  pitch  is  thoroughly 
covered;  then  cover  with  two  thicknesses  of  cotton  flannel. 

A  stiif  sticking  plaster  of  this  nature  is  called  a  charge,  and  the 
following  is  one  of  the  best  formulas: — 

Burgundy  pitch  or  common  pitch,  5  ounces;  tar,  6  ounces;  yel- 
low wax,  1  ounce,  melted  together,  and  when  they  are  becoming 
cool,  half  a  drachm  of  powdered  cantharides  well  stirred  in.  This 
must  be  partially  melted  afresh  when  applied,  and  put  on  the  part 
with  a  large  spatula  as  hot  as  it  can  be  without  giving  too  much 
pain.  Tow  or  cotton  should  be  scattered  over  it  while  it  is  warm, 
which  forms  a  thick,  adhesive  covei'ing,  that  cannot  be  separated 
from  the  skin  for  months. — Youatt. 

Dr.  Sheldon's  Treatment  for  Worms. 

Dr.  Sheldon  says  it  never  fails  to  clean  the  worms  out  of  a 
horse. 

1st.  Bran  mash.  In  24  hours  give  1  drachm  of  santomine, 
which  should  be  dissolved  in  water;  then  mix  in  a  quart  of  starch, 
and  give  as  a  drench;  in  30  minutes  give  aloes  in  solution  sufficient 
to  move  the  bowels  promptly. 

For  Bruise  and  Cut  on  Man  or  Horse. 

A  favorite  prescription  of  great  value. 

Laudanum,  1  oz. ;  arnica  tinct.,  1  oz. ;  sassafras  oil,  1  oz.  Mix, 
bandage  lightly,  when  possible,  and  keep  wet.  Said  the  gentleman 
who  gave  the  above  pi'escription,  I  bruised  one  of  my  fingers  terri- 
bly, literally  smashing  nail  and  flesh.  I  was  in  the  greatest  pain. 
When,  after  hours  of  suffering,  a  gentleman  from  New  York  ac- 
costed me,  and  learning  my  trouble,  said  for  thirty  cents  I  can  re- 
lieve and  cure  you.  He  gave  me  this  prescription.  I  had  it  put 
up,  kept  my  fingers  wet  with  it  during  the  night,  and  next  day 
there  was  no  pain,  and  in  two  days  my  finger  was  well.  It  re- 
moves all  fire  and  pain  and  heals  by  first  intention. 

To  IIecruit  a  Horse  Hide-Bound  or  Otherwise  Out  op  Sorts. 

Nitrate  potassa  (or  saltpetre),  4  oz.;  crude  antimony,  1  oz.^  sul- 
phur, 3  oz.  Nitrate  of  potassa  and  antimony  should  be  finely  ])ul- 
verized,  then  add  the  sulphur,  and  mix  the  whole  well  together. 
Dose:  A  tablespoonful  of  the  mixture  in  a  bran  mash  daily,  for  a 
week  or  two. 

This  is  the  favorite  prescription  used  by  one  of  the  best  horse- 
men I  ever  knew,  who  was  also  a  leading  physician.     He  kept  it 


GREAT  TANNING  PEBPAKATION. 


1069 


a  secret,  but  gave  it  to  the  writer  on  condition  it  should  not  be 
made  known  in  his  neighboi'hood. 

The  Great  Tanning  Preparation. 

This  is  the  great  secret  sold  a  pew  years  ago  for  tanning  all 
kinds  of  skins  with  the  hair  on.  The  secret  and  right  to  use  it 
were  sold  through  the  country  at  large  prices: — 

To  two  pails  of  water  add  2  lbs.  alum;  2  qts.  salt;  2  lbs. 
Epsom  salts;  2  oz.  oil  vitriol.  Wet  and  scrape  the  meat  and  oil 
out;  then  put  the  skins  into  the  liquid,  and  let  stand  from  eighteen 
to  twenty-four  hours. 

For  Scratches, — a  Valuable  Remedy. 
Sweet-oil,  6  oz.;  borax,  2  oz.;    sugar  of  lead,  2  oz.     First  wash 


Fig.  898.— Showing  bronchial 
tubes.   (Belongs  to  Bron- 
chitis, page  885.) 


Fiu.  899. — Showing  parasites  burrowing  in  the 
skin,  magnified.     (This  cut  belongs  to 
the  article  on  Mange,  but  could  not 
be  found  when  making  up.) 


clean  with  soft  water  and  castile  soap;  when  dry,  apply  once  a  day. 
This  is  a  good  thing. 

For  Inflamed  Leg,  Galled  Shoulders  or  Back. 

Sal  ammoniac,  1  oz.;  vinegar,  4  oz.;  spirits  of  wine,  2  oz.;  tinct- 
ure arnica,  2  drachms;  water,  J  pint.  Mix,  and  bathe  with  it  often 
and  thoroughly. 

Wash  for  Reducing  an  Inflamed  Wound. 

One  oz.  sulphate  of  zinc,  1  oz.  crotus  martes,  J  oz.  sugar  of  lead, 
1  pint  water.     A  sore  will  not  smell  bad  when  this  wash  is  used. 


1070  EECIPES  AND  PEESCEIPTIONS. 


For  Fresh  Strains,  etc. 

Carbonate  aminonate,  2  ounces;  apple  vinegar,  *  gill.  Rub  in 
well. 

A  Fine  Simple  Liniment. 

Two  parts  ammonia  to  4  parts  of  soft  water.  Good  for 
strains,  etc. 

To  Reduce  Swelling  of  the  Legs  and  Strengthen  the 
Tendons  after  Hard  Driving. 

A  favorite  remedy  on  Long  Island.  One  pint  alcohol,  1  ordi- 
nary sized  beef  gall,  1  ounce  organum,  1  ounce  oil  of  spike,  1  ounce 
gum  myrrh,  ^  ounce  camphor  gum.  First  wash  and  rub  clean  and 
dry.  Then  bathe  with  the  liniment  and  rub  dry.  Then  apply 
again  and  bandage  the  leg,  being  careful  not  to  bandage  too  tight. 

This  is  the  best  liniment  for  the  purpose  recommended  I  have 
ever  used.     It  should  be  kept  in  every  stable. 

Condition  Powders. 

Take  1  pound  of  ginger,  1  ounce  of  anise  seed,  pulverized,  1 
ounce  of  fenugreek  seed,  2  ounces  of  ginseng  root,  pulverized,  1 
ounce  of  the  seed  of  sumach  berries,  pulverized,  1  ounce  of  anti- 
mony; mix  it  Avith  one  pound  of  brown  sugar.  This  is  excellent 
for  coughs,  colds,  or  to  give  a  horse  an  appetite. 

To  Cure  Cough. 

Put  into  alcohol  all  the  tar  it  will  cut,  and  add  one-third  in 
quantity  of  tincture  belladonna.  Dose:  from  one  to  two  teaspoon- 
fuls  once  or  twice  a  day.     Yery  good. 

Cough  Powder. 

Fenugreek,  ginger,  licorice  and  blood-root,  equal  parts.  Half 
proportion  lobelia  and  camphor  may  be  added.  Dose:  tablespoon- 
ful  twice  a  day.     For  heaves,  add  more  camphor. 

Diuretic  Drops 

That  are  reliable  for  stoppage  of  water,  foul  Avater,  or  inflammation 
of  the  kidneys,  in  all  cases: — 

Take  of  sweet  spirits  of  nitre,  4  oz.;  balsam  copaiba,  2  oz.;  oil 
of  juniper,  2  oz.;  spirits  of  turpentine,  2  oz.;  gum  camphor,  pulver- 
ized, 1  oz.  Mix  all  together,. and  shake  well,  bottle,  and  it  is  fit  for 
use  for  man  or  beast,  under  all  circumstances  where  a  diuretic  is 
required. 

Dose:  for  a  horse,  1  oz.  in  half  a  pint  of  milk  once  in  six  hours; 
for  a  man,  1  teaspoonful  in   a  tablespoonful   of  milk  once  in  six 


FOE  DIABETES. 


1071 


'fmm 


hours.     Be  sure  to  shake  the  ingredients  up  well  before  turning 
out  for  use. 

Drenches  to  Promote  Parturition. 

Ergot  of  rye  in  fine  powder,  2  or  3  drachms;       Ji.muj 
pennyroyal  Avater  or  infusion  of  rue,  1  quart. 

EoR  Diabetes. 

Opium,  1  drachm;  ginger,  2  drachms;  oak  bark 
(peeled),  1  oz.;   decoction  of  oak  bark,  1  pint. 

CORDIAT.    AND    AnODYNE    BaLL. 

Castile  soap,  3  drachms;  camphor,  2  drachms; 
ginger,  1|  drachms,  and  Yenice  turj)entine,  6  drs. 
made  iato  1  ball. 

Aromatic  Powder. 

Gai'away,  6  oz.;  pimento,  4  oz,;  ginger,  2  oz. ; 
licorice,  2  oz.     Mix.     Dose,  6  to  8  di'achms. 

Cooling  and  Diuretic  Drink. 

Dissolve  1  ounce  of  nitre  in  a  pail  of  Avater. 

Tonic  Balt.  (Vegetable  Tonicj. 

Peruvian  bark,  1  ounce;  opium,  J  drachln;  gin-     ll/aaai)''^ 

ger,  1 J  drachms;  oil  of  caraway,  20  drops.    Treacle 
to  form  a  ball. 

Diuretic  Alterative  Balls. 

Dried  common  soda,  1  oz.;  castile  soap,  6  drs.; 
resin,  2  oz.;  licorice  powder,  i  oz. ;  Barbadoes  tar, 
to  form  six  balls.     One  daily. 

Laxative  Alterative  Balls. 

Fig.    900.—  Show- 
Aloes,  4  oz. ;   soft  soap,  4  oz.;   common  moss,  2J      ing  the  Theca,  or 
oz.     Mix.     Dose,  one  ounce.  channel,   of    the 

perforans  tendon 

Balls  for  Appetite.  ""^  *^«  ^"'^^^^  ^"'^ 

heel,      (This  cut 

Equal  weights  of  assafoetida,  saffron,  bay  bcr-  on  Sprain  of  the 
ries,  and  aloes,  madc^  into  a  mass  Avith  extract  of  Back  Tendons,  on 
gentian.     Dose,  1  oz.  page  957.) 

Anodyne  Ball. 

Opium,  i  drachm  to  1  drachm;  camphor,  1  drachm;  anise  seed, 
J  oz,;   soft  extract  of  licorice. 


1072  EECIPES  AND  PEESCliiPTJOKS. 

CoKDiAL  Balls. 

Ginger  and  gentian,  equal  parts;  treacle  to  form  a  7nass.  Dose, 
1  oz.  to  1}  oz. 

Ginger  and  omraway,  each,  4  lbs.;  gentian,  1  lb.;  palm-oii.  [l 
lbs.     Beat  together.     Dose,  1  to  IJ  oz. 

Mixed  Balls,  Cordial  Astringent  Balls. 

Catechu,  1  drachm;  opium,  10  grains.  To  AA'^ash  liorses  l)efore 
or  after  a  journey. 

Diuretic  Balls. 

Resin,  soap,  and  nitre,  of  eacli,  etpial  parts;  beaten  together  into 
a  mass.     Dose,  1  oz.  to  1^^  oz. 

White  soap,  8  oz.;  nitre,  3  oz. ;  resin,  3  oz.;  camjjhor,  3  drachms; 
oil  of  juniper,  3  drachms.  For  6  balls,  one  ever}^  morning  or  every 
other  morning. 

Tonic  Diuretic  Ball. 

Gentian,  1  drachm  ;  ginger,  J  drachm ;  sulphate  of  iron,  2 
drachms;  nitre,  h  oz.;  resin,  ^  oz.     Mix  with  molasses. 

Fever  Balls. 

Emetic  tartar,  2  drachm;  camphor,  i  drachm;  nitre,  2  drachms; 
ginger,  3  drachms.     Mix,  and  make  into  balls. 

For  Diabetes. 

Catechu,  ^  oz.;  alum,  i  drachm;  sugar  of  lead,  10  grains:  Avith 
conserve  of  roses  to  form  a  ball. 

Anodyne  Drenches. 

Opium,  1  drachm,  dissolved  in  warm  water,  ^  pint;  add  1  quart 
of  starch  gruel. 

Mix  tincture  of  opium,  1  oz.  with  sweet  spirits  of  nitre,  IJ  oz.; 
essence  peppermint,  1  drachm,  and  water,  1  pint. 

To  Curb  Collar  or  Saddle  Galls. 

Fill  a  fruit  can  about  a  third  full  with  litharge,  or  It.  Fill  bal- 
ance with  lard,  and  mix  thoroughly.  The  litharge  should  be  well 
prolonged.      In  twenty-four  hours  ready  for  use. 

To  JIeal  Cuts  or  Bruises. 

A  favorite  remedy,  b}'  C.  H.  Smith,  a  practical  livery  man  in 
Eureka  Springs,  Ark.     Exceedingly  good  for  saddle  sores  or  galls. 

2  oz.  gum  camphor;  6  oz.  castile  soap;  6  oz.  spirits  ammonia. 
Mix,  and  let  stand  until  dissolved;  then  add  2  oz.  sal  ammoniac,  16 
oz.  spirits  turpentine,  1  quart  soft  water. 

Stimulating  Liniment. 

2  ounces  aquse  ammonia;  4  draohms  organum;  IJ  ounces  raw 
Unseed  oil. 


CUBE  FOR  HEADACHE.  1073 


HUMAN    REMEDIES. 

The  prescriptions  here  following-,  among  which  will  be  found 
several  of  great  value,  have  been  obtained  at  considerable  expense 
and  trouble.  The  great  value  with  which  my  old  book,  The  New 
System,  is  held,  is  chiefly  owing  to  the  recipes  given  in  it,  all  of 
which  will  be  found  under  the  various  heads  in  this.  This  ap- 
preciation has  induced  me  to  add  tho  recipes  here  following. 
Those  for  headache,  hydrophobia,  tape-worm,  etc.,  ai-e  specially 
valuable.  These  recipes  are  worth  more  than  the  cost  of  the 
book. 

•'  CUKK    VOK    TaI'E-WoR.M. 

"  My  symptoms  while  harboring  a  tape- worm  v/ere  most  notice- 
ably a  depression  of  mind,  caused,  I  suppose,  by  weakness  for  which 
I  could  see  no  cause  (not  then  knowing  its  existence).  Had  a  good 
appetite — not  at  all  inordinate,  only  1  would  have  a  desire  to  eat 
within  two  hours  after  a  good  meal.  I  grew  weaker  daily,  it 
seemed  to  me  ;  in  fact,  I  was  starving. 

"■  Cicre. — I  bought  about  two  quarts  of  pumpkin  seeds,  peeled 
them,  pounded  the  meats  fine  in  a  mortar  ;  took  a  teacup  half  full, 
added  water  to  make  it  the  consistency  of  a  thick  gruel,  and  ate 
it  with  my  breakfast  and  dinner.  The  third  dose  brought  the 
"  varmint,"  though  I  persisted  in  taking  three  more  doses,  so  as  to 
be  sure  and  get  away  the  head  and  neck,  which  are  about  the  size 
of  a  dai-ning-needle.  Unless  that  comes  away,  it  will  grow  again. 
The  dose  above  named  will  cause  gome  pain,  as  a  physic,  but  it  is 
in  no  way  dangerous.     It  is  a  poison  only  to  the  worms. 

•  SAMUEL  B.  MORSE, 

"  6th  Aud.  Office,  Treas.  Dep't., 

'•Washington,  D.  C.  ■ 

See  top  page  911,  where  another  modification  of  the  remedy  is 
given,  as  used  by  a  well  known  veterinary  surgeon  of  New  York 
City.  Would  particularly  call  attention  to  how  to  use  it,  espe- 
cially so  far  as  the  fasting  before  taking  it;  next  the  taking  of  a 
brisk  cathartic  afterwards. 

CuRK  FOR  Headache. 

Perocyannate  of  quinine,  60  grains;  valerinate  zinc,  20  grains; 
solid  extract  hyoscyamius,  20  grahis.  Make  into  20  pills.  Take 
<me  pill  three  times  a  day,  before  meals,  for  three  days;  then  stop 
three  days,  unless  it  is  about  time  for  the  return  of  the  headache; 

68 


1074  EBCIPES  AND  PRESCEIPTIONS. 

in  that  case,  keep  right  on  with  the  pills.    These  pills  are  harmless, 
and  are  both  tonic  and  nervine. 

This  recipe  is  from  Dr.  Johnson,  Atlanta,  Ga.,  who  gave  it  to  Mr.  Wm.  An- 
drus,  and  he  to  Grandine  &  Hinman,  druggists  in  Battle  Creek,  Mich.,  his  succes- 
sors in  business,  who  have  used  it  among  their  friends  and  customers  with  univer- 
sal success.  It  is  undoubtedly  the  best  remedy  for  headache  known  to  the  profes- 
sion. 

During  a  chance  conversation  with  one  of  the  above  firm  in  relation  to  the 
prescriptions  for  tape-worm  and  hydrophobia,  given  in  other  pages  of  this  book,  he 
referred  to  this  recipe  as  invaluable  for  cure  of  headache,  and  referred  to  a  large 
number  of  cases  ho  knew  to  have  been  cured  by  it.  Assured  of  its  value,  with  the 
hope  of  being  able  to  help  those  so  unfortunate  as  to  be  subject  to  sick-headache,  I 
made  a  special  request  for  a  copy  of  it,  which  was  kindly  granted.  As  this  pre- 
scription cannot  be  put  up  by  small  country  druggists,  we  would  advise  having  it 
put  up  by  the  above  firm.  They  are  perfect  gentlemen,  and  stand  very  high  for 
integrity.  This  is  not  an  advertisement,  and  is  mentioned  for  the  special  benefit 
of  friends  who  may  need  the  medicine.     It  will  cost  11.50  to  fill  the  prescription. 

To  Cure  Fits. 

Put  as  much  valerian  root,  and  the  castor  or  wart  from  a 
horse's  leg,  which  is  to  be  cleaned  and  cut  into  small  pieces,  as  will 
be  digested  in  a  pint  of  whisky.  Dose — three  teaspoonfuls  a 
day,  and  repeated  until  a  cure  is  effected.  A  son  of  Mr.  Hoyer's, 
of  Shelby,  Niagara  County,  N.  Y.,  twelve  years  old,  was  subject 
to  fits  terribly,  being  in  a  fit  sometimes,  Mr.  Hoyer  stated,  for  two 
hours.  Dr.  Failing,  of  Royalton,  next  town,  obtained  the  above 
remedy  in  Canada,  which  cured  the  boy  in  six  months.  Mr.  Hen- 
derson, hotel  keeper  of  Otisco,  N.  Y.,  claimed  to  have  been  cured 
by  this  prescription,  also  three  others  met  by  the  writer  in  Central 
New  York. 

Cure  of  Carbuncle. 

Take  a  cow's  horn,  scrape  off"  about  a  handful  of  fine  shavings, 
and  apply  to  the  enlargement.  Continue  repeating  until  there  is 
relief.  This  is  regarded  specific,  and  gives  relief  in  two  or  three 
days. 

Mr.  McCombs,  of  Hot  Springs,  Ark.,  who  gave  it  to  me,  referred 
to  a  number  of  bad  cases  cured.  One  especial  case  was  that  of  a 
man  who  liad  a  very  bad  carbuncle,  of  week's  duration.  He  was 
recommended  to  use  this.  His  doctor  found  it  on,  and  took  it  ofi*; 
but  the  patient  had  another  poultice  put  on.  The  effect  was  so 
good,  that  the  doctor,  next  time,  said  he  might  keep  it  on.  The 
experiment  Avas  so  marked  a  success  that  he  adopted  it  as  his 
method  of  treatment. 

Sure  Cure  for  Bite  of  Rattlesnake. 

The  leaves  of  boneset  herb  boiled  down  in  milk  to  a  strong  de- 
coction, which  is  to  be  given  freely  as  a  drink ;  also  keep  the  bit- 
ten part  well  poulticed  with  the  same,  changing  frequently  until 


CUEE  OF  DIPHTHEEIA.  1075 

all  dangerous  symptoms  disappear.  Edward  Comfort,  of  German- 
town,  Pa.,  a  Quaker,  sixty  years  of  age,  of  much  intelligence  and 
experience,  gave  me  the  above  and  the  following  statement  in 
relation  to  this  herb.  He  stated  first  that  he  knew  by  undoubted 
statements  of  neighbors  and  personally,  of  its  being  used  in  various 
cases  with  entire  success,  both  on  man  and  beast.  A  young  wo- 
man living  at  Mahomeny  Creek,  Jeff.  Co.,  Pa.,  was  bitten  by  a 
snake  in  the  morning.  Her  father  rode  20  miles  to  Red  Bank  for 
a  physician,  but  returning  toward  evening  met  a  neighbor,  Wm. 
Neil,  who  told  him  he  knew  how  to  cure  her,  and  went  home  with 
him.  Proceeding  on  a  run  across  the  meadow,  gathering  some 
boneset  as  he  went  along ;  and,  to  save  time,  as  he  neared  the 
house  he  chewed  some  of  the  leaves  in  his  mouth  to  a  pulp,  and 
the  moment  he  reached  the  girl,  put  the  mass,  as  a  poultice,  on  the 
wound.  He  then  immediately  made  a  milk  decoction,  as  first  ex- 
plained, and  gave  a  spoonful  at  a  time,  as  she  was  able  to  take  it. 
At  the  time  of  his  arrival,  her  tongue  was  so  swollen  as  to  pro- 
trude out  of  her  mouth,  and  bleeding  from  the  mouth  and  ears. 
He  remained  all  night,  frequently  changing  the  poultice,  and  giv- 
ing a  few  tablespoonfuls  at  a  time.  By  morning  she  was  able  to 
close  her  mouth,  and  ceased  bleeding  at  the  nose  and  ears,  and  by 
evening  was  quite  comfortable,  and  was  soon  entirely  restored. 
Mr.  C.  also  stated  that  the  father  of  his  aunt,  Mr.  Brady,  exten- 
sively employed  in  surveying  different  counties  in  Pennsylvania, 
spending  much  time  in  the  woods,  related  to  him  various  cases 
where  the  above  remedy  had  been  applied  with  entire  success. 

For  Cure  of  Diphtheria. 

Given  by  Mrs.  J.  Ogden  Dorcenous,  the  eminent  chemist  of  New 
York  City. 

Lime-water  and  carbolic  acid.  Spray  the  throat  with  it  once 
au  hour. 

To  Stop  Hair  Falling  Out. 

The  followLng  has  proved  so  valuable  a  remedy  for  pi'eventing 
hair  falling  out,  as  well  as  growing  in  new  hair,  that  it  is  given  a 
place  here: — 

Fill  a  bottle  with  lobelia  roots  and  stems,  and  cover  well  with 
good  whisky,  and  let  stand  until  digested ;  then  strain  off  the  liq- 
uor and  add  any  scent  desirable.  Wet  the  hair,  rubbing  well  into 
the  scalp  with  the  fingers  once  a  day  for  a  week  or  two,  repeating 
afterward  as  may  be  found  necessary. 

Years  ago  the  writer's  hair  was  falling  out  rapidly ;  being  no- 
ticed by  a  stranger,  he  advised  the  above  dressing,  saying  his  hair 
was  falling  out  rapidly,  and  was  not  only  stopped  falling  out,  but 
had  grown  in  thick  by  this  remedy,  and  would  warrant  it  to  do 


1076  EECIPES  A:N^D  PEESCEIPTIONS. 

so  in  my  case.     It  was  immediately  used  as  directed,  with  the 
most  satisfactory  results. 

Years  afterward  his  hair  commenced  falling  out  again;  about 
what  would  be  supposed  an  equivalent  of  the  tincture  of  lobelia 
was  used ;  a  little  castor  oil  was  added,  scented  with  bergamot,  and 
used  as  a  dressing;  the  effect  seemed  to  be  the  same  as  before. 
The  remedy  has  been  given  by  the  writer  to  a  number  of  persons 
who  used  it  with  the  same  success. 

To  Take  out  Fire  from  a  Burn. 

Take  equal  portions  lime-water  and  raw  linseed  oil.  Good  for 
burns  and  scalds.     Bathe  the  parts  liberally  with  the  liniment. 

This  was  given  by  W.  Mansfield,  of  W.  Eoxbury,  Vt.,  and 
used  by  him  for  many  years  in  his  family ;  claimed  it  to  be  one  of 
the  best  remedies  ever  used  for  these  purposes.  In  the  proportion 
of  §  lime-water  and  j  linseed  oil  will  cure  the  poisoning  by  ivy 
and  dogwood.  Wet  a  cloth  and  lay  on  the  part,  and  keep  con- 
stantly wet  till  well. 

A  lady  who  had  had  much  experience  with  these  poisons,  says 
this  is  the  only  thing  that  seems  to  take  out  the  poison. 

Cure  of  Sciatic  Eheumatism. 

A  case  of  sciatic  rheumatism  of  two  years'  standing,  cured  by 
taking  decoction  of  poke  berries,  prepared  as  follows: — 

Put  a  pint  of  the  berries  in  a  quart  of  Avhisky.  After  standing 
until  fully  digested,  dose,  one  tablespoonful  four  times  in  twenty- 
four  hours,  or  six  hours  apart.  The  case  was  very  severe,  resisting 
all  regular  treatment,  and  causing  great  suffering.  Was  cured  in 
a  few  weeks. 

Given  by  Eev.  Mr.  Button,  of  Evansville,  111.  He  obtained  it 
from  the  man  who  was  cured. 

Itch  Ointment. 

1  oz.  red  precipitate;  1  oz.  spirits  of  turpentine  ;  2  oz.  Bur- 
gundy pitch;  J  lb.  fresh  butter.  Melt  the  butter  and  pitch,  and 
add  the  other  ingredients,  stirring  until  cold. 

Inflammation  of  Kidneys  and  Bladder. 

This  was  given  by  a  leading  physician  as  his  favorite  remedy. 
Fluid  extract,  colchicum  and  digitallis,  }  ounce  each.     Dose,  10 
drops  in  a  tablespoonful  of  Avater  every  morning. 

To  Open  the  Bowels. 

Given  by  Isaac  Price,  of  Schuylkill,  Chester  Co.,  Pa. 
Take  ooai"8e  coi*nmeal  enough  to  make  a  pint,  or  pint  and  a 
half     Boil  it  about  half,  or  parboil,  to  which  add  the  size  of  a  hick- 


ASTHMA.— HOW  CUEED.  1077 

ory  nut  of  fresh  made  butter,  or  butter  without  salt.  If  agreeable, 
eat  with  it  plenty  of  molasses.  Make  a  meal  of  this,  and  repeat  if 
necessary. 

For  Catarrh,  Sore  Throat,  etc. 

2  oz.  borax;  2  oz.  burnt  alum;  4  oz.  camphor;  4  oz.  Talcum. 
Use  as  snuff  three  or  four  times  a  day.  Also  good  for  headache 
and  neuralgia.  Used  with  great  success  in  sore  throat  and  diph- 
theria; taken  as  a  gargle.  TJsed  by  James  Thompson,  Chicago,  for 
20  years,  for  cure  of  catarrh  and  cold  in  head. 

For  Control  of  Nervous  Irritability,  Want  op  Sleep,  etc. 

Prescribed  by  Dr.  Jewell,  of  Chicago. 

19  grains  sulphate  of  morphia;  1  grain  atrophia  (belladonna); 
180  grains  sugar  of  milk.  To  be  put  in  a  mortar,  and  worked 
thoroughly  one  hour.  Dose  for  adult,  4  grains  before  going  to  bed, 
or  repeated  when  necessary  once  in  four  hours. 

Eye  Wash. 

A  remedy  of  great  value  for  inflammation  of  the  eyea  or  sores  of  any 
kind. 

Crotus  martes  and  white  vitriol,  equal  parts  ;  dissolve  in  a  half -pint  of 
snow-water  or  pure  soft-water.  Dissolve  thoroughly,  and  when  settled,  pour 
off  and  add  half  as  much  more  water.  If  too  sensitive,  or  much  inflamma- 
tion, reduce. 

This  has  cured  fever  sores  when  all  other  treatment  failed.  Alzerah 
Williams,  Mrs.  Waite  of  Jamestown,  N.  Y.,  and  John  Woodford  of  West 
Hickory,  Pa. ,  were  cured  by  it. 

To  Cure  Boils. 

Two  parts  cream  tartar,  one  part  sulphur,  one  pint  whisky.  (About 
four  cents'  worth  of  each  of  the  two. ) 

Take  one  tablespoonful  three  mornings  ;  then  skip  three  mornings,  and 

so  on,  for  nine  mornings.     Obtained  from  an  old  man,  and  claimed  to  be  an 

infallible  cure. 

Asthma. — How  Cubed. 

Take  smart-weed,  carefully  dried.  Fill  an  earthen  bowl  with  smart- 
weed,  pour  in  hot  water,  and  cover  until  steeped.  Take  half  a  glass  three 
times  a  day  until  cured.  Given  by  James  Garcelon  of  Lewiston,  Me.  Mr. 
Garcelon  for  two  years  could  not  sleep,  except  by  sitting  in  a  chair.  Relief 
was  immediate,  and  a  cure  was  efiected  in  a  year.  | 

Another  Remedy. — A  lady  of  intelligence  in  Western  New  York  told  the  j 
writer  that  her  uncle  was  cured  of  asthma  by  taking  a  teaspoonful  of  salt  in 
half  a  tumbler  of  water  before  going  to  bed  at  night,  and  in  the  morning  ; 
that  he  sat  up  to  sleep  for  years  ;  that  he  had  taken  the  salt  and  water  for  a 
year.  He  was  entirely  relieved  of  the  asthma,  but  he  kept  taking  the  salt 
and  water. 


I 


1078  RECIPES  AND  PRESCRIPTIONS. 


How  TO  Give  Relief  in  Obstinate  Constipation. 

Cyrus  W.  King,  of  Brunswick,  Me. ,  was  relieved  by  this  remedy  after 
taking  pills,  etc. ,  and  failing  to  get  a  passage  of  the  bowels  for  seventeen 
days.  Put  a  tablespoonful  of  coarse  Indian  meal  into  a  cup,  and  wet  thor- 
oughly with  common  molasses,  and  take  it  all.  An  old  lady  who  happened 
to  hear  of  the  case,  said  she  could  relieve  the  man  in  a  few  hours,  and  ad- 
vised this.     It  was  taken  at  night,  and  there  was  perfect  relief  by  morning. 

To  Cure  Colic. 

Take  at  once  a  tumblerful  of  hot  molasses.  A  sailor  who  was  delirious 
from  colic,  and  nearly  dead  from  it,  was  relieved  in  five  minutes.  Calling 
my  attention  to  it,  and  claiming  it  would  cure  every  case,  I  was  induced  to 
make  a  note  of  it.  The  sailor  said  he  took  cold  molasses  with  the  same  ef- 
fect. 

To  CiTRE  A  Fever- Sore. 

Take  3  ounces  blue  vitriol  and  3  ounces  gunpowder.  Boil  in  a  quart  of 
soft  water  until  thoroughly  dissolved,  and  reduced  to  one-half  the  quantity. 
Pour  on  to  the  sore  while  hot  as  can  be  borne. 

Steven  Johnson  of  Gouverneur,  N.  Y.,  was  cured  of  a  fever- sore  on  his 
arm,  of  the  worst  character,  of  a  year's  standing.  Doctors  said  he  must  lose 
his  arm — his  own  words.  There  was  necrosis  of  the  bones  of  the  arm  ;  sores 
in  three  places  ;  was  cured  by  one  application.  Mr.  Olmstead,  of  Oxbow, 
N.  Y. ,  had  a  bad  sore  below  the  knee  ;  went  on  crutches  for  six  months  ; 
was  cured  with  one  application.  Several  other  cases  were  reported  of  an 
equally  remarkable  character. 

To  Cure  an  Indolent  Ulcer. 

A  gentleman  who  had  a  fever-sore  on  his  leg  for  seventeen  years,  had 
spent  five  thousand  dollars  in  trying  to  get  the  sore  cured,  and  had  no  hope 
of  having  it  healed,  was  cured  in  three  months  by  the  following  remedy  : — 

Take  th^  green  scum  that  gathers  on  the  water  in  the  frog  ponds  in 
spring  and  summer  ;  boil  over  a  slow  fire  ;  then  add  fresh  butter  to  the  con- 
sistence of  an  ointment.  Dress  the  sore  with  it  once  a  day.  The  man 
claimed  to  have  given  it  to  others  who  were  afflicted  with  obstinate  ulcers, 
and  that  it  had  made  perfect  cures,  and  wished,  from  humanity  to  others  so 
afflicted,  that  I  would  give  it  an  insertion  in  my  book. 

For  Weak  Back,  Rheumatism,  and  Crick  in  the  Back. 

British  oil,  1  oz. ;  oil  of  spike,  1  oz. ;  origanum,  1  oz. ;  camphor,  1  oz. ; 
alcohol,  1  pint.  Put  the  British  oil  and  camphor  into  the  alcohol  first ; 
shake  well.  T.  H.  Brown,  of  Madrid,  N.  Y. ,  was  cured  of  rheumatism  in 
the  leg  with  this.  His  mother  had  a  crick  in  the  back  ;  was  entirely  disabled. 
A  few  applications  cured  her.  Accounts  of  its  valuable  eflfecta  in  the  cure  of 
other  cases  were  reported. 


EEMARKABLE  CUEE.  1079 

Remarkable  Cure. 

The  following  is  a  case  of  remarkable  cure  of  bruise  of  thigh,  from  the 
use  of  hot  salt. 

H.  D.  Johnson,  of  Pottsdam,  St.  Lawrence  Co.,  N.  Y. ,  fell  from  a  build- 
ing, twelve  feet,  upon  a  pile  of  wood,  injuring  him  seriously  in  different  parts 
of  the  body — the  thigh  very  seriously  bruised,  causing  him  to  faint  away. 
He  had  a  stiff  leg  for  a  month,  the  part  swollen  from  the  hip  to  the  foot  to 
twice  its  size,  was  treated  with  cold  water  by  advice  of  three  physicians. 
The  limb  was  entirely  stiff  and  disabled.  As  a  matter  of  experiment  he 
bound  on  a  poultice  of  hot  salt  about  an  inch  thick  before  going  to  bed.  Next 
morning  he  could  move  and  bend  his  leg,  the  swelling  was  all  gone  down, 
and  he  was  perfectly  cured. 

The  simple  facts,  as  stated  above,  were  given  to  the  writer  six  years  after 
the  injury  of  Mr.  Johnson. 

For  Rheumatism,  Lame  Back,  and  Difficulty  of  the  Kid- 
neys (in  man). 

Digitallis,  calcium,  and  aconite,  equal  parts.  Take  10  to  15  drops  in 
water,  twice  a  day.  This  is  a  favorite  prescription  that  is  valued  highly, — 
worth,  so  claimed,  many  times  the  cost  of  this  work. 

For  Infant  Colic,  or  Restlessness. 

Homeopathic  pellets,  medicated  with  the  third  dilution  of  chamamilla. 
Also  of  great  benefit  in  derangements  of  the  bowels,  during  teething.  Dose 
from  2  to  6  pellets. 

The  above  has  been  recommended  so  highly,  and  I  am  made  to  believe 
is  so  valuable  a  remedy,  in  addition  to  being  entirely  harmless,  that  I  am  in- 
duced to  include  it  for  the  benefit  of  families. 

To  Cure  Insomnia  (Sleeplessness).     Also  Good  for  Cold  and 

Biliousness. 

First  get  into  a  bath  of  a  temperature  of  98°,  into  which  had  been  put  1 
pound  sal  soda  and  4  ounces  aquae  ammonia.  The  head  should  be  kept  wet 
with  cold  water.  Gradually  increase  the  temperature  as  high  as  can  be 
borne,  or  to  110°  to  115°,  remaining  in  from  10  to  15  minutes.  When  there 
is  nervousness,  itching  of  the  skin,  causing  disturbance  and  irritation  after 
the  bath,  take  1  part  aquae  ammonia  to  4  parts  warm  water,  and  apply  to  the 
skin  with  a  sponge  over  the  entire  body. 

Prescribed  by  an  eminent  physician,  of  New  York  City  ;  given  me  by 
a  gentleman  well  read  in  medicine,  who  used  it  with  great  success.  Referred 
to  a  number  of  cases  entirely  relieved  and  cured  by  a  few  baths.  The  atten- 
tion of  physicians  is  particularly  directed  to  the  value  of  the  above. 

The  bath  should  be  taken  before  going  to  bed. 


1080  IIECIPES  AND  PEESOETPTIOKS. 

PsoRXAsrs  AND  EczEMA.     (Particut.art.v  Psortasts.) 

Arsenite  soda,  5  grains  ;  powdered  extract  mix  v<iniic;i,  4  i^rains.  Make 
100  pills  ;  take  one  after  each  meal.  To  insun,'  a  cure,  should  ho  used  from 
1  to  G  months. 

2.  Sulphur  and  cream  tartar,  each,  1  oz. ;  calcined  magnesia,  i  oz  ;  pow- 
dered sugar  milk,  1  oz. ;  powdered  anise  seed,  3  drachms.  Mix.  Dose  :  1 
teaspoonful  in  water  night  and  morning. 

3.  Tar  Ointment.  — Pure  tar,  and  beef  suet,  equal  parts.  Mix  the  tar 
with  the  suet,  previously  melted  with  a  moderate  heat.  And  having  strained 
the  mixture  through  muslin,  stir  it  constantly  while  cooling.  Apply  2  or 
3  times  daily,  rubbing  in  thoroughly. 

4.  Particularly  for  psoriasis.  Caustic  potash,  2  drachms  ;  oil  tar,  ^  oz. 
Mix.  Apply,  externally,  one  part  of  the  mixture  to  4  parts  rain-water. 
After  using  for  2  weeks,  it  may  be  used  1  part  to  2  pai'ts  rain-water. 

A  gentleman  who  had  suffered  terribly  from  jjsoriasis  for  years,  though 
under  treatment  almost  constantly  by  specialists  at  great  expense,  was  given 
the  above  prescription  by  an  eminent  specialist,  of  New  York  City,  which  cured 
him  in  three  months.  Knows  of  its  curing  a  number  of  bad  cases  to  whom 
he  gave  the  prescription.  Regards  it  priceless  in  value.  It  is  included  here 
with  the  hope  of  its  helping  persons  so  affected.  The  treatment  given  should 
be  regularly  followed. 

Eye  Wash. 

Take  three  hen's  eggs  and  break  them  into  a  quart  of  clear  cold  rain-wa- 
ter ;  stir  until  a  thorough  mixture  is  effected  ;  boil  over  a  slow  fire,  stirring 
every  few  minutes  ;  add  half  an  ounce  of  sulphate  of  zinc  (white  vitriol) ; 
continue  the  boiling  a  short  time,  and  the  compound  is  ready  for  use.  In 
this  preparation  a  solid  substance,  or  curd,  is  precipitated  or  thrown  down, 
and  a  liquid  solution  rests  upon  the  top.  This  is  the  best  wash  for  sore  eyes 
of  either  man  or  beast  that  was  ever  made.  The  curd  applied  to  the  in- 
flamed eye  at  night  will  draw  the  fever  and  soreness  nearly  all  out  by  morn- 
ing. After  Ufo  or  three  days  the  water  should  be  strained  from  the  curd, 
and  put  into  a  bottle  for  future  use.  This  wash  is  invaluable.  When  ap- 
plied to  the  human  eye,  it  should  be  diluted. 

A  gentleman  who  had  a  copy  of  my  old  edition,  having  this  remedy  in 
it,  informed  me  that  he  Avas  offered  $10  for  the  book  on  account  of  the  value 
of  this  recipe,  having  used  it  in  his  neighborhood  with  great  success,  and 
that  he  would  not  sell  it  at  any  price. 


--^^  A  D  D  E  N  D  A  .<?*=-- 


SPECIAL  NOTICE  TO  FRIENDS  AND  INQUIRERS. 
In  consequence  of  many  inquiries  from  persons  who  desire  instructions 
from  me,  asking  when  and  where  I  would  next  teach  a  class,  etc.,  I  would 
state  that  for  at  least  six  months  I  desire  to  give  myself  entire  rest.  I  will 
not,  on  any  conditions,  teach  classes  as  done  by  me  heretofore.  In  the  first 
place,  it  is  entirely  unnecessary,  as  all  the  instruction  I  could  give  will  be 
found  in  this  book  more  clearly  and  fully  explained  than  I  could  give  to  a 
class  in  a  few  hours'  time.  In  addition,  the  condition  of  my  health  will  not  ad- 
mit my  being  exposed  again  to  the  strain  and  excitement  of  this  kind  of  work. 
When  suitable  or  specially  iiiteresting  subjects  'are  available,  I  will,  as 
a  means  of  amusement  to  myself  and  interest  to  friends,  make  experiments 
to  show  the  effects  of  my  treatment.  These  lectures,  or  test  experiments, 
will,  in  all  cases,  be  given  without  charge,  all  subscribers  to  the  book  being 
admitted. 

Gentlemen  writing  to  me  on  any  business,  please  be  as  brief  and  explicit 
as  possible.  In  describing  vicious  horses  of  any  character,  give  age,  color, 
size,  the  kind  of  habit  and  action,  long  or  short  hair,  kind  of  eye  and  head, 
etc.  In  making  experiments,  to  be  interesting  it  is  necessary  to  have  at 
least  three  cases,  opposite  in  temperament  and  character,  to  shoAv  effects  upon 
difterent  kinds  of  character.  I  desire,  so  far  as  it  is  possible  for  me  to  do,  to 
give  leading  horsemen  an  opportunity  of  witnessing  test  experiments  made 
by  the  system  of  treatment  given  in  this  book.  But  I  must,  in  all  cases,  be 
free  to  make  such  experiments  in  my  own  way,  and  to  insure  this,  will  make 

them  on  the  condition  of  not  taking  pay. 

*  D.  MAGNER, 

May  22,  I884.  Battle  Creek,  Mich. 

Cbibbing. 

The  following  was  omitted  in  its  proper  place  on  page  319.  As  it  will, 
however,  be  found  in  the  General  Index,  it  will  not  make  much  difference: — 

If  regular  treatment  advised  fails,  try  saturating  the  manger,  neck-yoke, 
and  straps,  if  inclined  to  bite  them,  with  kerosene  oil.  Rubbing  the  parts 
bitten  upon  with  strong  fly  blister,  may  next  be  tried ;  or  get  cayenne  or 
red  pepper  pods,  boil  down  to  a  strong  decoction,  and  wash  the  parts  the 
horse  may  be  induced  to  bite  upon  thoroughly  with  the  solution.  To  be  re- 
peated at  least  once  a  week,  for  a  month  or  more.  The  object  is  to  make 
the  lips  and  mouth  so  sore  as  to  prevent  the  inclination  to  bite.  This  method 
will  often  work  very  satisfactorily  ;  but,  like  the  treatment  first  advised,  must 
be  done  thoroughly  to  be  effective.  Covering  the  parts  with  sheep  skin  will 
seldom  do  any  good. 

W.  D.  Gross,  of  Kutztown,  Pa. ,  advertises  a,  device  for  the  cure  of  crib- 
bing, for  which  he  claims  much.  It  is  simply  a  thin  plate  of  metal  placed 
over  the  upper  front  teeth  and  fastened  at  each  end  by  small  bolts.  This 
will,  of  course,  make  the  gums  sore,  if  pressed  upon  to  any  extent,  and  will 
undoubtedly  work  weU ;  but  it  seems  objectionable,  on  account  of  the  an- 
noyance such  a  plate  must  cause  a  sensitive  horse,  and  the  method  of  fasten- 
ing it  to  the  teeth.  Cribbing  can  in  all  cases  be  stopped  by  buckling  a  wide, 
flexible  strap,  moderately  tight,  around  the  neck.  It  should  be  from  3  to 
Zh  inches  wide.  A  narrow  strap  will  not  work  well. 
*  (lOSl) 


GEIJERAi;  IFDEX. 


A  bad  case,  303. 

Abnormal  presentations,  1026. 

Absorption  of  coffin  bone,  810,  SI 4. 

A  cold,  1033. 

Acidity  of  the  stomach,  939. 

Acute  indigestion,  940. 

Acute  pleurisy,  1032. 

A  dangerous  case,  521. 

Adaptation  to  wants,  83. 

A  desperate  case,  482. 

Adjustable  brace  shoe,  1020. 

Advice  to  teamsters,  257. 

Afraid  of  railway  car,  132. 

Afraid  of  robe,  129. 

Age,  how  to  tell,  559. 

Allegan  horse,  383. 

Allegan  man-eater,  435. 

Almost  a  failure,  479. 

Amaurosis,  997. 

Ammonia  liniment,  1048. 

Anasarca,  1000. 

Anchylosis  of  bones,  751,  753. 

An  exciting  incident,  344. 

Annoying  difficulties,  527. 

Anodyne  liniment,  1048. 

Antiphlogistics,  749. 

Application  of  subjective  methods,  400. 

Approaching  a  vicious  stallion,  301. 

Arabian  secret,  403. 

Art  of  direct  subjection,  457. 

Art  of  taming  horses,  385. 

A  runaway,  140. 

Ascaris,  or  ascarides,  906. 

Ascites,  999. 

A  serious  accident,  50 1 . 

Atrophy,  812,  822. 

Autograph  letter  from  Mr.  Bonner,  513. 

Azoturia,  923. 

Backing,  274. 

In  stall,  289. 
Back,  teaching  a  colt  to,  105. 
Back  tendon,  sprain  of,  957. 

Treatment,  960. 
Bad  case,  303. 

[1082] 


Bad  shoeing,  627,  633. 

Effects  of,  636,  648. 
Bad  to  bridle,  196. 
Bad  to  shoe,  55,  222. 

Confirmed  in  the  habit,  229. 

Illustration,  468. 

Palliative  treatment,  222-236. 

Subjective  treatment,  237. 
Balking,  241. 

Double,  252. 

Illustrations  of,  257-261. 

Restless,  250. 

Single,  241. 
Balking  horses,  242. 

Simple  treatment,  245. 
Balls,  cathartic,  1042. 
Bar  shoe,  advantages  of,  694. 
Bit,  breaking,  70,  104. 

Four  ring,  187,  271. 

Half  moon,  75,  268. 

Spoon,  76,  369. 

Upper  jaw,  72. 
Bitting,  107. 

Bleeding,  749,  1042.  * 

Blind  Billy,  694. 
Blinders,  custom  of  using,  112. 
Blistering,  hints  upon,  1030. 
Blisters,  1027. 

For  spavin,  764. 
Bloody  urine,  918. 
Bones,  caries  of,  752. 

Necrosis  of,  753. 
Bones,  diseases  of,  751. 
Bones  of  the  foot,  581. 
Bony  enlargement,  754. 
Bots,  907,  912. 
Bowels,  inflammation  of,  898. 
Brace  or  stay  shoe,  1019. 
Brain,  Influence  on,  387. 
Brain,  inflammation  of,  919. 
Breaking  down,  962. 
Breaking,  or  "  W  "  bit,  70,  104,  399. 
Breaking  rig,  80. 
Breeding,  537. 
Bridle,  war,  47,  61,  399. 

Double-draw-hitch  form,  62,  69. 
Bridle,  Patent,  76,  263,  272,  399. 
Broken  knee,  971. 


GENEEAL   INDEX. 


1083 


Broken  wind,  856. 

Bronchitis,  869,  885.     , 

Bronchocele,  861. 

Bruise  of  the  sole  of  foot,  947. 

Bruises,  956. 

Buffalo  Omnibus  Co.'s  horse,  415. 

o 

Calks,  948. 

Canker,  955. 

Capped  hocks,  770. 

Carriage  top,  fear  of,  469. 

Cast  in  the  stall,  32G. 

Castration,  1022. 

Cataract,  998. 

Catarrh,  841. 

Catarrhal  fever,  864. 

Catch  a  horse,  316. 

Cathartic  balls,  1042. 

Causes  of  lameness,  783. 

Causes  of  spavin,  760. 

Caustics,  1049. 

Character,  contrasts  of,  572-579. 

Checking  head  high,  184. 

Check,  over  draw,  183. 

Chronic  cough,  854. 

Chronic  founder,  838. 

Chronic  lameness,  stages  of,  803 

Circulation,  732. 

Derangement  of,  7'f2. 
Clenching  down  the  nail,  665. 
Cleveland,  success  at,  500. 
Clicking  and  overreaching,  707. 
Coffin  bone,  absorption  of,  810,  814. 
Coleman,  Prof.,  712. 
Colic,  740,  886,  1032. 

Flatulent,  894. 

Symptoms  of,  891. 

Treatment  for,  893. 
Collar  and  shoulder  galls,  1017. 
Colt  training,  91. 

0  o  make  gentle,  94. 

To  subdue,  389. 
Committee  report,  513,  515. 
Common  cause  of  trouble,  466. 
Cong'^stion  of  lungs,  868,  873. 
ConSrmed  kickers,  171. 
Constipation,  901,  905. 
Contraction,  668. 

Condition  for  cure,  079. 

Classes  of.  677. 

To  cure,  688,  672,  675. 
Contrasts  of  char,"ct->r,  -572-579. 
Control  by  eye,  or  will,  408. 
Control  by  whipping,  60. 
Control  of  man  by  will   4'^9. 
Cooking  food,  554. 
Corns,  695. 
Cough,  chronic,  854. 
Counter  irritants,  1028. 


Cows,  kicking,  328. 
Cracks,  heel,  1008. 

Quarter,  691. 

Toe,  694,  699. 
Cribbing,  319,  1081. 
Crupper,  187. 
Curb,  772. 

Curiosity,  exciting,  491. 
Curling  under  of  heels,  685. 
Cuts  or  wounds,  977. 

Dangerous  case,  521. 

Description  of  foot,  586,  627,  633. 

Of  interior  hoof,  829. 
Description  of  teeth,  570. 
Dialogue  between  man  and  horse,  450. 
Diaphragm,  rupture  of,  807. 
Diaphragm,  spasmodic  action  of,  935. 
Diarrhea,  902. 
Difficulties,  497,  527,  531. 
Diseases  and  their  treatment,  746. 
Diseases  of  the  bones,  751. 

Eye,  990. 

Feet,  826. 

Lungs,  868. 

Nervous  system,  918. 

Skin,  1003. 
Dislocation  of  the  patella,  976. 
Distemper,  845. 
Diuresis,  916. 
Diuretics,  749. 
Division  of  the  nerve,  801. 
Division  of  tendons,  1019. 
Docking,  1045. 
Double  balking,  252. 
Double-draw-hitch,  62,  69. 
Drench,  giving,  1039. 
Driving  double,  116. 
Driving  in  harness,  103. 
Driving  to  poles,  110. 
Driving  without  reins,  347. 
Dropsy  of  the  belly,  999. 

Effect  of  bad  shoeing,  636,  648. 

Of  fear,  118. 
Elbow,  tumor  on,  1010. 
Embrocations,  1047. 
Epizootic,  864. 
Equestrianism,  350. 
Evil  results  of  blistering,  1030. 
Eye,  diseases  of,  990. 
Eye,  glass,  997. 
Excessive  fear,  118. 
Exciting  curiosity,  491. 
Exostosis,  or  bony  enlargement,  754. 
Experience,  personal,  472. 


1084 


GENEEAL   INDl^X. 


Experiments,  483. 

Special,  495. 

Test,  523,  529. 
Explanations,  535. 
External  part  of  the  foot,  583. 
Extracts  from  standard  authors,  712. 

Coleman,  Prof.,  713. 

Fleming,  Geo.,  716.' 

Freeman,  723. 

Lafosse,  722. 

Miles,  715. 

Moorcroft,  714. 

Osmer,  719. 

Touatt,  715. 


IF 


Familiar  talk  with  reader,  457. 
rancher,  0.  H.  P.,  368. 
Farcy,  849. 
Fear,  its  effects,  118. 

Illustrations,  119. 
Fear,  of  carriage  top,  120,  4('»9. 

Objects,  127. 

Hogs  and  dogs,  132. 

Railroad  cars,  132. 

Rattle  of  wagon,  125. 

Robe,  83,  129,  145. 

Sound  of  gun,  131. 

Umbrella,  S3,  130. 
Feeding  and  watering,  551. 
Feet,  condition  of,  803. 

How  to  keep  in  a  natural  position, 
787,  792. 
Fistula  of  the  withers,  9S5. 
Fever,  catarrhal,  864. 
Fever,  mud,  1008. 
Filaria,  907. 
Firing,  765,  1031. 

First  attempts  at  horse  taming,  473. 
First  method  of  subjection,  .''0-3S. 
First  publications,  487. 
Flatulent  colic,  894. 
Foaling,  1025. 
Follow,  taught  by  whip,  101,  334. 

By  rope  halter,  97. 
Fomentations,  1032. 
Food,  552. 

Foot  strap,  32,  79,  182. 
Force  to  trot,  330. 
Foulness  of  sheath  and  yard,  1025. 
Founder,  or  laminites,  826. 

Chronic,  838. 

Treatment  for,  830. 
Four-ring  bit,  73,  371. 
Fractures,  815,  974. 
Freeman,  quotation  from,  723. 
Frightened  by  a  blanket,  141. 
Fi-og-pressure,  G77, 


a- 

Gallopsville  horse,  414. 
Galls,  collar  and  saddle,  1017. 
Gamgee,  Joseph,  653,  952. 
Gangrene,  747. 
General  Knox  Stallion,  215. 
Getting  cast  in  the  stall,  32(). 
Giving  balls,  1038. 
Giving  drench,  1039. 
Glanders  and  iarey,  848. 
Glass  eye,  997. 
Goodenough,  Mr.,  381. 
Goodman  horse,  207. 
Gravelling,  947. 
Grease,  1012. 
Grooming,  196. 

Half-moon  bit,  75,  368. 

Haltering,  92. 

Halter  pulling,  71,  279. 

Hamill,  Prof.,  643. 

Hankey  mare,  206. 

Hard  pullers,  74. 

Harness,  how  to  fit.  111. 

Harnessing,  193. 

Head,  checking  high,  184. 

Headstrong  horses,  70. 

Health,  preservation  of,  743. 

Headstrong  stallions,  296. 

Heaves,  856. 

Heels,  weak,  700. 

Hen  lice,  1007. 

Herman  horse,  420. 

Hettrick  horse,  203. 

Hints  upon  blistering,  1030. 

Hip  lameness,  968. 

Hip  strap,  186. 

Hitching  a  horse,  391. 

The  colt,  116. 
Hitching  to  a  wagon,  1 10. 
*Hoof  lameness,  703. 
Horse-back  riding,  350,  361. 
Horse  distemper,  845. 
Horse  doctors,  507. 
Hot  fomentations,  1032. 
How  to  keep  feet  in  natural  condition, 

787,  793. 
How  to  tell  the  age,  559. 
Hydrophobia,  933. 
Hydrothorax,  883. 
Hypertrophy,  examples  of,  804. 


niustrations  of  balking,  257. 
Illustrations  of  fear,  119. 
Illustrations  of  kicking,  197-221,  530. 
General  Knox  stallion,  315, 

*iroof  Ointment,  983,  ]  059 


GENEEAL  INDEX. 


1085 


Goodman  horse,  307. 

Hankey  mare,  206. 

Hettrick  horse,  203. 

Lima  stallion,  220. 

Malcome  horse,  198. 

McVay  horse,  212. 

Putney  horse,  19T. 

Wild  Ravenna  colt,  218. 
Illustrative  cases  of  runaway,  267,  463. 
Illustrative  cases  of  subjection,  412-448. 

Allegan  man-eater,  435. 

Buffalo  Omnibus  Co.'s  horse,  41.5. 

Gallopsville  horse,  414. 

Herman  horse,  420. 

"Jet" — Hillman  horse,  425. 

Mt.  Vernon  horse,  412. 

Mustang  pony,  443. 

Norwalk  horse,  434. 

Oxford  horse,  418. 

Roberts  horse,  440. 

Wilkins  horse,  421. 
Illustrative  effects  of  fear,  136. 

Afraid  of  a  robe,  145. 

A  runaway,  140. 

Colt,  bad  to  break,  144. 

Eight-year-old  sorrel,  136. 

Frightened  by  a  blanket,  141. 

Pony,  nine-vear-old,  142. 

Wild  Pete,  147. 
Inattention  and  carelessness,  460. 
Indigestion,  939. 
Inflammation,  746. 
Inflammation  of  bladder,  917. 

Bowels,  898. 

Brain,  919. 

Eyes,  991. 

Kidneys,  915, 

Lungs,  868,  875. 

Os-pedis,  840. 

Veins,  1001. 
Influence  on  brain,  387. 
Influenza,  864. 

Injuries  and  diseases  of  penis,  1024. 
Injury  by  shoeing,  686. 
Injuries  of  the  tongue,  983. 
In  New  York,  509. 
Insanity,  135. 
Interfering,  705,  707. 
Internal  parts  of  foot,  589. 


"Jet"— Hillman  horse,  425. 
Jumping  fences,  327. 
Jumping  out  of  shafts,  126. 

Keeping  engagements,  533. 
Kickers,  details  of  treatment,  165. 
Confirmed,  171. 


Mustang,  to  illustrate,  176. 

Runaway,  160. 

Sulky,  173. 

Switching,  179. 
Kickers,  illustrative  cases  of,  197-221, 

520. 
Kicker,  to  break,  80,  158. 
Kicking,  152. 

In  the  stall,  190. 

When  whipped,  188. 
Kicking  cows,  328. 
Kicking  strap,  179. 
Kidneys,  inflammation  of,  915. 
Kinds  of  shoes,  726. 
Knee,  broken,  971. 
Knuckling  over,  970. 


Ladies  riding,  859. 
Lafosse,  722. 
Lameness,  704. 

Of  the  Shoulder,  964. 

Permanent,  819. 
Laminitis,  or  founder,  826. 
Lampas,  1003. 
Laryngitis,  843. 
Leg,  Monday-morning,  937. 
Lie  down,  to  teach  to,  337. 
Lima  stallion,  220. 
Liniment,  anodyne,  1048. 

Tor  the  shoulder,  966. 

Of  ammonia,  1048. 

Soap,  1048. 

Volatile,  1048. 
Lockjaw,  928. 

Lugging  or  pulling  on  rein,  273. 
Lungs,  congestion  of,  868,  873. 

Inflammation  of,  875. 
Lymphangitis,  937. 

Madness,  or  rabies,  931. 

Mad  staggers,  919. 

Maine,  success  in,  488,  493. 

Malcome  horse,  notable  kicker,  198. 

Mallenders,  1017. 

Mange,  1005. 

Manner  of  spreading  foot,  683. 

Mastering  vicious  horses,  333. 

McVay  horse,  213. 

Megrims,  or  vertigo,  921. 

Meningitis,  spinal,  923. 

Methods  of  subjection,  20-30. 

First,  30-38,  397. 

Second,  38-48,  397. 

Third,  48,  897. 
Morgan  Tiger  horse,  484. 
Mouth,  Bore,  984. 
Mt.  Vernon  horse,  413. 


1086 


GENEKAL   INDEX. 


Mud  fever,  1008. 

Mustang  pony,  443. 

Mustang,  wild  and  dangerous,  401. 

Mustard,  embrocation,  1048. 

isr 

Nails,  clinching  down,  665. 

Nailing  the  shoe,  661,  680. 

Nasal  gleet,  863. 

Nature  of  spavin,  758. 

Navicular  bone,  fracture  of,  816. 

Navicular  disease,  822. 

Navicular  or  coffin  joint  lameness,  778. 

Illustration  of,  795. 

Mr.  Roburg's  treatment,  798. 
Necrosis,  751. 
Nerve,  division  of,  801. 
Nervous  63'stem,  diseases  of,  918. 
Nettle  rash,  1004. 
Neurotomv,  799. 
Nicking,  1045. 
Norwalk  horse,  434. 
Notices  of  the  press,  500-505. 

o 

Objections  in  stabling,  545. 

Objects,  fear  of,  127. 

Oflfutt,  Denton,  368,  449. 

Opening  quarters  of  the  foot,  688. 

Open  joint,  971. 

Operation  in  neurotomy,  800. 

Ophthalmia,  periodic,  994. 

Simple,  991. 

Specific,  994. 
Os-pedis,  inflammation  of,  840. 
Osteosarcoma,  751. 
Over-draw  check,  183. 
Overloading,  256. 
Overreach,  951. 

Overreaching  and  clicking,  707. 
Oxyures,  907. 


Pads  for  tender  feet,  710. 
Paring  the  sole,  679. 
Partakes  of  owner's  character,  387. 
Paralysis,  927. 

Partial,  923. 
Parturition,  1025. 
Patella,  dislocation  of,  976. 
Patent  bridle,  76,  263,  272,  484. 
Pathological  condition  of  feet,  803. 
Pawing  in  the  stall,  325. 
Peditis,  840. 

Penis,  injury  and  disease  of,  1024. 
Perforans  tendon,  sprain  of,  964. 
Peritonitis,  938. 
Periodic  ophthalmia,  994. 


Permanent  lameness,  819. 
Personal  experience,  472. 
Phlebitis,  1001. 
Phlebotomy,  1042. 
Phrenitis,  919. 
Physicking,  1040. 
Pinkeye,  866. 
Pleurisy,  869,  878,  882. 
Pneumonia,  869,  875. 

Typhoid,  884. 
Poles,  driving  to,  110. 
Poll  evil,  987. 
Poultices,  1034. 

Precautions  to  insure  safety,  463. 
Preservation  of  health,  743. 
Pretended  secrets,  459. 
Pricking  in  shoeing,  941,  600,  007. 
Principle  of  shoeing,  687. 
Profuse  staling,  916. 
Pulling  on  halter,  279. 

Treatment,  286,  288. 
Pulse,  1035. 
Purgatives,  749. 
Putting  tongue  out  of  mouth,  323. 

Quacks,  680. 

Quarter  cracks,  691. 

Quittor,  951. 

Quotation  from  Prof.  Hamill,  643. 

Gamgee,  653. 

McLellan,  644. 

:r 

Rabies,  or  madness,  931. 
Railway  cars,  fear  of,  132. 
Rarey,  John  S,  368. 
Recipes,  miscellaneous,  1050. 
Riding  horseback,  350. 
Ring-bone,  770. 
Ring-worm,  1007. 
Roaring,  859. 
Robe,  fear  of,  83,  129. 
Roberts  horse,  440. 
Rope  rig  for  subjection,  31. 
Rowcll,  1044. 
Rubefacients,  1030. 
Running  away,  261. 
Running  back  in  stall,  289. 
Rupture  of  diaphragm,  807. 


Saddle  and  collar  galls,  101^ 

Sallenders,  1017. 

Scratches,  1008. 

Sheath,  foulness  of,  1025, 

Sedatives,  749. 

Seedy  toe,  946. 


GENEEAL   INDEX. 


1087 


Selection  of  stallions,  538. 
Setons,  1031,  1044. 
Shoeing,  388,  580,  631. 

Bad,  623,  636. 

For  ordinary  uses,  658. 

French  method  of,  689. 

Hind  feet,  666. 

Mode  of,  823. 

Nailing,  661,  680. 

Noted  points,  635. 

Principle  of,  687. 

Quotation,  643. 
Shoeing  tender,  sore  feet,  708. 
Shoes,  kinds  of,  726. 

Thin  heeled,  788. 

With  spring,  689. 
Shoulder  lameness,  964. 
Shoulder,  tumor  on,  1014. 
Side  bone,  772. 
Side  reiners,  74. 
Simple  ophthalmia,  991. 
Single  balking,  341. 
Sit  up,  to  teach,  339. 
Skin,  diseases  of,  1003. 
Sling  for  foot,  1021. 
Snake's  power  to  charm,  409. 
Soap  liniment,  1048. 
Sole,  bruise  of,  947. 
Somerville,  Mr.,  908,  920. 
Sore  footed,  670,  704. 
Sore  Mouth,  984. 
Sore  throat,  843. 
Sound  of  gun,  fear  of,  131. 
Spasmodic  action  of  diaphragm,  935. 
Spavin,  756. 

Cause  of,  760. 

Bog,  774. 

Nature  of,  758. 

Symptoms  of,  760. 

Treatment  for,  762,  764. 
Special  experiments.  495. 
Spinal  Meningitis,  923. 
Splint,  or  splent,  754. 
Spoiled  by  fright,  139. 
Spoon  bit,  76,  269. 
Sprain  and  bruises,  956. 
Sprain  of  back  tendon,  957. 
Sprain  of  the  fetlock,  963. 

Of  perforans  tendon,  964 
Spreaders,  682. 
Stabling,  543. 

Ventilation,  547. 
Stages  of  chronic  lameness,  803. 
Staggers,  919. 
Stallions,  293. 

A  bad  case,  303. 

Approaching,  301. 

Headstrong,  296. 

Vicious,  299. 
StaJlions,  illustrative  cases,  305-317. 

Fred  Arnd  horse,  305. 


Godolphin  Arabian,  308. 
Statement  of  facts,  531. 
Stepping  on  glass,  nails,  etc.,  941. 
Stifled,  976. 

Stifle-joint  lameness,  977. 
Stomach,  939. 

Acidity  of,  939. 
Strangles,  845. 
Strap,  kicking,  179. 

Foot,  32,  79,  182. 

Hip,  186. 

Tail,  181. 
String  halt,  935. 
Structure  of  foot,  808. 
Stumbling,  708. 
Subdue  by  medicine,  402. 
Subjection,  362. 

Application  of  methods,  400. 

Condition  in,  394. 

Methods  of,  20-30. 

Of  colt,  94,  389. 

Points  of  investigation,  372. 
Subjection,  first  method,  30-38,  397. 
Subjection,  illustrative  cases,  412—448. 

Allegan  man-eater,  435. 

Buffalo  Omnibus  Co.'s  horse,415. 

Gallopsville  horse,  414. 

Hermon  horse,  420. 

"Jet," — Hillman  horse,  425. 

Mt.  Vernon  horse,  412. 

Mustang  pony,  443. 

Norwalk  horse,  434. 

Oxford  horse,  418. 

Roberts  horse,  440. 

Wilkins  horse,  421. 
Subjection,  second  method,  38-48,  397. 

War  bridle,  47. 
Subjection,  third  method,  48,  397. 

Bad  to  shoe,  55. 

Not  adapted  to  some  cases,  57. 

One  trial,  60. 

Sign  of  submission,  55. 

War  bridle,  second  form,  49. 
Success  in  Maine,  488,  493. 

In  Michigan,  503. 
Success  in  subjection,  392. 
Sullen  colts,  94,  389. 
Sullen  horses  taught  to  follow,  97. 
Sun  stroke,  922. 
Superpurgation,  902. 
Suppuration,  747. 
Surfeit,  1003. 
Sweeney,  966. 
Sweeney,  781. 
Swelled  legs,  1000. 
Switching  kickers,  179. 


Tail  strap,  181. 

Talk  with  reader,  457. 


1088 


GENERAL   INDEX. 


Taming  horses,  517. 

Tape-worm,  907,  911. 

Teaching  by  whip,  objection  to,  102. 

Teaching  to  back  and  whoa,  105. 

To  follow,  96. 
Teeth,  dcbcription  of,  570. 
Tender  feet,  to  shoe,  708. 

Pads  for,  710. 
Tender  bitted,  328. 
Tendons,  division  of,  1019. 
Tenotomy,  1018. 
Teres  lumbrici,  906. 
Test  experiments,  523,  529. 
Tetanus,  or  lockjaw,  928. 
The  pulse,  1035. 
The  rowel,  1044. 
Thin-heeled  shoes,  788. 
Thorough-pins,  774. 
Thrombus,  1002, 
Throwing  ovur  backward,  114. 
Thrush,  954. 
Thumps,  935. 
To  break  a  runaway,  80. 
To  catch  a  horse,  316. 
Toe  crack,  694,  699. 
To  prevent  bitting,  107. 
To  subdue  a  colt,  389. 
Tracheotomy,  1045. 
Training  the  colt,  91. 
Treacherous  character,  123. 
Treads,  or  calks,  948. 
Treatment  of  foot  diseases,  sdU. 
Trichocephalus  desper,  907. 
Tricks,  to  teach,  332. 

Chase  a  man,  346. 

Drive  without  reins,  347. 

Follow  by  whip,  334. 

Kick  up,  335. 

Sit  down,  337. 

Nod  and  shake  the  head,  ;>;!4. 

Sit  up,  339. 

Tell  the  age,  334. 

Throw  boy.s,  340. 

To  kiss,  337. 

Walk  upon  hind  feet,  345. 

Walk  on  knees,  346. 
Trimming  for  shoeing,  646. 
Trot,  to  force  to,  330. 
Trouble,  common  cause  of,  46(». 
Tumor  on  the  elbow,  1016. 

On  the  shoulder,  1014. 
Turner,  James,  850. 
Turning  a  horse  out,  819. 
Tying  up  one  foot,  79. 
Tympanites,  894. 


XT 

Ulceration,  823,  747. 
Umbrella,  fear  of,  83,  130. 
Uncontrollable  resistance,  387, 
Upper  jaw  bit,  72. 
Urine,  retention  of,  918. 

Bloody,  918. 
Urticaria,  1004. 

"V" 

Vascular  system,  division  of,  7.S4. 
Vaseline,  988. 
Vegetable  caustics,  1049. 
Ventilation,  547,  743. 
Veterinary  adviser,  857. 
Vertigo,  or  megrims,  921. 
Vicious  horses,  232. 
Volatile  linimeut,  1048, 

-V7- 

War  bridle,  47,  49,  61,  399. 

Double-draw-hitch  form,  <'.:.',  (;<i. 

Modification  of,  66. 

Points  of  using.  64. 
Warren,  Alexander,  934. 
Watering  and  feeding,  551,  557. 
Water  in  the  chest,  883, 
Watson  horse,  201. 
Weak  heels,  700. 

Kemedy  for,  702. 
Weed,  937. 

Whipping  to  contrul,  60. 
AVhite,  Mr.,  906,  909. 
Whoa,  to  teach  a  eolt  tn,  10."). 
Wild  horses,  405. 
Wild  Pete,  1 47. 
Wild  Ravanna  colt,  2 is. 
Wilkins  horse,  421. 
Will  not  back,  274. 
Will  not  stand,  270. 
AVind  sucking,  323. 
Winning  treatment,  393. 
Wonderful  exhibition,  512. 
"  W  "  or  breaking  bit,  70,  1(1-4. 
Word  of  caution,  07. 
Worms,  906. 
Treatment,  908. 

IT 

Yard  and  slieath,  foiilnesn  of,   1025. 
Youatt,  Mr,,  715 


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